GENERAL APPEARANCE. - A strong, compact-looking dog of
great symmetry; absolutely free of legginess; profusely coated
all over; very elastic in a gallop but in walking or trotting
has a characteristic ambling or pacing movement; and his bark
should be loud, with a peculiar "pot casse" ring in
it. All round he is a thick-set, muscular, able-bodied dog, with
a most intelligent expression, free of all Poodle or Deerhound
character.
Head and Skull. - Skull capacious and rather squarely formed,
giving plenty of room (or brain power. The parts over the eyes
should be well arched and the whole well-covered with hair. Jaw
fairly long, strong, square, and truncated; the stop should be
defined to avoid a Deerhound face. Nose always black, large, and
capacious.
Eyes. - Dark or wall eyes are to be preferred.
Ears. - Small and carried flat to side of head, coated
moderately.
Mouth. - Teeth strong and large, evenly placed and level.
Neck. - The neck should be fairly long, arched gracefully,
and well coated with hair.
Forequarters. - The forelegs should be dead straight, with
plenty of bone, holding the body well from the ground, without
approaching legginess; well coated all round. The shoulders sloping
and narrow at the points, the dog standing lower at the shoulders
than at the loin.
Body. - Rather short and very compact, ribs well sprung,
and brisket deep and capacious. The loin should be very stout
and gently arched.
Hindquarters. - The hindquarters should be round and muscular,
hocks well let down and the hams densely coated with a thick,
long jacket in excess of that of any pan of the body.
Feet. - Small, round; toes well arched, and pads thick
and round. Tail. - Puppies requiring docking should have the operation
performed within a week from birth, preferably within four days.
Coat. - Profuse, and of good hard texture; not straight,
but shaggy and free from curl. The undercoat should be a waterproof
pile when not removed by grooming.
Colour. - Any shade of grey, grizzle, blue or blue merle,
with or without white markings; any shade of brown or sable to
be considered distinctly objectionable and not to be encouraged.
Weight and Size. - Twenty-two inches and upwards for dogs,
slightly less for bitches. Type, symmetry and character of the
greatest importance, and on no account to be sacrificed to size
alone.
Faults. - A long, narrow head.
Note. - Male animals should have two apparently normal
testicles fully descended into the scrotum;