Working Group Breed Standard amendments
Any underlined text indicates a change or addition. Square bracketed text indicates a deletion.
Head and Skull In proportion to build and stature, general impression is of strength, [delete ‘massiveness’] accentuated by beard and moustache. Head clean cut. Skull well developed, flat, somewhat longer than wide. Proportions of skull to muzzle are 3:2. Stop shallow, but appears deep due to upstanding eyebrows. Muzzle broad, powerful, well boned, straight in upperline, sloping slightly toward nose which should never become pointed. Circumference measured just in front of eyes approximately equal to length of head. Nose should be very well developed, thus extending the foreface in a slightly convex line towards its tip, rounded at edges, always black. Nostrils wide. Cheeks flat and clean.
Hindquarters delete reference to removal of dewclaws
Head and Skull Skull large and square, viewed from every angle, fair wrinkle when interested, but not when in repose. [Delete ‘Circumference of skull may equal height of dog measured at top of shoulder’] Skull broad and deep with well filled cheeks. Pronounced stop. Muzzle short; distance from tip of nose to stop approximately one-third of length from tip of nose to centre of occiput, broad under eyes and sustaining nearly same width to end of nose; blunt and cut off square, forming right angle with upper line of face, and at same time proportionate with skull. Under-jaw broad to end. Nose broad with widely spreading nostrils; flat, neither pointed nor turned up in profile. Flews not pendulous, never hanging below level of lower jaw.
Tail Undocked description: Appears to be a continuation of the spine without material drop, kink or deformity. May be raised and carried freely when the dog is moving or standing.
Feet delete reference to removal of dewclaws
General Appearance Powerful with muscular body. Has harmonious outline. Not appearing leggy in any way, nor too low to ground.
Head and Skull [Delete ‘Very’] Relatively large with characteristic expression and appearance. The skull is broad [delete ‘and short’], wider at ears than eyes. The upper region of the skull is slightly rounded from side to side. Pronounced stop forming a near right angle with the muzzle. Distinct median groove [delete ‘is deep’] lessens towards the back of the skull. The forehead is a prominent feature of the face [delete - dominates the face] [delete ‘and is wider than high’] but does not overhang it. The head is slightly furrowed with fine symmetrical wrinkles on each side of the median groove, but without excess. These are mobile when the dog is alert. Prominent cheeks due to very strong muscle development. The muzzle is powerful, short and slightly hollowed below the eyes with moderate folds, the width hardly decreasing towards the tip of the muzzle, when viewed from above looks square. Topline of muzzle is slightly turned up. Length from nose to stop between a quarter and one third of the length of the head. Broad, well-opened nostrils, well pigmented according to mask colour. Jaws very powerful and broad. Lower jaw curves upwards. The chin is well defined and must not overlap the upper flew excessively nor be covered by it. Upper flew thick, moderately pendulous in profile and shows a rounded lower line. In front, the edge of the upper lip meets with the lower lip then drops on each side, forming an inverted wide 'v'.
Mouth Undershot, the back of the lower incisors not in contact with the front of the upper incisors. Strong teeth, particularly the canines. Lower canines set wide apart and slightly curved. Incisors of good size, well aligned, especially in the lower jaw where they form an apparently straight line. Teeth not visible when mouth closed.
Neck Strong, muscular and solid, skin supple and loose. Circumference almost equals that of head. The well defined dewlap starts at the level of the throat forming folds down to the forechest without exaggeration. Neck very broad at base merging smoothly into the shoulders.
Body Chest broad, powerful and deep, let down below the elbows. The depth of the chest is slightly more than half of the height of the dog at the withers. Ribs well sprung, but not barrel shaped. Back solid, broad and muscular. Topline as straight as possible and maintained while on the move. The length of the body is greater than the height at the withers as 11 is to 10 measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock. Underline slightly tucked up.
Tail Very thick at the base. Tip preferably reaching the hock. Carried low. Raised when the dog is in action, but never curving over the back or curled. Kinked tail highly undesirable.
Gait/Movement Movement is free, quite supple for his size and weight and close to the ground. Good drive from hindquarters, good extension of the forelegs. At a faster gait, the head is carried lower. Absolute soundness essential.
Coat Fine, short and soft to the touch. The skin is thick and loose fitting, without excessive wrinkles. Folds on the ribs or limbs highly undesirable.
Colour Self-coloured, in all shades of fawn, from mahogany to Isabella. Chocolate highly undesirable. Good pigmentation is desirable. Limited white patches are permissible on the chest and the extremities of the limbs. White patches on the head or body highly undesirable.
Three mask colours allowed: Black mask - mask must not extend above the eyes. Slight black shading allowed on ears, skull, neck and down the topline. Nose black. Brown mask - nose and eye rims are brown.
No mask - coat is fawn, skin may appear red, nose may be [delete ‘flesh coloured’] reddish.
[No change to Characteristics, Temperament, Eyes, Ears, Forequarters, Hindquarters, Feet, Size, Faults and Note.]
General Appearance Head, in general outline, giving a square appearance when viewed from any point. Breadth [delete ‘greatly’] desired and in ratio to length of whole head and face as 2:3. Body [delete ‘massive’], broad, deep, long, powerfully built, on legs wide apart and symmetrically [delete ‘squarely’] set. Muscles sharply defined. Size is desirable [delete ‘a great desideratum’], but only if combined with quality and if absolute soundness is maintained. Height and substance important if both points are proportionately combined.
Characteristics Large, [delete ‘massive’], powerful, [delete ‘symmetrical’], well knit frame. A combination of grandeur and courage.
Temperament Calm, affectionate to owners, but capable of guarding. Usually indifferent with strangers; timidity is unacceptable.
