GENERAL APPEARANCE - Thick set, of suitable size to go to ground, short legged, alert in carriage and suggestive of great power and activity in small compass. Head gives impression of being long for size of dog. Very agile and active in spite of short legs.
CHARACTERISTICS - Loyal and faithful. Dignified, independent and reserved, but courageous and highly intelligent.
TEMPERAMENT - Bold, but never aggressive.
HEAD AND SKULL - Long without being out of proportion to size of dog. Length of skull enabling it to be fairly wide and yet retain narrow appearance. Skull nearly flat and cheek bones not protruding. Foreface strongly constructed and deep throughout. Skull and foreface of equal length. Slight but distinct stop between skull and foreface just in front of eye. Nose large and, in profile, line from nose towards chin appears to slope backwards.
EYES - Almond-shaped, dark brown, fairly wide apart, set deeply under eyebrows with keen, intelligent expression.
EARS - Neat, fine texture, pointed, erect and set on top of skull but not too close together. Large, wide-based ears highly undesirable.
MOUTH - Teeth large with perfect, regular scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
NECK - Muscular and of moderate length.
FOREQUARTERS - Head carried on muscular neck of moderate length showing quality, set into long sloping shoulder, brisket well in front of straight, well boned forelegs to straight pasterns. Chest fairly broad and hung between forelegs which must not be out at the elbow nor placed under body.
BODY - Well rounded ribs flattening to deep chest and carried well back. Back proportionately short and very muscular. Topline of body straight and level, loin muscular and deep, powerfully coupling ribs to hindquarters.
HINDQUARTERS - Remarkably powerful for size of dog. Big, wide buttocks, deep thighs and well bent stifles. Hocks short, strong, turning neither in or out.
FEET - Good size, well padded, toes well arched and close knit, forefeet slightly larger than hindfeet.
TAIL - Moderate length giving general balance to dog, thick at root and tapering towards tip. Set on with upright carriage or slight bend.
GAIT/MOVEMENT - Smooth and free, straight both back and front with drive from behind and level gait throughout.
COAT - Close lying, double coat; undercoat short, dense and soft; outer coat harsh, dense and wiry, together making a weather-resisting covering.
COLOUR - Black, wheaten or brindle of any shade.
SIZE - Height: 25.4-28 cms (10-11 ins) at withers. Weight: 8.6-10.4 kg (19-23 lbs).
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.
NOTE - Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
