General appearance
Balanced combination of muscular power and strength with elegance and grace of outline. Built for speed and work. All forms of exaggeration should be avoided.

Characteristics
An ideal companion. Highly adaptable in domestic and sporting surroundings.

Temperament
Gentle, affectionate, even disposition.

Head and skull
Long and lean, flat on top tapering to muzzle with slight stop, rather wide between the eyes, jaws powerful and clean-cut, nose black, in blues a bluish colour permitted, in livers a nose of the same colour, in whites or parti-colour a butterfly nose permissible.

Eyes
Oval, bright, expression very alert.

Ears
Rose-shaped, small, fine in texture.

Mouth
Jaws strong with perfect, regular and complete scissors bite, i.e upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck
Long, muscular, elegantly arched.

Forequarters
Shoulders oblique and muscular, blades carried up to top of spine, where they are clearly defined. Forelegs straight and upright, front not too wide, pasterns strong with slight spring, elbows set well under body.

Body
Chest very deep with plenty of heart room, brisket deep, well defined, broad back, firm, somewhat long, showing definite arch over loin but not humped. Loin giving impression of strength and power, ribs well sprung, muscular on back.

Hindquarters
Strong, broad across thighs, stifles well bent, hocks well let down, well developed second thighs, dogs able to stand over a lot of ground and show great driving power.

Feet
Very neat, well split up between toes, knuckles well arched, pads thick and strong.

Tail
No feathering. Long, tapering, when in action carried in a delicate curve upward but not over back.

Gait/Movement
Free, hindlegs coming well under body for propulsion. Forelegs thrown well forward low over the ground, true coming and going. General movement not to look stilted, high stepping, short or mincing.

Coat
Fine, short, close in texture.

Colour
Any colour or mixture of colours.

Size
Height: dogs: 47-51 cm ( 18½-20 ins ); bitches: 44-47 cm ( 17-18½ ins )

Faults
Any departure from the foregoing point should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

This page is updated: 06 June 1999