Greyhound

Posted in Hound Group

A Breed Standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

GREYHOUND
(Effective 31.03.2016)

GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Strongly built, upstanding, of generous proportions, muscular power and symmetrical formation, with long head and neck, clean well laid shoulders, deep chest, capacious body, slightly arched loin, powerful quarters, sound legs and feet, and a suppleness of limb, which emphasise, in a marked degree, its distinctive type and quality.

CHARACTERISTICS:
Possessing remarkable stamina and endurance.

TEMPERAMENT:
Intelligent, gentle, affectionate and even-tempered.

HEAD AND SKULL:
Long, moderate width, flat skull, slight stop. Jaws powerful and well chiselled.

EYES:
Bright, intelligent, oval and obliquely set. Preferably dark.

EARS:
Small, rose-shape, of fine texture.

MOUTH:
Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

NECK:
Long and muscular, elegantly arched, well let into shoulders.

FOREQUARTERS:
Shoulders oblique, well set back, muscular without being loaded, narrow and cleanly defined at top. Forelegs, long and straight, bone of good substance and quality. Elbows free and well set under shoulders. Pasterns of moderate length, slightly sprung. Elbows, pasterns and toes inclining neither in nor out.

BODY:
Chest deep and capacious, providing adequate heart room. Ribs deep, well sprung and carried well back. Flanks well cut up. Back rather long, broad and square. Loins powerful, slightly arched.

HINDQUARTERS:
Thighs and second thighs wide and muscular, showing great propelling power. Stifles well bent. Hocks well let down, inclining neither in nor out. Body and hindquarters, features of ample proportions and well coupled, enabling adequate ground to be covered when standing.

FEET:
Moderate length, with compact, well knuckled toes and strong pads.

TAIL:
Long, set on rather low, strong at root, tapering to point, carried low, slightly curved.

GAIT/MOVEMENT:
Straight, low reaching, free stride enabling the ground to be covered at great speed. Hindlegs coming well under body giving great propulsion.

COAT:
Fine and close.

COLOUR:
Black, white, red, blue, fawn, fallow, brindle or any of these colours broken with white.

SIZE:
Ideal height: Dogs: 71 - 76 cms (28 - 30 ins); bitches: 69 - 71 cms (27 - 28 ins).

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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.

NOTE:
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only clinically and functionally healthy dogs with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.