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A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. All breed standards include physical and behavioral traits, and describe an ideal condition. Written by “parent clubs,” dog breed standards describe the champion individual within a given breed. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.
Keeping an eye on the total dog and looking back at Topsy, the bitch that Björn von Rosen used as his model for the breed standard, can help us remember what this breed is supposed to be like. The fact that Topsy was a 12-year old (presumably still working) farm dog in Sweden in the early 1940s is also indicative of how robust this breed is, and we owe it to the breed and ourselves to keep that in mind (Amanda Louvry - American Kennel Club 2010).
Australian Standard
Australian Standard
Group:
Group 5 (Working Dogs)
General Appearance:
Small, powerful, sturdily built working dog, with fairly long body. (Ratio of height at withers to length of body 2:3)
Characteristics:
Appearance and expression denote a watchful, alert, energetic dog.
Temperament:
Friendly, active, eager to please.
Head and Skull:
Rather long and a clean cut, blunt wedge with almost flat skull and well defined stop. Viewed from above, shows an even wedge shape from skull to tip of nose. Muzzle, viewed from side, looks rather square, slightly shorter than skull. Lower jaw strong. Although a dark mask is acceptable, a well defined mask is highly desirable with lighter hair around eyes, on muzzle and under the throat, giving a distinct contrast to the upper mask. Tightly closed lips. Nose black.
Eyes:
Medium size, oval, very dark brown.
Ears:
Medium size, pointed, pricked, leather hard from base to tip, but fine smooth haired and mobile.
Mouth:
Scissor bite. Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Neck:
Long, strongly muscled with good reach.
Forequarters:
Shoulder blades long and well laid. Upper arm slightly shorter than shoulder blade and set at a distinct angle. Upper arm lies close to ribs, but is still very mobile. Forearm, when viewed from front, slightly bent, just enough to give free action to chest's lower part; straight when viewed from side. Legs well boned.
Body:
Back level, well muscled, with short, strong loin. Chest long with good depth. Well sprung ribs. Viewed from front, chest oval, from side elliptical. Reaching two-fifths of length of forearm. When viewed from side the lowest point of chest is immediately behind back part of foreleg. Sternum visible but not excessively pointed. Croup broad and slightly sloping. Belly slightly tucked up. Harness markings should be clearly defined.
Hindquarters:
Well angulated, well bent stifles and low hocks, thighs strongly muscled. Legs well boned.
Feet:
Medium, short, oval, pointing straight forward with strong pads. Well knuckled up.
Tail:
Docked: Length not exceeding 10cms (4 ins) when adult. Set on as a continuation of croup line. May be raised at attention.
Undocked: May be born tailless. Any length. Natural carriage.
Gait/Movement:
Free and active, elbows fitting closely to sides, forelegs moving well forward without too much lift, in unison with powerful thrusting hind action.
Coat:
Medium length, harsh, close and tight topcoat, undercoat abundant, soft, woolly.
Colour:
Steel grey, greyish/brown, greyish/yellow, reddish/yellow, reddish/brown with darker guard hairs on back, neck and sides of body, lighter hair same shade of colour as mentioned above is desirable on muzzle, throat, chest, belly, buttocks, feet and hocks. Instead of these lighter shades, white markings are acceptable, but never in excess of one-third of total colour. Any colour other than the above, including white and blue or any non-standard colour, is highly undesirable.
Sizes:
Height:
Dogs: 33-35 cms (13-13.75 ins) at withers.
Bitches: 31-33 cms (12-13 ins) at withers.
The relation between height at withers and length of body should be 2:3.
Weight: 11.5-16 kgs (25-35 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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.
Notes:
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
FCI Standard
FCI Standard
FCI-Standard No 14 / 25. 05. 2014 / EN
Origin: Sweden.
Date of Publication of the Original Valid Standard: 29.10.2013.
Utilization: Herding Heeler.
Classification F.C.I.: Group 5 Spitz and primitive types. Section 3 Watchdogs and Herders.. Without working trial.
General Appearance:
Small, low on legs and sturdy. Appearance and expression denote a watchful, alert and energetic dog.
Important proportions:
Ratio of height at withers to length of body 2:3. The height from lowest part of chest to ground never to be less than 1/3 of the height at withers.
Behaviour / temperament:
Watchful, energetic, fearless and alert.
Head:
Clean cut and fairly long. Skull and nose bridge parallel.
Cranial region:
Viewed from above as well as from the side, moderately broad and tapering evenly towards the nose.
Skull : Almost flat.
Stop : Well defined.
Facial region:
Nose : Black.
Muzzle : When viewed from the side, is rather blunt cut and only slightly shorter than the skull.
Lips: Well fitting and tightly closed.
Jaws/Teeth: Lower jaw rather blunt cut and strong, but not prominent. Perfect and regular scissors bite with complete, even and well developed teeth.
Eyes: Medium size, oval in shape and dark brown.
Ears: Medium size, pointed, pricked and ear leather is hard from base to tip, smooth-haired and mobile. Length of ear should slightly exceed the width at base.
