Size, Proportion, Symmetry
Size--The size for mature dogs is about 50 pounds; for mature
bitches about 40 pounds.
Proportion--The circumference of the
skull in front of the ears should measure at least the height of the dog
at the shoulders.
Symmetry--The "points" should be well
distributed and bear good relation one to the other, no feature being in
such prominence from either excess or lack of quality that the animal
appears deformed or ill-proportioned.
Influence of Sex In
comparison of specimens of different sex, due allowance should be made
in favor of the bitches, which do not bear the characteristics of the
breed to the same degree of perfection and grandeur as do the dogs.
Head
Eyes and Eyelids--The eyes, seen from the front, should be
situated low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, and
their corners should be in a straight line at right angles with the
stop. They should be quite in front of the head, as wide apart as
possible, provided their outer corners are within the outline of the
cheeks when viewed from the front. They should be quite round in form,
of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging, and in color should be
very dark. The lids should cover the white of the eyeball, when the dog
is looking directly forward, and the lid should show no "haw."
Ears--The
ears should be set high in the head, the front inner edge of each ear
joining the outline of the skull at the top back corner of skull, so as
to place them as wide apart, and as high, and as far from the eyes as
possible. In size they should be small and thin. The shape termed "rose
ear" is the most desirable. The rose ear folds inward at its back lower
edge, the upper front edge curving over, outward and backward, showing
part of the inside of the burr. (The ears should not be carried erect or
prick-eared or buttoned and should never be cropped.)
Skull--The
skull should be very large, and in circumference, in front of the ears,
should measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders. Viewed
from the front, it should appear very high from the corner of the lower
jaw to the apex of the skull, and also very broad and square. Viewed at
the side, the head should appear very high, and very short from the
point of the nose to occiput. The forehead should be flat (not rounded
or domed), neither too prominent nor overhanging the face.
Cheeks--The
cheeks should be well rounded, protruding sideways and outward beyond
the eyes.
Stop--The temples or frontal bones should be very well
defined, broad, square and high, causing a hollow or groove between the
eyes. This indentation, or stop, should be both broad and deep and
extend up the middle of the forehead, dividing the head vertically,
being traceable to the top of the skull.
Face and Muzzle--The
face, measured from the front of the cheekbone to the tip of the nose,
should be extremely short, the muzzle being very short, broad, turned
upward and very deep from the corner of the eye to the corner of the
mouth.
Nose--The nose should be large, broad and black, its tip
set back deeply between the eyes. The distance from bottom of stop,
between the eyes, to the tip of nose should be as short as possible and
not exceed the length from the tip of nose to the edge of underlip. The
nostrils should be wide, large and black, with a well-defined line
between them. Any nose other than black is objectionable and a brown or
liver-colored nose shall
disqualify.
Lips--The
chops or "flews" should be thick, broad, pendant and very deep,
completely overhanging the lower jaw at each side. They join the
underlip in front and almost or quite cover the teeth, which should be
scarcely noticeable when the mouth is closed.
Bite--
Jaws--The
jaws should be massive, very broad, square and "undershot," the lower
jaw projecting considerably in front of the upper jaw and turning up.
Teeth The teeth should be large and strong, with the canine teeth or
tusks wide apart, and the six small teeth in front, between the canines,
in an even, level row.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck -- The neck should be short, very thick, deep and strong and
well arched at the back.
Topline -- There should be a slight fall
in the back, close behind the shoulders (its lowest part), whence the
spine should rise to the loins (the top of which should be higher than
the top of the shoulders), thence curving again more suddenly to the
tail, forming an arch (a very distinctive feature of the breed), termed
"roach back" or, more correctly, "wheel-back."
Body--The brisket
and body should be very capacious, with full sides, well-rounded ribs
and very deep from the shoulders down to its lowest part, where it joins
the chest. It should be well let down between the shoulders and
forelegs, giving the dog a broad, low, short-legged appearance.
Chest--The
chest should be very broad, deep and full.
Underline--The body
should be well ribbed up behind with the belly tucked up and not rotund.
Back and Loin--The back should be short and strong, very broad at
the shoulders and comparatively narrow at the loins.
Tail--The
tail may be either straight or "screwed" (but never curved or curly),
and in any case must be short, hung low, with decided downward carriage,
thick root and fine tip. If straight, the tail should be cylindrical and
of uniform taper. If "screwed," the bends or kinks should be well
defined, and they may be abrupt and even knotty, but no portion of the
member should be elevated above the base or root.
Forequarters
Shoulders--The shoulders should be muscular, very heavy,
widespread and slanting outward, giving stability and great power.
Forelegs--The forelegs should be short, very stout, straight and
muscular, set wide apart, with well developed calves, presenting a bowed
outline, but the bones of the legs should not be curved or bandy, nor
the feet brought too close together.
Elbows--The elbows should be
low and stand well out and loose from the body.
Feet-- The feet
should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well
split up, with high knuckles and very short stubby nails. The front feet
may be straight or slightly out-turned.
Hindquarters
Legs--The hind legs should be strong and muscular and longer than
the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Hocks
should be slightly bent and well let down, so as to give length and
strength from the loins to hock. The lower leg should be short, straight
and strong, with the stifles turned slightly outward and away from the
body. The hocks are thereby made to approach each other, and the hind
feet to turn outward.
Feet--The feet should be moderate in size,
compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles
and short stubby nails. The hind feet should be pointed well outward.
Coat and Skin
Coat--The coat should be straight, short, flat, close, of fine
texture, smooth and glossy. (No fringe, feather or curl.)
Skin--The
skin should be soft and loose, especially at the head, neck and
shoulders.
Wrinkles and Dewlap--The head and face should be
covered with heavy wrinkles, and at the throat, from jaw to chest, there
should be two loose pendulous folds, forming the dewlap.
Color of Coat
The color of coat should be uniform, pure of its kind and brilliant. The
various colors found in the breed are to be preferred in the following
order: (1) red brindle, (2) all other brindles, (3) solid white, (4)
solid red, fawn or fallow, (5) piebald, (6) inferior qualities of all
the foregoing.
Note: A perfect piebald is preferable to a muddy
brindle or defective solid color. Solid black is very undesirable, but
not so objectionable if occurring to a moderate degree in piebald
patches. The brindles to be perfect should have a fine, even and equal
distribution of the composite colors. In brindles and solid colors a
small white patch on the chest is not considered detrimental. In
piebalds the color patches should be well defined, of pure color and
symmetrically distributed.
Gait
The style and carriage are peculiar, his gait being a loose-jointed,
shuffling, sidewise motion, giving the characteristic "roll." The action
must, however, be unrestrained, free and vigorous.
Temperament
The disposition should be equable and kind, resolute and courageous (not
vicious or aggressive), and demeanor should be pacific and dignified.
These attributes should be countenanced by the expression and behavior.
Disqualification
Brown or liver-colored nose.
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