Head and Skull Skull broad between ears, forehead flat, but wrinkled when attention is excited. Brows (superciliary ridges) slightly raised. Muscles of temples and cheeks (temporal and masseter) well developed. Arch across skull of a [delete ‘rounded’] flattened curve, with depression up centre of forehead from median line between eyes, to halfway up sagittal suture. [Delete ‘Face or’] Muzzle short, broad under eyes, and keeping nearly parallel in width to end of nose; truncated, i.e. blunt and cut off squarely, thus forming a right angle with upper line of face, of great depth from point of nose to under-jaw. Under-jaw broad to end. Nose broad, with widely spreading nostrils when viewed from front, flat (not pointed or turned up) in profile. Lips diverging at obtuse angles with septum, and slightly pendulous so as to show a square profile. Length of muzzle to whole head and face as 1:3. Circumference of muzzle (measured mid-way between eyes and nose) to that of head (measured before the ears) as 3:5. Whilst in repose, any exaggeration of wrinkle or excess of loose skin is unacceptable in mature adults.
Eyes Moderate size [delete ‘Small’], wide apart, [delete ‘divided by at least space of two eyes]. Stop between eyes well marked but not too abrupt. Colour hazel brown, darker the better, showing no haw. Loose eyelids highly undesirable. Free from obvious eye problems.
Forequarters Shoulder and arm slightly sloping, heavy and muscular. Legs straight, strong and set wide apart; bones being large. Elbows square. Pasterns upright. Balanced and in harmony with hindquarters.
Body Chest wide, deep and well let down between forelegs. Ribs arched and well rounded. False ribs deep and well set back to hips. [Delete ‘Girth one-third more than height at shoulder’]. Back and loins wide and muscular; flat and very wide in bitch, slightly arched in dog. Great depth of flanks. Topline level and maintained whilst on the move. Length of body taken from point of shoulder to point of buttock greater than height at withers.
Hindquarters Broad, wide and muscular, with well developed second thighs, hocks bent, wide apart, and quite squarely set when standing or walking. Strength in hindquarters is of paramount importance, cow hocks in mature adults unacceptable.
Feet Large, round and tight. Toes well arched. Nails black.
Gait/Movement Powerful, easy extension, driven from the rear, fluent, sound, with ground-covering strides. Tendency to pace is undesirable. Absolute soundness essential.
Coat Short and close-lying, [delete ‘but not too fine over shoulders, neck and back’] but coarser over neck and shoulders.
Colour [Delete ‘Apricot-fawn, silver-fawn, fawn, or dark fawn-brindle’] Apricot, fawn or brindle. In any case, muzzle, ears and nose should be black with black around eye rims, and extending upwards between them. Excessive white on body, chest or feet is unacceptable.
[No change to Ears, Mouth, Neck, Tail, Faults and Note].
Characteristics Some loose fitting skin over body and head permitted, not to be excessive. [Delete ‘with a double dewlap’].
Head and Skull Head fairly large with broad short skull, broad across cheeks. Head proportion: skull length two thirds, to muzzle one third. Skull flat and parallel to topline of muzzle. [Delete ‘Well pronounced’] Definite stop, nose should not protrude beyond vertical line of muzzle. Nose large with well open nostrils. Lips fleshy and thick. The upper lips form an inverted ‘v’ when viewed from the front. Muzzle deep and square when viewed from the front. [Delete ‘with deep flews’] Loose skin on head permitted, [delete ‘forming wrinkles and folds’] but without excess.
Eyes Clean eyes, set forward, well apart, rather rounded. Rims [delete ‘fairly’] tight without [delete ‘excessive’] haw. Rim pigmentation to tone with nose colour. Free from obvious eye problems.
Neck Fairly short, stocky, very muscular. [Delete ‘dewlap from lower jaw reaching mid-point of neck’]
Body Longer than height at withers. Broad, well muscled chest, ribcage reaching at least to elbow. Ribs long and well sprung. Topline straight, sloping slightly from the withers, line of belly parallel to topline.
Hindquarters Broad loin, well let into backline, slightly rounded with well developed muscle. Croup broad, muscular, with slight slope. Thighs long, broad, moderate stifle, powerful hocks. [Delete ‘Dewclaws (single or double) removed’].
[No change to General Appearance, Temperament, Ears, Mouth Forequarters, Feet, Tail, Gait/Movement, Coat, Colour, Size, Faults and Note].
General Appearance Well balanced, impresses with strength and great activity. [Delete ‘Massive’] Strong bone throughout, but not giving heavy inactive appearance. Noble, majestic and powerful.
Head and Skull Head broad and [delete ‘massive’] Relatively large, occipital bone well developed, no decided stop, muzzle short, clean cut and rather square, covered with short fine hair.
Eyes Relatively small, dark brown, [delete ‘rather deeply set’] not showing haw, set rather wide apart. Free from obvious eye problems.
Hindquarters delete reference to removal of dewclaws
General Appearance Large, imposing dog, above average size, strongly built with heavy [delete ‘massive’] bone. Well proportioned general appearance, sturdy and robust frame. Well developed muscles. Body almost square. A medium texture, weatherproof coat, well furnished on head and limbs. Trimmed.
Hindquarters Broad, strong and well muscled. Legs heavy in bone. Moderate bend of stifle with firm, strong [delete ‘moderately bent’] hocks. Well developed first and second thighs. When viewed from the rear the hindlegs are perfectly straight, turning neither in nor out and not too close together. Excessively straight hocks are highly undesirable
Feet delete reference to removal of dewclaws
Size [Delete ‘Taller the better. Whilst size is important, it is essential that balance and soundness are maintained.’] Minimum height: dogs 75cms (30 ins), bitches 70 cms (28 ins). Size is desirable but only if combined with quality and if absolute soundness is maintained.
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- Dog Showing, Working Group
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