Neck:
Long and strongly muscled with good reach.
Body:
Topline: Back level, well-muscled.
Loin: Short, broad and strong.
Croup: Broad and slightly sloping.
Chest: Long with good depth. Ribs fairly well sprung. When viewed from the front, the chest is oval, from side, elliptical. It reaches two-fifths of the length of the forelegs and, when viewed from the side, the lowest point of the chest is immediately behind the back of elbow.
Sternum visible but not excessively pronounced.
Underline and belly: Belly slightly tucked up.
Tail:
Two types of tails occur, long and all variations in length to naturally short tail. In both cases all variations of carriage are permitted as there is no norm for the carriage.
Limbs:
With strong bone.
Forequarters:
Shoulder: Long and set at an angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal plane.
Upper arm: Slightly shorter than the shoulder-blades and set at a distinct angle. Upper arms lie close to ribs, but are still very mobile.
Forearm: When viewed from the front, slightly bent, just enough to give them free action against the lower part of the chest.
Metacarpus (Pastern): Elastic.
Front feet: Medium sized, short, oval, pointing straight forward with strong pads, tightly knit and well knuckled up.
Hindquarters:
General appearance: Parallel when viewed from behind.
Thigh: Broad and strongly muscled.
Stifle (Knee): Well angulated. Lower
Thigh: Only slightly longer than the distance from hock to ground.
Hock joint: Well angulated.
Metatarsus (Rear pastern): Of moderate height.
Hind feet: Medium sized, short, oval, pointing straight forward with strong pads, tightly knit and well knuckled up.
Gait / movement:
Sound, with good reach and drive.
Coat:
Hair: Top coat of moderate length, hard, tight and lying close to body, undercoat is soft and very dense. The coat is short on head and fore. Parts of the legs may be longer on neck, throat, chest and back parts of the hind legs.
Colour:
Grey, greyish brown, greyish yellow, reddish yellow or reddish brown. Lighter hair in the same nuance of colour as mentioned above can be seen on muzzle, throat, chest, belly, buttocks, feet and hocks. Darker guard hairs visible on back, neck and sides of the body. Lighter markings on shoulders, so called harness markings, and light cheek markings are highly desirable. White is permitted to a small extent as a narrow blaze, neck spot or slight necklace. White markings are permitted on chest, fore- and hindlegs.
Size:
Height at the withers:
Males: 33 cms (ideal height)
Females: 31 cms (ideal height)
A tolerance of 2 cms above or 1 cms below these heights is permitted.
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 and its ability to perform its traditional work.
•Too low to ground.
•Stop not well defined.
•Snipy muzzle.
•Lack of two P1 or one P2.
•Light eyes giving wrong expression.
•Ears set too low.
•Chest too deep or too shallow.
•Too wide in front.
•Steep shoulders.
•Too short in upper arms.
•Over angulated hindquarters.
•Lack of harness- or cheek markings.
Severe Faults:
•Short or rounded skull.
•Short muzzle.
•Lower jaw receding, narrow or weak jaw.
•Pincer bite.
•Lack of molars (M3 not taken into account).
•Roach back.
•Soft coat and stand off coat.
•Coat too short or too long.
•Lack of undercoat.
•White markings exceeding 30% of base colour.
•Height severely diverging from the ideal height.
Disqualifying Faults:
•Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
•Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
•Over or undershot bite.
•Blue eyes, one or both.
•Hanging ears or semi-erect ears.
•Long, curly coat.
•Black, white, liver brown or blue coat colour.
Notes:
•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.
Why have standards?
Why have standards?
Dog breeds have standards for several reasons:
Breed Identification: Standards help establish specific characteristics that define each breed. They outline the physical traits, such as size, coat type, color, and body proportions that are unique to that breed. These standards serve as a reference point for breeders, dog show judges, and enthusiasts to identify and distinguish one breed from another.
Preservation of Breed Traits: Standards are crucial for maintaining the integrity and preserving the unique qualities of a breed. They ensure that the desired characteristics and temperament of a breed are consistently passed down from one generation to the next through selective breeding. Standards act as a guide for breeders to make informed decisions in selecting breeding stock and help prevent the dilution or loss of distinct breed traits over time.
Health and Functionality: Breed standards often include guidelines for health, structure, and functionality. These standards aim to promote the overall well-being of the breed by ensuring that individuals are free from genetic disorders, have sound physical structure, and can perform the tasks or functions they were originally bred for. By adhering to breed standards, breeders can work towards producing healthier and more functional dogs.
Dog Shows and Competitions: Breed standards are particularly important in dog shows and competitions. Judges use these standards to evaluate dogs and determine how closely they conform to the ideal representation of their breed. Exhibiting dogs that adhere to the breed standard is a way to recognize and reward the breeding efforts that have produced dogs with exemplary traits.
Overall, breed standards help maintain breed identity, preserve desired traits, promote health and functionality, and facilitate fair evaluation in dog shows. They contribute to the overall well-being and consistency within each breed, allowing for better understanding and appreciation of the diverse canine world.
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