GENERAL APPEARANCE - Powerful build, symmetrical, showing great strength, but not cumbersome; sound and active.

CHARACTERISTICS - Powerful, enduring, active and reliable.

TEMPERAMENT - High spirited, alert and faithful.

HEAD AND SKULL - Skull large and square, viewed from every angle, fair wrinkle when interested, but not when in repose. Circumference of skull may equal height of dog measured at top of shoulder; broad and deep with well filled cheeks. Pronounced stop. Muzzle short; distance from tip of nose to stop approximately one third of length from tip of nose to centre of occiput, broad under eyes and sustaining nearly same width to end of nose; blunt and cut off square, forming right angle with upper line of face, and at same time proportionate with skull. underjaw broad to end. Nose broad with widely spreading nostrils; flat, neither pointed nor turned up in profile. Flews not pendulous, never hanging below level of lower jaw.

EYES - Dark or hazel, of medium size, set apart the width of muzzle with furrow between. Light or yellow eyes highly undesirable.

EARS - V-shaped, folded back, set on wide and high, level of occiput giving square appearance to skull which is most important. Small and deeper in colour than body. Point of ear level with eye when alert. Rose ears highly undesirable.

MOUTH - Although a bone of conention with some breeders, according to the breed standards, A level bite is desired in this breed, Meaning that the upper and lower incisors meet edge to edge. However a slightly undershot bite is allowed. Though is not preffered clearly a grossly undershot mouth in which the tongue is constantly showing would be incorrect as would an overshot bite. When assessing the likely eventual tooth placement of a puppy it is worth considering that a young puppy with an undershot jaw is likely to have an untypically undershot bite in adulthood. A puppy with a slightly overshot mouth when young may indeed have a level bite when it matures. It is important that the canine teeth are strong and set wide apart so that the teeth between may be even and well placed as well as strong..

NECK - Well arched, moderate length, very muscular and almost equal to skull in circumference.

FOREQUARTERS - Chest, wide and deep, well let down between forelegs, with deep brisket. Shoulders muscular, sloping and powerful, not overloaded. Forelegs powerful and straight, well boned, set wide apart, presenting a straight front. Pasterns straight and strong.

BODY - Back short and straight, giving compact carriage, but not so short as to interfere with activity. Roach and sway backs highly undesirable.

HINDQUARTERS - Loins wide and muscular with fair depth of flank. Hind legs strong and muscular, with well developed second thighs, denoting power and activity, not cumbersome. Hocks moderately bent. Cow hocks highly undesirable.

FEET - Well arched, cat like, with rounded toes, pads hard. Dark toe nails desirable. Splayed feet highly undesirable.

TAIL - Set high, strong at root and tapering, reaching to hocks, carried straight or curved, but not hound fashion. Crank tails highly undesirable.

GAIT/MOVEMENT - Movement indicates power and sense of purpose. When moving straight neither front nor hind legs should cross or plait, right front and left rear leg raising and falling at the same time. A firm back line unimpaired by powerful thrust from hind legs denoting a balanced and harmonious movement.

COAT - Short and hard, weather resistant, lying flat to body. Long, silky or woolly coats highly undesirable.

COLOUR - Any shade of brindle, fawn or red; colour to be pure and clear. A slight white marking on chest permissible. Other white markings undesirable. Black muzzle essential, toning off towards eyes, with dark markings around eyes contributing to expression

SIZE - Height: Dogs 63.5 - 68.5 cms (25 - 27 ins) at shoulder Bitches 61-66 cms (24 - 26 ins) at shoulder Weight: Dogs 50-59 kg (110 - 130 lbs) Bitches 41 - 50 kg (90 - 110 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.

NOTE - Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.