Head And Skull: Flashcards
The head is strong and must be in balance with other proportions of the dog and in keeping with its general conformation. The broad skull is slightly curved between the ears, flattening to a slight but definite stop. The cheeks muscular, neither coarse nor prominent with the underjaw strong, deep and well developed. The foreface is broad and well filled in under the eyes, tapering gradually to form a medium length, deep, powerful muzzle with the skull and muzzle on parallel planes. The lips are tight and clean. Nose black.
Australian Cattle Dog
Head And Skull:
The head is in proportion to the size of the dog, the skull slightly rounded, and broad between the ears. The forehead running in a straight profile towards a pronounced stop. The cheeks are neither coarse nor prominent, but round to the foreface, which is cleanly chiselled and defined. The muzzle, preferably slightly shorter in length than the skull. Lips tight and clean and free from looseness. The nose colouring conforms to that of the body coat. The overall shape and contours produce a rather fox-like expression, which is softened by the almond-shaped eyes
Australian Kelpie
Head And Skull:
The head is clean cut, strong and dry. Overall size should be in proportion to the body. The muzzle is equal in length or slightly shorter than the back skull. Viewed from the side the topline of the back skull and muzzle form parallel planes, divided by a moderate, well defined stop. The muzzle tapers little from base to nose and is rounded at the tip.
Skull: Top flat to slightly domed, it may show a slight occipital protuberance. Length and width are equal. Moderate well-defined stop. Muzzle tapers little from base to nose and is rounded at the tip.
Nose: Blue merles and blacks have black pigmentation on the nose (and lips). Red merles and reds have liver (brown) pigmentation on the nose (and lips). On the merles it is permissible to have small pink spots, however they should not exceed 25% of the nose on dogs over one year of age which is a serious fault.
Australian Shepherd
Head And Skull:
The skull is broad between the ears and flat, narrowing slightly to the eyes with a slight but definite stop. Cheeks are muscular without coarseness. The foreface is of moderate length, well filled up under the eye, the deep powerful jaws tapering to a blunt strong muzzle. Nose black, irrespective of the colour of the dog.
Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Head And Skull:
The head should be in proportion to the size of the dog. The skull broad and flat and square, the distance between stop and occiput being equal to the width between the orifices of the ears. The muzzle strong and equal in length to the distance from the stop to the occiput, the whole effect being that of a dog with strength of muzzle and plenty of brain room. The stop should be moderate. The nose large and square, generally black but normally following the coat colour in blues and browns. The nose and lips should be of solid colour without spots or patches. Pigmentation of lips and eye rims should follow nose colour.
Bearded Collie
Head And Skull:
The head is well chiselled with harmonious lines. Seen in profile, the top lines of skull and muzzle lie roughly in parallel planes.
CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Flat or slightly rounded from one side to the other. The median groove is only slightly marked, the occipital rotuberance
can be seen on the summit of the skull.
Stop : The stop is only slightly pronounced and is equidistant from the occiput and the end of the muzzle.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Proportionate to the muzzle, well developed, never split and always black.
Muzzle : Neither narrow or pointed.
Lips : Firm and always well pigmented. The upper lip should overlap the lower without any looseness. At their commissure, the
lips should initiate a very slight pouch which should stay firm.
Beauceron (Berger de Beauce)
Head And Skull:
Carried high, long without exaggeration, rectilinear, well chiselled and dry. Skull and muzzle are roughly equal in length, with at the most a very slight bias in favour of the muzzle which puts the finishing touch to the whole head. The skull is of medium width, in proportion with the length of head, with a forehead flat rather than round, frontal groove not very pronounced, in profile parallel to an imaginary line extending the muzzle line. The occipital crest little developed. The brow ridges and zygomatic arches not prominent. Stop: Moderate. Nose: Black. Muzzle: Medium length and well chiselled under the eyes, narrowing gradually towards the nose like an elongated wedge. The bridge of the nose is straight and parallel to the continuation of the top line of the forehead. The mouth is well split which means that when the mouth is open the commissures of the lips are pulled right back, the jaws being well apart. Lips: Thin, tight and strongly pigmented. Cheeks: Dry and quite flat, although well muscled.
Belgian Shepherd Dog
Head And Skull:
Head shape with parallel planes proportionate in relation to the body. The head is covered with abundant hair, making it appear large. The length of the muzzle equals that of the skull. The skin must not be thick but tight without wrinkles.
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Medium sized with top of skull tending towards flat, the upper longitudinal planes of the skull and the muzzle are parallel. The width must be less than half the total length of the head. The frontal region is well developed lengthwise and widthwise. The supercilliary arches are well defined. The median frontal furrow (metopic suture) is marked; the occipital crest is well defined and pronounced.
Stop: The stop is evenly sloping, but accentuated due to the marked bones of the nose and forehead, the frontal protuberances and the superciliary arches.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: In line with the muzzle with curved upper profile, wide open nostrils, humid, fresh and large. Viewed in profile it must not appear protruding. The colour of the nose leather is black.
