Kennel Club, London 1994

GENERAL APPEARANCE - Sturdily built, robust, sinewy, nearly square, (length of body equal to height at shoulders).  Expression keen and attitude alert.  Correct conformation is of more importance than colour or other purely 'beauty' points.

CHARACTERISTICS - Well balanced, smart, stylish and adaptable.

TEMPERAMENT - Alert, reliable and intelligent. Primarily a companion dog.

HEAD AND SKULL - Head strong and of good length, narrowing from ears to eyes and then gradually forward toward end of nose.  Upper part of the head (occiput to the base of forehead) moderately broad between ears.  Flat, creaseless forehead; well muscled but not too strongly developed cheeks.  Medium stop to accentuate prominent eyebrows.  Powerful muzzle ending in a moderately blunt line, with bristly, stubby moustache and chin whiskers.  Ridge of nose straight and running almost parallel to extension of forehead.  Nose black with wide nostrils.  Lips tight but not overlapping.

EYES - Medium sized, dark, oval, set forward, with arched bushy eyebrows.

EARS - Neat, V-shaped, set high and dropping forward to temple.

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

NECK - Moderately long, strong and slightly arched; skin close to throat; neck set cleanly on shoulders.

FOREQUARTERS - Shoulders flat and well laid.  Forelegs straight viewed from any angle.  Muscles smooth and lithe rather than prominent; bone strong, straight and carried well down to feet; elbows close to body and pointing directly backwards.

BODY - Chest moderately broad, deep with visible strong breastbone reaching at least to height of elbow rising slightly backward to loins.  Back strong and straight, slightly higher at shoulder than at hindquarters, with short, well developed loins.  Ribs well sprung.  Length of body equal to height from top of withers to ground.

HINDQUARTERS - Thighs slanting and flat but strongly muscled.  Hindlegs (upper and lower thighs) at first vertical to the stifle; from stifle to hock, in line with the extension of the upper neck line; from hock, vertical to ground.

FEET - Short, round, cat-like, compact with closely arched toes, dark nails, firm black pads, feet pointing forward.

TAIL - Set on and carried high, preferably docked to three joints.

GAIT/MOVEMENT - Free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in forequarters and good driving power in hindquarters.  Topline remains level in action.

COAT - Harsh, wiry and short enough for smartness, dense undercoat.  Clean on neck and shoulders, ears and skull.  Harsh hair on legs.  Furnishings fairly thick but not silky.

COLOUR - All pepper and salt colours in even proportions, or pure black, or black and silver.  That is, solid black with silver markings on eyebrow, muzzle, chest and brisket and on the forelegs below the point of elbow, on inside of hindlegs below the stifle joint, on vent and under tail.

SIZE - 
Ideal height: Dogs 35.6 cms (14 ins)
Bitches 33 cms (13 ins)
Too small, toyish appearing dogs are not typical and undesirable.

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.

Utility Group     A.N.K.C.  ©   January 1998

Kennel Club, London 1994

 
GENERAL APPEARANCE - Sturdily built, robust, sinewy, nearly square, (length of body equal to height at shoulders). Expression keen and attitude alert. Correct conformation is of more importance than colour or purely 'beauty' points. 

CHARACTERISTICS - Strong, vigorous dog capable of great endurance. 

TEMPERAMENT - Alert, reliable and intelligent. Primarily a companion dog. 

HEAD AND SKULL - Head strong and of good length, narrowing from ears to eyes and then gradually forward toward end of nose. Upper part of the head (occiput to the base of the forehead) moderately broad between ears. Flat, creaseless forehead; well muscled but not too strongly developed cheeks. Medium stop to accentuate prominent eyebrows. Powerful muzzle ending in a moderately blunt line, with bristly, stubby moustache and chin whiskers. Ridge of nose straight and running almost parallel to extension of forehead. Nose black with wide nostrils. Lips tight but not overlapping. 

EYES - Medium sized, dark, oval, set forward, with arched bushy eyebrows. 

EARS - Neat, V-shaped, set high and dropping forward to temple. 

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

NECK - Moderately long, strong, and slightly arched; skin close to throat; neck set cleanly on shoulders. 

FOREQUARTERS - Shoulders flat and well laid. Forelegs straight viewed from any angle. Muscles smooth and lithe rather than prominent; bone strong, straight and carried well down to feet; elbows close to body and pointing directly backward. 

BODY - Chest moderately broad; deep with visible, strong breastbone reaching at least to height of elbow and rising slightly backward to loins. Back strong and straight, slightly higher at shoulder than at hindquarters, with short well developed loins. Ribs well sprung. Length of body equal to height from top of withers to ground. 

