CHARACTERISTICS: Self confident, good natured. Aggressiveness must not be tolerated. Slow to mature.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Above medium sized, strong, sturdy working dog, active, alert, well boned, of striking colour.
Head and Skull: Strong with flat skull and slightly developed furrow, well defined stop, strong straight muzzle. Lips slightly developed.
Eyes: Dark brown and almond-shaped, eyelids tight.
Ears: Medium sized ears, set high, triangular shaped, lying flat in repose, when alert brought slightly forward, and raised at the base.
Mouth: Scissor bite.
Neck: Strong, muscular and of medium length.
Forequarters: Shoulders long, strong and sloping, with the upper arm forming a distinct angle, flat lying and well muscled. Appears straight from all sides.
Body: Compact rather than long. Ratio height to length 9:10. Broad chest, with good depth of brisket, reaching at least to the elbow. Well-ribbed; strong loins. Back firm and straight. Rump smoothly rounded.
Hindquarters: Quarters broad, strong and well-muscled. Stifles well bent. Hock strong, well let down and turning neither in nor out. Dew claws should be removed.
Feet: Short, round and compact.
Gait: Stride reaching out well in front, following well through behind, balanced stride in all gaits.
Tail: Bushy, reaching just below the hock; may be raised when dog alert or moving but never curled or carried above the level of the back.
Temperament: Self confident, good natured, friendly and fearless.
Coat: Sort and silky with bright natural sheen, long and slightly wavy, but should not curl when mature.
Colour: Jet black, with rich reddish brown on the cheeks, over the eyes, on all four legs and on chest. Slight to medium sized symmetrical white head marking (blaze) and white chest marking (cross), are essential. Preferred but not essential, white paws, white not reaching higher than the pastern, white tip to tail. A few white hairs at nape of neck and white anal patch undesirable but tolerated.
Weight and Size: Dogs: 64 – 70 cm (25 – 27.5 in) at the withers, preferred size 66 – 68 cm (26 – 26.7 in) Bitches: 58 – 66 cm (23 – 26 in) at the withers, preferred size 60 – 63 cm (23.5 – 25 in).
Faults: 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.
Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.