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General Appearance
Upstanding, well knit and proportioned, well developed and muscular body.

Characteristics
Compact, powerful Terrier, showing gracefulness and an attitude of alert determination, with definite Terrier style and character throughout.

Temperament
Disciplined gameness.

Head and Skull
Well balanced, long, proportionally lean, with slight stop and flat over the skull. Foreface and jaw very strong, deep and punishing; nose black; nostrils of due proportion.

Eyes
Dark as possible. Small to medium with keen Terrier expression.

Ears
Small to medium and V-shaped; carried forward but not too high.

Mouth
Gums and roof of mouth dark with perfect, regular scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck
Strong and reachy, running into sloping shoulders.

Forequarters
Shoulders flat as possible with elbows carried close to body while standing or moving. Legs straight, bone powerful. Front straight, neither too wide nor too narrow.

Body
Short-coupled with good depth of brisket and and well sprung ribs. Deep chest. Topline level.

Hindquarters
Large and well developed, stifle bent and hocks close to ground giving perfect freedom of hind action.

Feet
Round and small. Nails black.

Tail
Previously customarily docked.
Docked: Set on high and carried erect.
Undocked: Set on high of moderate length to give an overall balanced appearance. Thick at the base and evenly tapering to tip, straight as possible and carried jauntily. An excessively gay or curled tail undesirable.

Gait/Movement
Free and powerful. Fore- and hindlegs moving straight and parallel, stifles turning neither in nor out.

Coat
Soft and silky, plentiful and wavy.

Colour
Any shade of blue with or without black points. Tan permissible in puppies, also a dark colour up to the age of 18 months. A small white patch on chest should not be penalised.

Size
Ideal height: dogs: 46-48 cms (18-19 ins) at shoulder; bitches slightly less. The most desirable weight for a fully developed dog is 15-17 kgs (33-37 lbs), and bitches should weigh proportionately less, but 16 kgs kgs (35 lbs) is the most desirable weight to aim for.

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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Last Updated - September 2007

Glossary of Canine Terms

Health Information

The Kennel Club operates health screening schemes with other organisations.  Some are clinical veterinary screening schemes and some are DNA screening schemes, which may be relevant to this breed.

The current health screening requirements and recommendations for Kennel Club Accredited Breeders of this breed show what is required and recommended for the sire and dam of any litter of this breed bred by an Accredited Breeder.

Breed specific summary results from the Purebred Dog Health Survey in 2004 are available.  Individual summaries are only available where the breed response rate was greater than 15%.

Recommended Reading

All the below publications are available from the Online Shop.

Kennel Club Breed Standards Kennel Club Breed Standards are available for most breeds indicating the qualities which competition judges normally take into account and the standard or model which breeders endeavour to achieve. The Breed Standards can be purchased by group.

The Kennel Club Illustrated Breed Standards Containing full descriptive standards for 192 breeds, as well as representation for the six Kennel Club recognised breeds that are currently without standards, this beautifully illustrated volume is a must for all dog enthusiasts. This third edition has been completely revised and updated by a panel of experts and incorporates the very latest standards for breeds in each group.

Breed Clubs and Societies

• KERRY BLUE TERRIER ASSOC. Sec. Ms Munro. Tel No: 01787 269977
• KERRY BLUE TERRIER ASSOC. OF NORTHERN IRELAND. Sec. Mr J G Keery. Tel No: 01846 692866
• KERRY BLUE TERRIER CLUB OF ENGLAND. Sec. Mrs Bradley.
• NORTHERN KERRY BLUE CLUB. Sec. Mrs Ramsay. Tel No: 0151 666 2357

This breed of dog is a 'Vulnerable Native Breed'.

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