HINDQUARTERS - Thighs slanting and flat but strongly muscled. Hindlegs (upper and lower thighs) at first vertical to the stifle; from stifle to hock in line with the extension of the upper neck line; from hock, vertical to ground. 

FEET - Short, round, cat-like, compact with closely arched toes, dark nails, firm black pads, feet pointing forward. 

TAIL - Set on and carried high, preferably docked to three joints. 

GAIT/MOVEMENT - Free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in forequarters and good driving power in hindquarters. Topline remains level in action. 

COAT - Harsh, wiry and short enough for smartness. Closer on neck and shoulders; clean on throat, skull and ears. Harsh hair on legs. Dense undercoat essential. 

COLOUR - Pure black, (white markings on head, chest and legs undesirable) or pepper and salt. Pepper and salt shades range from dark iron grey to light grey; good pigmentation. Hairs banded dark/light/dark. Facial mask to harmonise with corresponding coat colour. 

SIZE - Ideal height:Dogs 48.3 cms (19 ins) at withers 
Bitches 45.7 cms (18 ins) at withers 
Any variations of more than 2.5 cm (1 inch) in these heights undesirable. 

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. 


Utility Group A.N.K.C. © January 1998 

Kennel Club, London 1994

GENERAL APPEARANCE - Powerfully built, robust, sinewy, appearing almost square. Imposing, with keen expression and alert attitude. Correct conformation of the utmost importance. 

CHARACTERISTICS - Versatile, strong, hardy, intelligent and vigorous. Adaptable, capable of great speed and endurance and resistant to weather. 

TEMPERAMENT - Bold, reliable good natured and composed. 

HEAD AND SKULL - Head strong, of good length, narrowing from ears to eyes and then gradually toward end of nose. The overall length (from nose to occiput) is in proportion to the back (from withers to set on of tail) approximately 1 to 2. Upper part of head (occiput to base of forehead) moderately broad between ears - with flat creaseless forehead. 

Well muscled but not over developed cheeks. Medium stop accentuated by bushy eyebrows. Powerful muzzle ending in a moderately blunt wedge, with bristly stubby moustache and chin whiskers. Ridge of nose straight, running parallel to extension of forehead. Nose black and wide nostrils. 

EYES - Medium sized, dark, oval, set forward, with lower lid fitting closely. 

EARS - Neat, V-shaped, set high and dropping forward to temple. 

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. Lips black, closing tightly but not overlapping. 

NECK - Moderately long, strong and slightly arched, skin close to throat, neck set cleanly on shoulders. 

FOREQUARTERS - Shoulders flat, well laid back. Forelegs straight viewed from any angle. Muscles smooth and lithe rather than prominent, bone strong, carried straight to feet. Elbows set close to body and pointing directly backward. 

BODY - Chest moderately broad and deep, reaching at least to height of elbow rising slightly backward to loins. Breast bone clearly extends to beyond joint of shoulder and upper arm forming the conspicuous forechest. Back strong and straight, slightly higher at shoulder than at hindquarters, with short, well developed loins. Slightly sloping croup. Ribs well sprung. Length of body equal to height at top of withers to ground. 

HINDQUARTERS - Strongly muscled. Stifles forming a well defined angle. Upper thighs vertical to stifle, from stifle to hock in line with extension of upper neck line, from hock vertical to ground. When viewed from rear, hindlegs parallel. 

FEET - Pointing directly forward, short, round, compact with closely arched toes. Deep, dark and firm pads. Dark nails. 

TAIL - Set on high and carried at an angle slightly above topline, preferably docked to two joints. 

GAIT/MOVEMENT - Free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach of forequarters and good driving power from hindquarters. Topline remains level in action. 

COAT - Top coat harsh and wiry, just short enough for smartness on body. Slightly shorter on neck and shoulders, but blending smoothly into body coat. Clean on throat, skull, ears and under tail. Good undercoat. Harsh hair on legs. 

COLOUR - 1. Pure black. 2. Pepper and salt: Shades range from dark iron grey to light grey; Hairs banded black/light/black. Dark facial mask essential, harmonising with corresponding body colour. 
On both colours white markings on head, chest and legs undesirable. Good pigmentation essential. 

SIZE - 
Height: Dogs 65-70 cms (25&1/2;-27&1/2; ins) 
Bitches 60-65 cms (23&1/2;-25&1/2; ins) 
Variations outside these limits undesirable. 

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. 


Utility Group A.N.K.C. © January 1998