FCI Breed
STANDARD
see also
FCI Standard No 162 /14.05.2007/EN
Origin: Great Britain
Date of publication of the official valid standard: 06.03.2007
Utilization: Racing dog
FCI-Classification: Group 10 - Sighthounds, Section 3 - Short-haired sighthounds.
Without working trail.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Balanced combination of muscular power and strength with elegance and grace of outline. Built for speed and work. All forms of exaggeration should be avoided.
BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT:
An ideal companion. Highly adaptable in domestic and sporting surroundings. Gentle, affectionate, even disposition.
HEAD:
Cranial region:
Skull: Long and lean, flat on top, tapering to muzzle, rather wide between the eyes.
Stop: Slight.
Facial region:
Nose: Black. In blues a bluish colour. In livers a liver nose. In isabel, creams or other diluted coat colours any colour except pink. Only in whites or parti-coloured a butterfly nose is permissible but not a completely unpigmented nose.
Jaws/teeth: Jaws strong, powerful and clean cut with a perfect scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Eyes: Oval, bright, expression very alert.
Ears: Rose shaped, small, fine in texture.
NECK:
Long, muscular, elegantly arched.
BODY:
Topline: Showing a graceful arch over loin but the dog is not humped.
Back: Broad, well muscled, firm, somewhat long.
Loin: Giving impression of strength and power.
Chest: Very deep with plenty of heart room, brisket deep, well defined. Ribs well sprung, muscled on back.
Belly: With definite tuck up
TAIL:
No feathering. Long,tapering,when in action carried in a delicate curve but not higher than the level of the back.
LIMBS:
Forequarters:
General appearance: Forelegs straight and upright, front not too wide.
Shoulders: Oblique and muscular; blades carried up to top of spine, where they are clearly defined.
Elbows: Set well under body.
Pasterns: Strong with slight spring.
Hindquarters:
General appearance: Strong. Dog able to stand over a lot of ground.
Thighs: Broad across.
Stifles: Well bent.
Second thighs: Well developed.
Hocks: Well let down.
Feet: Very neat, well split up between toes, knuckles well arched, pads thick and strong.
GAIT/MOVEMENT:
Perfectly free action. In profile should move with a long easy stride, maintaining the topline. The forelegs should be thrown well forward and low over the ground, hindlegs should come well under the body giving gre at and powerful drive. General movement not to be stilted, high stepping, short or mincing. True coming and going.
COAT:
Hair: Fine, short, close in texture.
Colour: Any colour or mixture of colours.
SIZE:
Dogs: 47-51cm (18 1/2-20 ins.)
Bitches: 44-47cm (17 1/2-18 1/2 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.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:
• Aggressive or overly shy.
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
N.B.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.
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