Breed Standards
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This breed standard was developed by the Australian Shepherd Club of America in 1975 and adopted by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1991.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
The Australian Shepherd is a well-balanced dog of medium size and
bone. He is attentive and animated, showing strength and stamina combined with
unusual agility. Slightly longer than tall, he has a coat of moderate length and
coarseness with coloring that offers variety and individuality in each specimen.
An identifying characteristic is his natural or docked bobtail. In each sex,
masculinity or femininity is well defined.
CHARACTER:
The Australian Shepherd is intelligent, primarily a working dog of
strong herding and guardian instincts. He is an exceptional companion. He is
versatile and easily trained,
performing his assigned tasks with great style and enthusiasm. He is reserved
with strangers but does not exhibit shyness. Although an aggressive,
authoritative worker, viciousness toward people or animals is intolerable.
HEAD:
Clean-cut, strong, dry and in proportion to the body. The topskull is flat
to slightly rounded, its length and width each equal to the length of the muzzle
which is in balance and proportioned to the rest of the head. The muzzle tapers
slightly to a rounded tip. The stop is moderate but well-defined. (A) TEETH: A
full compliment of strong, white teeth meet in a scissors bite. An even bite is
a fault. Teeth broken or missing by accident are not penalized.
Disqualifications: Undershot bites; overshot bites exceeding 1/8 inches. (B)
EYES: Very expressive, showing attentiveness and intelligence.
Clear, almond-shaped, and of moderate size, set a little obliquely, neither
prominent nor sunken, with pupils dark, well-defined and perfectly positioned.
Color is brown, blue, amber, or any variation or combination including flecks
and marbling. (C) EARS: Set on high at the side of the head, triangular and
slightly rounded at the tip, of moderate size with length measured by bringing
the tip of the ear around to the inside corner of the eye. The ears, at full
attention, break slightly forward and over from one- quarter (1/4) to one-half
(1/2) above the base. Prick ears and hound type ears are severe faults.
NECK AND BODY:
The neck is firm, clean and in proportion to the body. It is of
medium length and slightly arched at the crest, setting well into the shoulders.
The body is firm and muscular. The topline appears level at a natural
four-square stance. The chest is deep and strong with ribs well-sprung. The loin
is strong and broad when viewed from the top. The bottom line carries well back
with a moderate tuck-up. The croup is moderately sloping, the ideal being thirty
(30) degrees from the horizontal. Tail is straight, not to exceed four (4)
inches, natural bobtail or docked.
FOREQUARTERS:
The shoulder blades (scapula) are long and flat, close set at the
withers, approximately two fingers width at a natural stance and are well laid
back at an angle approximately forty-five (45) degrees to the ground. The upper
arm (humerus) is attached at an approximate right angle to the shoulder line
with forelegs dropping straight, perpendicular to the ground. The elbow joint is
equidistant from the ground to the withers. The legs are straight and powerful.
Pasterns are short, thick and strong, but still flexible, showing a slight angle
when viewed from the side. Feet are oval shaped, compact, with close-knit,
well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient; nails short and strong. Dewclaws
may be removed.
HINDQUARTERS:
Width of hindquarters approximately equal to the width of the
forequarters at the shoulders. The angulation of the pelvis and upper thigh
(femur) corresponds to the angulation of the shoulder blade and upper arm
forming an approximate right angle. Stifles are clearly defined, hock joints
moderately bent. The metatarsi are short, perpendicular to the ground and
parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Feet are oval shaped, compact,
with close-knit, well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient; nails short and
strong. Rear dewclaws are removed.
COAT:
Of medium texture, straight to slightly wavy, weather resistant, of
moderate length with an undercoat. The quantity of undercoat varies with
climate. Hair is short and smooth on the head, outside of ears, front of
forelegs and below the hocks. Backs of forelegs are moderately feathered;
breeches are moderately full. There is a moderate mane and frill, more
pronounced in dogs than bitches. Non-typical coats are severe faults.
