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General Appearance
Appears as gifted with intelligence, alertness and activity. Stands with dignity, governed by perfect anatomical formation, with no part out of proportion, giving the appearance of working ability.
Characteristics
Physical structure on lines of strength and activity, free from cloddiness and with no trace of coarseness. Expression, most important. In considering relative values. It is obtained by perfect balance and combination of skull and foreface, size and shape, colour and placement of eye, correct position and carriage of ears.
Temperament
Gay and friendly, never nervous nor aggressive.
Head and Skull
Head properties of great importance, and must be considered in proportion to the size of the dog. Viewed from front or side, head resembles a well blunted, clean wedge, being smooth in outline. Skull flat. Sides taper gradually and smoothly from ears to end of black nose, without prominent cheekbones, or pinched muzzle. Viewed in profile, top of skull and top of muzzle lie in 2 parallel straight lines of equal length divided by a slight but perceptible stop or break. A midpoint between inside corner of eyes (which is center of a correctly placed stop) is center of balance in length of head. End of smooth, well rounded muzzle blunt, but never square. Under-jaw strong, clean cut. Depth of skull from brow to underpart of jaw never excessive (deep through). Nose always black.
Eyes
Very important feature, giving sweet expression. Medium sized (never very small), set somewhat obliquely, of almond shape and dark brown in colour. Except in the case of blue merles, when eyes are frequently (one or both, or part of one or both) blue or blue flecked. Expression full of intelligence, with quick, alert look when listening.
Ears
Moderately large, wider at base, and placed not too close together, nor too much on the side of the head. When in repose carried thrown back, but when alert brought forward and carried semi-erect. That is with 2/3 of the ear standing erect, top 1/3 tipping forward naturally below the horizontal.
Mouth
Teeth of good size, jaws strong with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Neck
Muscular, powerful, of fair length, well arched.
Forequarters
Shoulders sloping and well angulated. Forelegs straight and muscular, neither in nor out at elbow, with a moderate amount of bone. Forearm somewhat fleshy. Pasterns showing flexibility without weakness.
Body
Slightly long compared to height. Back level and firm with a slight rise over loins. Ribs well sprung. Chest deep and fairly broad behind the shoulders.
Hindquarters
Hindlegs muscular at thighs, clean and sinewy below, with well bent stifles. Hocks well let down and powerful.
Feet
Oval soles well padded. Toes arched and close together. Hindfeet slightly less arched.
Tail
Long with bone reaching at least to hock joint. To be carried low when quiet but with a slight upward swirl at tip. May be carried gaily when excited, but never over the back.
Gait/Movement
Distictly characteristic of the breed. A sound dog is never out at the elbow, yet moves with front feet comparitively close together. Plaiting, crossing or rolling are highly undesirable. Hindlegs, from hock joint to the ground, when veiwed from the rear, parallel. Hindlegs powerful and full of drive. Viewed from the side, action is smooth. A reasonably long stride is desirable and should be light and appear effortless.
Coat
Short, flat topcoat of harsh texture, with a very dense undercoat. Not trimmed or clipped.
Colour
3 recognised colours;
Sable; Anyshade from light gold to rich mahogany or shaded sable. Light staw, or cream colour is highly undesireable
Tricolour; Predominantly black with rich | ||||||||||||||