Standard
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :
Group 1 Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs).
Section 1 Sheepdogs. Without working trial.
GENERAL APPEARANCE :
A powerful, well-muscled, medium-sized, white shepherd dog with erect ears, double coat or
long double coat; elongated shape; medium sized bone and elegant, harmonious outline.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS :
Moderately long rectangular shape :
body length (from the point of shoulder to point of buttock) to height at withers = 12 : 10.
· The distance from the stop to the noseleather slightly beyond the distance from the stop
to the occipital protuberance.
BEHAVIOUR / CHARACTER :
Lively, without nervousness, attentive and watchful; towards strangers sometimes slightly
aloof but never apprehensive or aggressive.
HEAD :
Strong, dry and finely chiselled, in good proportion to the body. Seen from above and from
the side wedge-shaped. Axes of skull and foreface parallel.
CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Only slightly rounded; indicated central furrow.
Stop : Slightly marked, but clearly perceptible.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Medium-sized; black pigmentation desired; snow nose and lighter nose accepted.
Muzzle : Powerful and moderately long in relation to the skull; nasal bridge and lower line of
muzzle straight, slightly convergent to the nose.
Lips : Dry , closing tightly, as black as possible.
Jaws/Teeth : Powerful and complete, scissor bite. The teeth should be set square to the jaw.
Eyes : Medium-sized, almond shaped, placed a little obliquely; colour brown to dark-brown;
eye lids well fitting with black eye-rims desirable.
Ears : Erect ears, set high, carried upright, parallel and directed forward; in the shape of an
oblong, at the tip slightly rounded triangle.
NECK :
Medium-long and well muscled, with harmonious set on at the body, without dewlap; the ele-
gantly arched neckline runs without disruption from the moderately high carried head to the withers.
BODY :
Strong, muscular, medium-long.
Withers : Pronounced.
Back :
Level, firm.
Loins : Strongly muscled.
Croup : Long and of medium breadth; from the set on gently sloping to root of tail.
Chest : Not too broad; deep (about 50 % of the height at the withers); reaching to the elbows;
ribcage oval; well extending to the rear. Prominent forechest.
Belly and flanks : Flanks slender, firm; underline moderately tucked up.
TAIL : Bushy sabre tail, tapering to the tip; set on rather deep; reaching at least to the hock
joint; at rest, it hangs either straight down or with a slight saber-like curve in its last third part;
in movement carried higher, but never above the topline.
LIMBS : Strong, sinewy, medium bone.
FOREQUARTERS :
Straight, seen from the front; only moderately broad stance; seen in profile, well angulated.
Shoulder : Shoulder blade long and well laid back; well angulated; whole shoulder strongly
muscled.
Upper arm : Adequately long, strong muscles.
Elbows : Close fitting.
Forearm : Long, straight, sinewy.
Pastern : Firm and only slightly oblique.
HINDQUARTERS :
Seen from the rear straight and parallel; standing not too wide; seen from the side with
adequate angulation.
Upper thigh : Medium-long, strongly muscled.
Lower thigh : Medium-long, oblique, with solid bone and well muscled.
Hock joint : Powerful, well angulated.
Hock : Medium-long, straight, sinewy; dewclaws should be removed, except in countries
where their removal is forbidden by law.
Feet : Oval, hind feet a little longer than forefeet; toes tight and well arched; firm black pads;
dark nails desired.
GAIT :
Rhythmical sequence of steps with even drive and enduring; front legs reaching out far, with strong thrust; trot ground covering and easy.
SKIN :
Without folds and wrinkles; dark pigmentation.
COAT
Hair : Medium length, dense, close-lying double coat or long double coat; abundant undercoat
covered with hard, straight protection hair; face, ears and front of legs are covered with shorter
hair; at the neck and the back of the legs the coat is slightly longer. Slightly wavy, hard hair is
permitted.
Colour : White
SIZE AND WEIGHT :
Height at withers : Dogs 60 - 66 cm.
Bitches 55 - 61 cm.
Weight : Dogs : ca. 30 - 40 kg.
Bitches : ca. 25 - 35 kg.
Typical dogs with slight under- or oversize should not be eliminated.
FAULTS :
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the serious- ness
with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
MINOR FAULTS :
· Slight deer colour (light yellow or fawny shading) on eartips, back and upperside of the tail.
· Partial loss of pigment of flecked appearance on noseleather, lips and/or eye rims.
SERIOUS FAULTS :
· Heavy appearance, too short build (square outline)
· Masculinity or femininity not clearly defined .
· Missing more than two PM1; the M3 are not taken into account.
· Drop (hanging) ears, semi-pricked ears, button ears.
· Strongly sloping backline.
· Ringtail, kinky tail, hook tail, tail carried over back.
· Soft, silky topcoat; woolly, curly, open coat; distinctly long hair without undercoat.
· Distinct deer colour (distinct yellowish or tawny discolouring) on eartips, back and upperside
of the tail.
ELIMINATING FAULTS :
· Overly shy or aggressive.
· One eye or both eyes blue, protruding eyes.
· Entropion, ectropion.
· Over-or undershot mouth, wry mouth.
· Total loss of pigment on nose, lips and/or eye rims.
· Total loss of pigment in the skin and on the pads.
· Albinism.
NB.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
