Head not to be carried high. Clean and noble with good length and parallel lines, not wedge-shaped. Skull: slightly arched, prominent occiput. Provided the muzzle is long and well developed, a somewhat powerful skull is permissible, in males in particular, as long as the head does not lose its parallel planes. Stop: Defined, but not deep or abrupt. Nose: black. Muzzle: rather longer than short, squarely cut. Straight and evenly broad nasal bridge. Jaws/teeth: scissor bite. Cheeks: clean without prominent cheek bones. Eyes: dark. Round in appearance. Rather large, but not protruding. Bright and expressive with a calm and earnest expression. Eyelids close fitting. Wall eyes are permitted in blue marbled (merle) dogs. Ears: medium high set, rather lower than high. Smooth, moderately wide, tapering, rounded at the end. Hanging flat without folds. close to head. Long enough to extend halfway along the muzzle when pulled forward.
Neck: fairly long, without noticeable throatiness. Top line: level. Back: straight and firm. Of sufficient length to give length to rib cage. Loin: broad and muscular, not roached. Croup: slightly sloping, muscular, not too short. Chest: capacious chest with well sprung ribs; the back ribs should be particularly well developed, making the ribcage appear long. Underline and belly: slightly tucked up belly.
Forequarters: strong, dry and sinewy forelegs. Shoulder: muscular, long and sloping shoulder blades, lying close to the chest, closely set at the top. Upper arm: well angulated to shoulder. Elbow: well angulated at joint. Forearm: straight. Metacarpus: slightly sloping. Forefeet: arched and well-knit feet, well covered with hair between the toes. Firm pads. The feet should point straight forward. Hindquarters: well angulated. Stand parallel, not crouched nor cow-hocked. Thigh: broad. Stifle: well angulated. Lower thigh: broad. Hock joint: dry and low set, broad seen from the side. Hind feet: arched and well-knit, well covered with hair between the toes. Firm pads. The feet should point straight forward.
Set on level with the topline. Thick at the root, tapering towards the end. The tail should be straight and carried in a slight upward curve, reaching down to the hock or slightly below.
Hair: straight, hard, dense and not too short. The back of the thighs and the tail may be somewhat more profusely coated, provided the coat is otherwise particularly good. Colour: diluted black with tan-markings or blue marbled (merle) with pale tan-markings and white markings. Jet black with warm tan-markings is less desirable. 50% or more white is undesirable. White markings that reaches out on the shoulders, on the underside of the belly and on legs (socks) is accepted as a correct marking.
Free movement, covering ground. Parallel from behind, not crouched nor cow-hocked.
Height: Dogs — 50-58 cm. Bitches — 47-54 cm.
