Breed Standards

By Federation Cynologique Internationale

Origin: Japan.  Utilisation: Companion dog.

General Appearance: Large-sized dog, sturdily built, well balanced and with much substance; secondary sex characteristics strongly marked, with high nobility and dignity in modesty; constitution tough.

Important Proportions: The ratio of height at withers to length of body (from the point of the shoulders to the point of the buttock) is 10 : 11, but the body is slightly longer in bitches than in dogs.

Behaviour and Temperament: The temperament is composed, faithful, docile and receptive.

Head: Skull: The size is in proportion to the body. The forehead is broad, with distinct furrow. No wrinkle.

Stop: Defined.

Face: Nose: Large and black. Slight and diffuse lack of pigment accepted in white dogs only, but black is always preferred.

Muzzle: Moderately long and strong with broad base, tapering but not pointed. Nasal bridge straight.

Jaws/Teeth: Teeth strong with scissor bite.

Lips: Tight. Cheeks: Moderately developed.

Eyes: Relatively small, almost triangular in shape due to the rising of the outer eye corner, set moderately apart, dark brown: the darker, the better.

Ears: Relatively small, thick, triangular, slightly rounded at tips, set moderately apart, pricked and inclining forward.

Neck: Thick and muscular, without dewlap, in balance with head.

Body: Back: Straight and strong. Loin: Broad and muscular. Chest: Deep, forechest well developed, ribs moderately well sprung. Underline and belly: Well drawn up.

Tail: Set on high, thick, carried vigorously curled over back ; the tip nearly reaching hocks when let down.

Limbs Forequarters: Shoulder: Moderately sloping and developed. Elbows: Tight. Forearm: Straight and heavy-boned. Forefeet: Thick, round, arched and tight. HINDQUARTERS: General appearance: Well developed, strong and moderately angulated. Hind feet: Thick, round, arched and tight.

Gait: Resilient and powerful movement.

Coat Hair: Outer coat harsh and straight, undercoat soft and dense; the withers and the rump are covered with slightly longer hair; the hair on tail is longer than on the rest of the body.

Colour: Red fawn, sesame (red fawn hairs with black tips), brindle and white. All the above mentioned colours except white must have « urajiro ».

(Urajiro = whitish coat on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, on the underside of jaw, neck, chest, body and tail and on the inside of the legs).

Size: Height at the withers: Dogs : 67 cm, bitches : 61 cm. There is a tolerance of 3 cm more or less.

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.

• Bitchy dogs / doggy bitches.

• Undershot or overshot mouth.

• Missing teeth.

• Blue or black spotted tongue.

• Iris light in colour.

• Short tail.

• Shyness.

Disqualification faults :

• Aggressive or overly shy dogs.

• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities.

• Ears not pricked.

• Hanging tail.

• Long hair (shaggy).

 • Black mask. • Markings on white ground

FCI-Classification: Group 5 Spitz and primitive type.

Section 5 Asian Spitz and related breeds. Without working trial.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID STANDARD: 13.03.2001.