HEAD –The head should be of medium length, deep throughout, with a broad skull, well-pronounced cheek muscles, a distinct stop, and ears set high.

MUZZLE –The head should be of medium length, rounded on the upper side, and falling away abruptly below the eyes. The jaws should be well-defined, with a strong underjaw providing substantial biting power. The lips should be close-fitting and even, with no looseness. The upper teeth should meet tightly outside the lower teeth in front, forming a correct bite. The nose should be distinctly black.

EYES-The eyes should be dark and round, set low in the skull and wide apart. Pink eyelids are not acceptable.

EARS -Ears may be cropped or uncropped, with the latter being preferred. Uncropped ears should be short and carried in a rose or half-prick position. Fully dropped ears should be penalized.

NECK –The neck should be heavy, slightly arched, and tapering from the shoulders to the back of the skull. The skin should be tight, with no looseness, and the neck should be of medium length.

SHOULDERS –The shoulders should be strong and muscular, with wide, sloping shoulder blades.

LEGS –The front legs should be straight, with large, round bones and upright pasterns, showing no semblance of a bend in the front. The hindquarters should be well-muscled, with hocks set low and neither turning in nor out. The feet should be of moderate size, well-arched, and compact. The gait must be springy, without any rolling or pacing.

BODY –The ribs should be well-sprung and deep in the rear, with all ribs set close together. The forelegs should be set relatively wide apart to allow for proper chest development. The chest should be deep and broad.

BACK –The back should be fairly short, with a slight slope from the withers to the rump and a gentle, short slope at the rump to the base of the tail. The loins should be slightly tucked.

TAIL – The tail should be short in comparison to the size, low-set, tapering to a fine point. It should not be curled or carried over the back and should not be docked.

COAT- The coat should be short, close, stiff to the touch, and glossy.

COLOR- Any color is permissible, including solid, parti, or patched. However, all white, more than 80 percent white, black and tan, blue, gray, purple, and liver are not encouraged. Merle coloration is not allowed.

SIZE- Height and weight should be in proportion. A height of approximately 18 to 19 inches at the shoulders for males and 17 to 18 inches for females is considered preferable.

Weight-  The desirable weight for a mature male in good condition is between 60 and 100 pounds. The desirable weight for a mature female in good condition is between 65 and 95 pounds. Dogs exceeding these weights will not be penalized unless they are disproportionately massive or rangy.