General Appearance - Medium in size. Strong, regal, alert,
and intelligent stance
Head- The skull is broad with strong clean-out facial
features giving it a look of nobility. The ears are set high and
held erect when alert. The ears are medium in size, slightly pointed
and open toward the front. The ears are never docked. The almond
shaped dark brown/ black eyes are set rather diagonally. The top
line of the long, strong muzzle is parallel with the skull’s top
line. The jaws are very powerful with well developed teeth in a
scissors bite.
Body- This dog is longer than tall. The back is straight;
the chest is set deep with well sprung ribs. The hindquarters slope
with strong powerful thighs. The forelegs are straight with oval as
opposed to round bones. The feet are rounded and compact, dewclaws
should be removed. The bushy low set tail is of medium length. The
saber-like curl at the tip of the tail is accentuated and the tail
is raised when the dog is in motion or excited….
Color- The coarse and dense outer coat of medium length,
with a thick undercoat, varies in color. The rich, vibrant colors
are the most desirable. White is an unacceptable color and will
disqualify the dog in the show. The nose and short nails are black.
Size- Females: 22-24 inches // 65-70 pounds Males: 24-26
inches // 80-85 pounds
Temperament- This animal has an amazing ability to
comprehend, retain and perform a variety of specialized functions,
thus making it an excellent service oriented companion breed. Not
only is this dog used as an aid to the blind, it serves in both the
private sector and the military as guard / pursuit dogs; as they
have a great sense of smell. While this dog makes for a wonderful
affectionate, loyal, and obedient family pet; it is very active both
mentally and physically, so benefits greatly from training and lots
of attention from its owner / handler.