The Kennel Club Breed Standard General Appearance Short, compact body, confident carriage. Fox-like head with small pointed ears, alert expression, large ruff, well feathered tail curled over back. Characteristics Sturdy, intelligent and adaptable, ideal companion, good guard, shows boldly. Temperament Bold, alert, friendly with marked guarding tendency. Head and Skull Well proportioned, wedge shaped when seen from above; from side showing definite stop. Dark muzzle equal to length of flat skull. Neither coarse nor snipey. Nose black. Eyes Dark, medium size, almond-shaped, obliquely set. Well defined ’spectacles‘ shown as a delicately pencilled black line slanting from outer corner of eye to lower corner of ear, coupled with distinct marking and shading forming expressive short eyebrows. Ears Dark, small ivy-leafed in shape. Erect, velvety texture. Well set on head, neither too wide nor meeting. Mouth Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Lips black. Neck Moderately long and arched, covered with thick, profuse coat forming large ruff. Forequarters Shoulders well sloped. Straight front of medium width with good bone. Body Short, compact; length from withers to tail equal to height at withers, well sprung in rib. Good depth of brisket. Hindquarters Strong muscled, hindlegs straight when viewed from behind. Hock showing slight angulation when viewed from side, profuse light-coloured trousers down to hocks. Feet Well padded, round, cat-like, tight, cream in colour; black nails. Tail Moderately long, high-set, tightly curled over back, double curl highly desirable. Light plume on top where curled, with black tip, carried closely at all times. Gait/Movement Clean, brisk, straight and sharp. Coat Harsh, off standing, straight. Dense ruff, well feathered on forelegs and profuse trousers, not feathered below hock. Soft, thick, light-coloured (not tawny) undercoat. Never silky, wavy or woolly, nor forming a parting on back. Colour A mixture of grey and black. Undercoat very pale grey or cream (not tawny). All shades of grey acceptable, body hairs black tipped. Shoulder markings well defined and all markings definite. Forelegs and hocks cream with no black below wrist or hock. Pencilling acceptable. Size Ideal height: dogs: 46 cms (18 ins); bitches: 43 cms (17 ins). 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. Published with kind permission from the Kennel Club Copyright © The Kennel Club