Standard English

More about the breed can be read here. The article by Mylda Arsenis was first published in “Dog Tales and Trimmings” and reprinted from National Dog Magazine, November 1987

THE BREED STANDARD

GENERAL APPEARANCE Handsome, strong, muscular and active dog, symmetrical in outline, capable of great endurance with fair amount of speed. Mature dog is handsome and upstanding.

CHARACTERISTICS A distinctive feature is the ridge on the back formed by hair growing in opposite direction to the remainder of coat. Ridge clearly defined, tapering and symmetrical, starting immediately behind shoulders and continuing to haunch, and containing two identical crowns only, opposite each other, lower edges of crowns not extending further down ridge than one-third of its length. Up to5 cm (2 ins) is a good average for width of ridge.

TEMPERAMENT Dignified, intelligent, aloof with strangers but showing no aggression or shyness.

HEAD AND SKULL Of fair length, skull flat, rather broad between ears, free from wrinkles when in repose. Stop reasonably well defined. Nose black or brown in keeping with colour of dog, Black nose accompanied by dark eyes, brown nose by amber eyes. Muzzle long, deep and powerful. Lips clean and close fitting.

EYES Set moderately well apart, round, bright and sparkling with intelligent expression, colour harmonizing with coat colour.

EARS Set rather high, medium size, rather wide at base, gradually tapering to a rounded point. Carried close to head.

MOUTH Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Well developed teeth, especially canines.

NECK Fairly long, strong and free from throatiness.

FOREQUARTERS Shoulders sloping, clean and muscular. Forelegs perfectly straight, strong, heavy in bone; elbows close to body.

BODY Chest not too wide, very deep and capacious; ribs moderately well sprung, never barrel-ribbed. Back powerful; loins strong, muscular and slightly arched.

HINDQUARTERS Muscles clean, well defined; good turn of stifle; hocks well let down.

FEET Compact, well arched toes, round, tough, elastic pads, protected by hair between toes and pads.

TAIL Strong at root, not inserted high or low, tapering towards end, free from coarseness. Carried with a slight curve upwards, never curled.

GAIT/MOVEMENT Straight forward, free and active.

(For more info about movement, please read L. Kalstone’s article Soundness In The Dog

COAT Short and dense, sleek and glossy in appearance but neither woolly nor silky.

COLOUR Light wheaten to red wheaten. Head, body, legs and tail of uniform colour. Little white on chest and toes permissible, but excessive white hairs here, on belly or above paws undesirable. Dark muzzle and ears permissible.

SIZE Dogs: 63 cm (25 ins) desirable minimum height at withers, 69 cm (27 ins) desirable maximum height at withers.
Bitches: 61 cm (24 ins) desirable minimum height at withers, 66 cm (26 ins) desirable maximum height at withers.

FAULTS Any departure from the foregoing points 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.