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Head
The head properties are of great importance. When considered in
proportion to the size of the dog the head is inclined to lightness and
never appears massive. A heavy-headed dog lacks the necessary bright,
alert, full-of-sense look that contributes so greatly to expression.
Both in front and profile view the head bears a general resemblance to a
well-blunted lean wedge, being smooth and clean in outline and nicely
balanced in proportion. On the sides it tapers gradually and smoothly
from the ears to the end of the black nose, without being flared out in
backskull (cheeky) or pinched in muzzle (snipy). In profile view the top
of the backskull and the top of the muzzle lie in two approximately
parallel, straight planes of equal length, divided by a very slight but
perceptible stop or break. A mid-point between the inside corners of the
eyes (which is the center of a correctly placed stop) is the center of
balance in length of head.
The end of the smooth, well-rounded muzzle is blunt but not square. The
underjaw is strong, clean-cut and the depth of skull from the brow to
the under part of the jaw is not excessive. The teeth are of good size,
meeting in a scissors bite. Overshot or undershot jaws are
undesirable, the latter being more severely penalized. There is a
very slight prominence of the eyebrows. The backskull is flat, without
receding either laterally or backward and the occipital bone is not
highly peaked. The proper width of backskull necessarily depends upon
the combined length of skull and muzzle and the width of the backskull
is less than its length. Thus the correct width varies with the
individual and is dependent upon the extent to which it is supported by
length of muzzle. Because of the importance of the head characteristics, prominent head faults are very severely penalized.
General
Character | Head | Eyes | Ears | Neck | Body | Legs | Gait | Tail
Coat | Color | Size | Expression | Smooth |