COLOR:
All colors are strong, clear and rich. The recognized colors are blue merle, red (liver) merle, solid black, and solid red (liver) all with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points with no order of preference. The blue merle and black have black pigmentation on nose, lips and eye-rims. Reds and red merles have liver pigmentation on nose, lips and eye rims. Butterfly nose should not be faulted under one year of age. On all colors the areas surrounding the ears and eyes are dominated by color other than white. The hairline of a white collar does not exceed the point at the withers.
Disqualifications: Other than recognized colors. White body splashes. Dudley
nose.
GAIT:
Smooth, free and easy; exhibiting agility of movement with a
well-balanced, ground covering stride. Fore and hind legs move straight and
parallel with the center line of the body; as speed increases, the feet, both
front and rear, converge toward the center line of gravity of the dog, while the topline remains firm and level.
SIZE:
Preferred height at the withers for males is 20 to 23 inches; that for
females is 18 to 21 inches, however, quality is not to be sacrificed in favor of
size.
Other Disqualification: Monorchidism and cryptorchidism.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Low-set, strong, sturdily built, alert and active, giving an impression of
substance and stamina in a small space. Outlook bold but kindly, expression
intelligent and workmanlike. "Dogs should appear masculine and bitches
feminine."
TEMPERAMENT:
Never shy nor vicious
SIZE:
Moderately long and low; well balanced. The distance from the withers to the
base of tail should be approximately 40 percent greater than the distance from
the withers to the ground. Height (from ground to highest point on withers)
should be 10-12 inches (25-30cm). Weight, in show condition, the preferred size
dog of correct bone and substance will weigh approximately 27 pounds, with
bitches approximately 25 pounds.
COAT AND COLOR:
The outer coat is to be of self-colors in red, sable, fawn, black and tan,
all with or without white markings on legs, chest, neck (either in part or as a
collar), muzzle, underparts or as a narrow blaze on the head or foreface. The
coat should be of medium length; short, thick, weather resistant undercoat with
coarser, longer outer coat, with slightly thicker and longer ruff around the
neck, chest and underparts, and somewhat fuller and long on rear hindquarters.
The coat should be straight. The Corgi should be shown in its natural condition
with no trimming permitted except to tidy the feet.
HEAD:
Foxy in appearance, but not snipey. Skull to be fairly wide and flat
between the eras. Moderate amount of stop. Length of foreface to be in
proportion to the skull as 3 is to 5. The line of the muzzle should be parallel
to the line of skull when viewed from the side. There should be chiseling below
the eyes with no fullness or cheekiness. Muzzle slightly tapered. Nose
black and fully pigmented. Mouth scissor bite. Eyes well set,
oval, medium in size. Dark brown in harmony with the coat color. Eye rims dark,
black preferred. Yellow, bluish or black eyes are most undesirable. Ears
erect, firm, of medium size, tapering to a rounded point. A line drawn from the
tip of the nose through the eye to the ear tips and across, should form an
appropriate equilateral triangle.
NECK:
Fairly long and of sufficient length to provide overall balance.
FOREQUARTERS:
Shoulders blade long and well laid back along the rib cage. Upper are nearly
equal in length to shoulder blades, and moulded around chest. The distance
between the wrists should be less than between the shoulder joints, so that the
front does not appear absolutely straight. Elbows fitting closely to sides,
neither loose nor tied. Lower arm – ample bone carried down into the feet,
elbows parallel to the body, well set back to allow a line perpendicular to the
ground to be drawn from the tip of the shoulder blade through the elbow. Legs
short. Pasterns – firm and nearly straight when viewed from the side.
FEET:
Oval with two center toes slightly in advance of the two outer ones. Toes
strong, well arched and tight, pads strong and thick, nails short.
BODY:
Top-line firm, level
Chest-deep, well let down between forelegs, moderate forechest. Rib cage should be well sprung, slightly egg-shaped and moderately long.
