Breed Standard

TEMPERAMENT: Lively and balanced temperament, enjoys action, attentive with good ability to be trained. Friendly and discreet. With high social capacity and devoted to his master. Never skittish or aggressive without provocation. A cheerful and easily trainable working and sporting dog; with the ability to be educated in any discipline.
Its high social capacity allows it to be integrated into any kind of events and situations.

HEAD:
CRANIAL REGION: Strong, clean cut and finely chiseled, in good proportion to the body.
Wedge-shaped, viewed from above or from the side. The axes of the skull and muzzle are parallel.
Skull: Only somewhat rounded; the central furrow is barely perceptible.
Naso-frontal depression (Stop): Slightly marked, but clearly perceptible.

FACIAL REGION:​

Truffle: Medium size; black pigmentation is desirable; winter nose and lighter pigmentation is accepted.
Muzzle: Powerful and moderately long in relation to the skull; nasal bridge and underline of snout straight, converging slightly towards the nose.
Lips: Dry, closing fairly, as black as possible.
Jaws/Teeth: Strong and complete scissor bite. The teeth are set at right angles to the jaws.
Eyes: Medium size, almond-shaped, set somewhat obliquely; brown to dark brown, to dark brown. The eyelids are well attached, it is desirable that they have black edges.
Ears: Erect, set high, parallel and directed forwards; in the shape of an elongated triangle with a slightly rounded tip.

NECK:  Moderately long and well muscled, nestling harmoniously into the body, without dewlaps; the graceful topline of the neck runs in a continuous line from the head, which is carried moderately high, to the withers.

BODY:​

Topline: Strong, muscular, medium length.
Withers: Pronounced.
Back: Level and firm.
Loin: Well muscled.
Croup: Long and moderately broad, gently sloping towards the root of the tail.
Chest: Not too broad. Its depth (approx. 50% of the height at the withers);
reaching to the elbow; rib cage oval, extending well to rear. Marked chest.
Underline and Belly: Slender, firm flanks: underline moderately set back.

TAIL Saber-shaped and thick, tapering towards tip; set rather low;
reaching at least to hock; at rest hangs straight down or with a slight
saber-like curve in its last third part; in action he takes her higher but
never higher than the top line.

EXTREMITIES

FORMER MEMBERS:​

General Appearance: Strong, vigorous, with medium bone. Straight, seen from the front;
only moderately spaced; seen in profile, they are well angulated.
Shoulders: The scapula is long and well sloping, well angulated; entire shoulder region
well muscled
Arms: Of adequate length and well muscled.
Elbows: They are well attached to the body.
Forearms: Long, straight and vigorous.
Pasterns: Firm and only slightly oblique.
Forefeet: Oval; fingers are well arched and close together, foot pads
they are firm, resistant and black. Dark nails are desired.

HINDQUARTERS:​

General Appearance: Strong, vigorous, with medium bone. Seen from behind they are straight
and parallels; when standing they are not too far apart; viewed from the side at proper angulation.
Upper thigh: Of medium length and well muscled.
Knee: With adequate angulation.
Leg: Of medium length, oblique, with solid bone and well muscled.
Hock: Strong, with good angulation.
Metatarsus: Of medium length, straight, robust.
Hind feet: Oval; the hind feet are slightly longer than the forefeet.

The toes are well arched and close together, the pads of the feet are firm and black,

dark nails are desired.

MOTION: Rhythmic sequence of steps with push and resistance;

forelimbs reaching well forward, with strong thrust;

the trot is free, with good ground cover.

SKIN:  No folds with dark pigmentation.

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COAT
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HAIR:
Medium-length coat: Dense, close with double hair; abundant undercoat

covered with stiff, straight guard hair; the face, ears and forehead of the members is

covered by shorter hair; on the neck and on the back of the limbs the hair is

slightly longer. Slightly wavy but hard hair is allowed.
Long Hair: Dense, close-fitting double coat; with abundant undercoat covered with hard hair,

protection line. The face, ears and forehead of the members are covered

for shorter hair; on the neck the long hair forms a light mane and

on the back of the limbs breeches and the hair on the tail is bushy.

The length of the coat should never be exaggerated. Slightly wavy but hard hair is allowed.
Colour: White
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SIZE AND WEIGHT:

Height at cross:
Males: 58 – 66 cm. 
Females: approximately 53 – 61 cm.
Weight
Males: 30 – 40 kg.  
Females: approximately 25 – 35 kg.
Typical dogs slightly under or over the stipulated measurements should not be disqualified.
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​FAULTS:
Any deviation from the aforementioned criteria is considered as a fault and the seriousness of this is considered with respect to the degree of deviation from the standard and its consequences on the health and ability of the dog to perform its traditional task.
• Slight tan overlapping (light yellow or shades of tan) on the tips of the ears, on the back and on the top of the tail.
• Partial loss of pigmentation giving a mottled appearance on the nose, lips and/or on the edge of the eyelids.
• Spurs. Except in countries where its removal is prohibited by law.
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SERIOUS FAULTS:
• Heavy appearance, too short in construction (boxy silhouette).
• Absence of sexual dimorphism.
• Lack of more than two PM1; the M3 are not taken into account.
• Drop ears (hanging), semi-erect ears, button ears.
• Severely falling top line.
• Ring tail, coiled tail, hooked tail, tail carried higher than topline.
• Soft coat, silky outer hair; woolly, curly, open hair; decidedly long coat without undercoat.
• Strongly bay color (clear overlap of yellowish or bay color) on the tips of the ears, back or top of the tail.
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DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:
• Aggressiveness or extreme shyness.
• Any dog showing clear physical or behavioral abnormalities must be disqualified.
• Anxiety, high degree of fear, aggressiveness due to anxiety, unnecessary aggression, lethargic behavior.
• One or both blue eyes. Bulging eyes.
• Entropion, ectropion.
• Upper or lower prognathism, deviated jaw.
• Total loss of pigmentation in the nose, lips and/or edge of the eyelids.
• Total loss of pigmentation in the skin or in the plantar pads.
• Albinism.
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N.B.: Male dogs should have two normal-appearing testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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