English Shepherd

BREED STANDARD FOR THE

 ENGLISH SHEPHERD

GENERAL APPEARANCE:
The English Shepherd is a dog of medium size, presenting a picture of sturdy balance and harmonious proportions built for speed and maneuverability, he is alert and his face shows a high degree of intelligence. In order to best determine his total value he should be judged in two classes. First, in his ability to work livestock in the field. Second, on the bench for type, balance, soundness, gait and temperament.

HEAD
Medium length with moderately defined stop. Broad and slightly rounded between the ears without a peak or domed in the skull. Muzzle from tip of nose to stop about as long as the distance between stop and occiput and an equal distance across top of skull between inner corners of bases of ears. Jaws deep and powerful. Teeth strong and regular with incisor bite, overbite and underbite should be penalized. Muzzle moderately broad but neither wide and stubby nor thin and "snippy". Flews straight with no sloppy droop. Nose always black. Eyes dark brown and moderately round, having a slightly oblique set, but, not almond shaped or protruding. They should express character with a strong, intelligent look. Ears wide at base, lying close to the head, folded over at least 3/4 down from the top.

NECK
Strong and rounded, moderately out stretched.

BODY
Backline horizontal, neither roached nor sway-backed. Shoulder set obliquely, with an angulation to the perpendicular of 45 degrees considered ideal. Ribs well sprung and chest extending down in depth approximately to elbows to provide ample lung capacity. Body length from point of shoulder to point of buttock about the same as height to withers. Chest moderately broad with at least four inches between front legs. loins strong and deep with flank not tucked up.

LEGS
Forelegs straight when viewed from front or sides. Back legs well boned and muscled, placed well apart. Axes of back legs appear almost straight when viewed from the side. Sicle hocks are a serious fault as are cow hocks. Feet slightly oval and compact, toes together and well arched, well padded and tough.

TAIL
Moderately long with tip of bone reaching to the hock joint. At rest, held low with a sweep outward at the end. When excited, held straight out or elevated not more than thirty degrees above back. Curving upward near the end, but never straight up and rolled over the back. Natural bobtails are acceptable. Bobtails should be six to eight inches long, carried level with the back line.

GAIT
Viewed from the front, the front feet track close together but do not cross over. The gait should give the impression of ability to change direction instantaneously. The dog moves ahead in a straight line with effortless motion and without a rolling gait. Viewed from the rear, the hind legs are straight from the hocks to the ground and move so as to take the weight under the center of gravity. The gait is smooth without choppiness.

COAT
Abundant with long, moderately coarse straight or wavy hair except on face, skull and leg. kinky coats are not desireable. Front legs are feathered on the backs and the tail is plumelike. Heavy manes and heavy frills on underside of neck and on breast are not desirable. The undercoat is soft and fine, affording good protection in cold weather.

COLOR
The four predominant color patterns are: Black and Tan, Tri-Color, sable and White, and Black and White. In none of the color patterns is white permitted to be unbalanced to a degree of being splotchy looking or of covering more than 30% of the body. Solid White coats, Solid Black coats, Whites with Black or Sable spots, Blue Merles, Red dogs and mixtures are not desirable.

SIZE
Dogs 19 to 23 inches with preference for 20 and 21. Bitches 18 to 21 inches with preference for 19 or 20.

WEIGHT
Dogs 45 to 60 pounds, Bitches 40 to 50 pounds.

DEW CLAWS
Dew Claws are typical but dogs will not be penalized for not having them.

DISQUALIFICATION
In grown dogs, a cryptorchid is disqualified, Monorchids are not disqualified, but monorchidism should be penalized.