Muzzle: Tapers progressively towards the nose with lateral surfaces converging slightly, so that the muzzle itself is not pointed but truncated, hence the front face of the muzzle is rather flat. Its length is the same as that of the skull. Measured at the middle, the width is approximately half of the muzzles length. The depth of the muzzle must not be less than half of the muzzles length. The upper profile of the muzzle is straight and the lower jaw, not the lip, defines the lower part of the muzzle. Due to this conformation, the lip commissure is not pendulous. The commissure of the lip joins up with an imaginary vertical line drawn down from the outer corner of the eye. The lower profile of the jaw is almost straight.
Lips: Thin and divided under the nose forming a long arc one third of a circle; they are slightly developed hence only just covering the teeth. The lip rims are well pigmented.
Cheeks: Not very prominent.
Bergamasco Shepherd Dog
Head And Skull:
The skull is broad and flat between the ears, slightly narrowing to the eye, with a pronounced stop, cheeks deep but not prominent. The muzzle tapering to the nose, is strong and the same length as the skull. The lips are tight and clean and the nose is large with open nostrils. The nose colour in all dogs will be a solid colour with no pink or light pigment, and shall complement the background colour of the dog.
Border Collie
Head And Skull:
The head has a massive appearance, still more accentuated by the beard and moustache. It is in proportion to the body and stature. Its clean-cut lines are obvious to the touch.
Skull: Well developed and flat, slightly less broad than long. Toplines of skull and muzzle are parallel. Frontal groove hardly denoted.
Stop: Only slightly pronounced, more apparent than real, due to upstanding eyebrows.
Muzzle: Broad, powerful, well-boned, straight in its upper line, narrowing towards the nose, but never becoming pointed. Its length should be shorter than the skull by 2 to 3. Circumference measured just below the eyes should be approximately equal to length of head.
Nose: Nose continues the muzzle in a line, which is slightly convex towards its end. It must be well-developed, rounded at the sides and always black in colour. Wide open nostrils.
Lips: Well fitting and strongly pigmented.
Cheeks: Flat and clean, zygomatic arches are not very protruding.
Jaws: Jaws must be powerful and of equal length.
Bouvier des Flandres
Head And Skull:
Skull slightly rounded and slightly longer from occiput to stop than it is wide, when measured through points of cheekbones. Head is composed of two equal rectangles, occiput to stop and stop to end of nose, when viewed in profile from above. Muzzle square and very strong; any tendency to snipiness highly undesirable. Stop clearly defined. Nose large and square, always black.
Briard
Head And Skull:
The head properties are of great importance and must be considered in proportion to the size of the dog. When viewed from the front or the side the head bears a general resemblance to a well-blunted, clean wedge, being smooth in outline. The skull should be flat. The sides should taper gradually and smoothly from the ears to the end of the black nose, without prominent cheek bones or pinched muzzle. Viewed in profile, the top of the skull and the top of the muzzle lie in two parallel straight planes of equal length divided by a slight, but perceptible “stop” or break. A mid-point between the inside corners of the eyes (which is the centre of a correctly placed “stop”) is the centre of balance in length of head. The end of the smooth, well rounded muzzle is blunt, but not square. The underjaw is strong, clean cut and the depth of the skull from the brow to the underpart of the jaw, must never be excessive (deep through). Whatever the colour of the dog the nose must be black.
Collie Rough
Head And Skull:
The head properties are of great importance and must be considered in proportion to the size of the dog. When viewed from the front or the side the head should bear a general resemblance to a well-blunted, clean wedge, being smooth in outline. The skull should be flat. The sides should taper gradually and smoothly from the ears to the end of the black nose, without prominent cheek bones or pinched muzzle. Viewed in profile, the top of the skull and the top of the muzzle should lie in two parallel straight planes of equal length, divided by a slight but perceptible “stop” or break. A mid-point between the inside corners of the eyes (which is the centre of a correctly placed “stop”) should be the centre of balance in length of head. The end of the smooth, well rounded muzzle should be blunt, but not square. The underjaw should be strong, clean cut and the depth of the skull from the brow to the underpart of the jaw, should never be excessive (deep through). Whatever the colour of the dog, the nose must be black.
Collie Smooth
Head And Skull:
In good proportion to the body. Seen from above and in profile it is wedge-shaped. Its shape is rather elongated, without wrinkles; dry, with flat cheeks and no pronounced cheekbones. Because of the coat, the head of the wirehaired variety appears to be more square, but this is an illusion.
Skull: Flat.
Stop: Slight, though clearly present.
Nose: Black.
Muzzle: Slightly longer than the flat forehead. Bridge of the muzzle straight and parallel to the top line of the cranial region.
Lips: Tight and well pigmented.
Dutch Shepherd Dog
Head And Skull:
Strong in outline, rather broad.
Cranial Region:
Skull: Broad, the skull is slightly convex. The forehead is rather domed. The frontal furrow is clearly defined.
Stop: Clearly defined.
Facial Region:
Nose: Black or brown, according to coat colour.
Muzzle: Strong, broad and straight; viewed from above and in profile evenly, but only slightly tapering.
Lips: Tight.
Cheeks: The zygomatic arches are well pronounced.
Finnish Lapphund