Upper thigh well muscled
HINDQUARTERS:
Hipbone well fitting and strong
Upper thigh well muscled
Lower thigh, strong and flexible, slightly tapering
Hocks – short, parallel, and when viewed from the side are perpendicular to the ground, ample bone carried right down to the feet
Stifle bend – moderate
Feet – as above for forequarters
TAIL:
Short as possible
GAIT:
Free and smooth, elbows fitting closely to the sides, neither loose nor tied.
Forelegs should reach well forward, without too much lift, in unison with the
driving action of the hind legs. Viewed from the front, legs do not move in
exact parallel planes, but incline slightly inward to compensate for shortness
of leg and width of chest. Hind legs should reach and drive, with no tendency to
swing out, cross over or interfere with each other.
MAJOR FAULTS:
Oversized or undersized. Excessively shy or vicious. Overshot, undershot.
Whitelies, body color white with red or dark markings. Mismarks – self colors
with any area of white on back between withers and tail, on sides above a line
between elbows and stifle or on ears. Black and white markings with no tan
present. Bluish-colored portions of the coat have a distinct bluish or smokey
cast. This coloring is associated with extremely light or blue eyes and liver
or grey eye rims, nose and lip pigment.
Fluffies - A coat of extreme length and soft texture, with exaggerated feathering on ears, chest, legs and feet, under parts and hindquarters. No trimming acceptable.
The foregoing description is that of the ideal Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Any deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation, keeping in mind the original purpose of the breed.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
The Whippet should be a dog of moderate size, very alert, that can cover a maximum of distance with a minimum of lost motion, a true sporting hound. Should be put down in hard condition but with no suggestion of being muscle-bound.
SIZE:
Ideal height for dogs 19 - 22 inches; for bitches, 18 - 21 inches. These are not intended to be definite limits, only approximate.
COAT AND COLOR:
Coat close, smooth and firm in texture. Color immaterial.
HEAD:
Long and lean, fairly wide between the ears, scarcely perceptible stop, good length of muzzle which should be powerful without being coarse. Nose entirely black. Teeth white, strong and even. Teeth of upper jaw should fit closely over the lower. Eyes large, intelligent, round in shape and dark hazel in color, must be at least as dark as the coat color. Expression should be keen and alert. A sulky expression and lack of alertness to be considered most undesirable. Ears small, fine in texture, thrown back and folded. Semi-pricked when at attention.
NECK:
Long and muscular, well arched and with no suggestion of throatiness, widening gradually into the shoulders. Must not have any tendency to an "ewe" neck.
FOREQUARTERS:
Shoulders long, well laid back with long, flat muscles. Forelegs straight and rather long, held in line with the shoulders and not set under the body so as to make a forechest. Elbows should turn neither in nor out and move freely with the point of the shoulder. Fair amount of bone, which should carry right down to the feet. Pasterns strong.
BODY:
Back strong and powerful, rather long with a good, natural arch over the loin creating a definite tuck-up of the underline, but covering a lot of ground. Brisket very deep and strong, reaching as nearly as possible to the point of the elbow. Ribs well sprung but with no suggestion of barrel shape. Should fill in the space between the forelegs so that there is no appearance of a hollow between them.
Hindquarters
Long and powerful, stifles well bent, hocks well let down and close to the ground. Thighs broad and muscular, the muscles should be long and flat. A steep croup is most undesirable. Feet must be well formed with strong, thick pads and well-knuckled up paws.
Tail
Long and tapering, should reach to a hip bone when drawn through between the hind legs. Must not be carried higher than the top of the back when moving.
Gait
Low, free moving and smooth, as long as is commensurate with the size of the dog.
Faults
Light yellow or oblique eyes should be strictly penalized. Gay ears are incorrect and should be severely penalized. Loaded shoulders are a very serious fault. A thin, flat open foot is a serious fault. A short mincing gait with high knee action should be severely penalized.
Disqualification
An undershot mouth shall disqualify.
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