CHARACTERISTICS ( back to top )
Should be neither nervous nor aggressive, but keen, alert, responsive and intelligent.
GENERAL APPEARANCE ( back to top )
The general appearance should be that of a well proportioned dog, the smooth outline showing quality, gracefulness and perfect balance, combined with sufficient substance to convey the impression that is capable of endurance. Any tendency to coarseness or weediness is undesirable.
HEAD AND SKULL ( back to top )
Skull fairly broad, occiput not pronounced. Cheeks should not be full or rounded. The muzzle tapering to the nose, should be moderately short and strong, and the skull and foreface should be approximately the same length. Nose black, nostrils well developed. Stop very distinct.
The eyes should be set wide apart oval shaped of moderate size and dark brown in colour, except in the case of merles where one or both, or part of one or both, may be blue. The expression should be mild yet keen.
The ears should be of medium size and texture, set well apart, carried semi-erect and sensitive in their use. Inside the ear should be well furnished with hair.
The teeth should be strong, with perfect regular and complete scissor bite; ie the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
The neck should be of good length, strong and muscular, slightly arched and broadening to the shoulders.
Front legs parallel when viewed from front, pasterns sloping slightly when viewed from side. Bone should be round and strong but not heavy. Shoulders well laid back, elbows close to the body.
Ribs well sprung, chest deep and rather broad. The back should be broad and strong, and lions deep muscular and slightly arched. The body should be slightly longer than it is high at the shoulder.
The hindquarters should be broad and muscular, in profile sloping gracefully to the set on of the tail. The thighs should be long, broad, deep, muscular with well turned stifles and strong hocks, well let down. From hock to ground the hind legs should be well boned and parallel when viewed from the rear.
Oval in shape pads deep, strong and sound toes arched and close together. Nails short and strong.
The movement should be free smooth and tireless, with a minimum lift of feet, conveying the impression of the ability to move with great stealth and speed.
The tail should be moderately long, the bone reaching at least to the hock joint, set on low, well furnished and with an upwards swirl towards the end completing the graceful contour and balance of the dog. The tail may be raised in excitement but never carried over the back.
There are two varieties of coat, one moderately long, the other smooth. In both, the topcoat should be dense and medium textured, the undercoat short, soft and dense to give good weather resistance. In the moderately long coated variety there should be abundant coat to form a mane breaching and brush. On face, ears, forelegs ( except for feather ), hindlegs from hock to ground, the hair should be short and smooth.
A variety of colours is permissible, but white should never be predominate.
Ideal height: Dogs about 53cm ( 21in ). Bitches slightly less.
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness of the fault should be in exact proportion to its degree.