Breed Standard Elements Explained
Some of the terms used in breed standard can be confusing for those who have not shown or bred dogs. Following is an alphabetical listing of terms used with a brief explanation.
Angulation -
Bitches - Females
Briskit - The lower portion of the chest below the ribcage
Coat - The combination of the animals
Croup -
Dewclaws -
Dogs - Males
Earset -
Forequarters - the front legs
Gait - The manner in which an animal walks and moves
Gallop -
Guard Hairs - The part of an animal's coat that is most visible. These hairs are generally longer than any undercoat the animal may have and act to protect the undercoat from getting too wet, defeating the purpose of the undercoat.
Hindquarters - the back legs
Hocks -
Layback of Shoulders -
Lips -
Loins -
Muzzle -
Occiput -
Pasterns -
Proportion -
Ribs -
Ruff -
Scissors Bite - When the teeth of the animal intermesh with one another fully closing any openings in a scissor like manner.
Single Track - When an animal moves with such quickness their back feet seem to step into the tracks of their front feet, each placed in front of the other rather than beside and forward. The impression of their tracks is that of a single track rather than parallel tracks.
Skull -
Stop -
Substance -
Tail Set-
Temperament - The general disposition of the animal in which descriptive words like shy, aggressive, excitable, calm, etc. might apply.
Toe Pads - The thickened protective tissue on the bottom of each foot and behind each toe.
Topline -
Trot -
Tuck-up - The underportion of the belly; what is essentially the waist.
Undercoat - The fur closest to the skin. Breeds with a dense undercoat are generally well suited to survive in more extreme cold climates such as Nordic areas of the world.
Well sprung -
Withers - The top portion of the shoulder area behind the neck, atop the chest.
Working gait - The manner and speed in which the animal moves when working.
Examined on the ground - The animal, rather than being lifted to a table for closer examination by a judge, remains on the ground. The judge will not only look, but feel all areas of the animal.
Angulation -
Bitches - Females
Briskit - The lower portion of the chest below the ribcage
Coat - The combination of the animals
Croup -
Dewclaws -
Dogs - Males
Earset -
Forequarters - the front legs
Gait - The manner in which an animal walks and moves
Gallop -
Guard Hairs - The part of an animal's coat that is most visible. These hairs are generally longer than any undercoat the animal may have and act to protect the undercoat from getting too wet, defeating the purpose of the undercoat.
Hindquarters - the back legs
Hocks -
Layback of Shoulders -
Lips -
Loins -
Muzzle -
Occiput -
Pasterns -
Proportion -
Ribs -
Ruff -
Scissors Bite - When the teeth of the animal intermesh with one another fully closing any openings in a scissor like manner.
Single Track - When an animal moves with such quickness their back feet seem to step into the tracks of their front feet, each placed in front of the other rather than beside and forward. The impression of their tracks is that of a single track rather than parallel tracks.
Skull -
Stop -
Substance -
Tail Set-
Temperament - The general disposition of the animal in which descriptive words like shy, aggressive, excitable, calm, etc. might apply.
Toe Pads - The thickened protective tissue on the bottom of each foot and behind each toe.
Topline -
Trot -
Tuck-up - The underportion of the belly; what is essentially the waist.
Undercoat - The fur closest to the skin. Breeds with a dense undercoat are generally well suited to survive in more extreme cold climates such as Nordic areas of the world.
Well sprung -
Withers - The top portion of the shoulder area behind the neck, atop the chest.
Working gait - The manner and speed in which the animal moves when working.
Examined on the ground - The animal, rather than being lifted to a table for closer examination by a judge, remains on the ground. The judge will not only look, but feel all areas of the animal.