Breed standard
Breed group: 5. Country of origin: Japan.
GENERAL APPEARANCE : Large sized dog, robustly built, well proportioned and with much substance - secondary sex characteristics strongly marked - with great nobility and dignity in modesty; strong constitution.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: The ratio at the withers to height is 10:11, but the body is slightly longer in bitches than in males.
BEHAVIOR AND TEMPERAMENT: The temperament is composed, faithful, docile and receptive.
HEAD
SKULL PORTION:
Skull: The skull is in proportion to the body. The forehead is broad with distinct furrow. No wrinkles.
Stop: Indicated.
SNOUT PORTION:
Nose: Large and black. Slight and scattered lack of pigment acceptable in white dogs only, but black is always preferred.
Muzzle: Moderately long and strong with a broad base, tapering but not pointed. The bridge of the nose is straight.
Lips: Tight.
Jaws/Teeth: The strong teeth are scissors.
Cheeks : Moderately developed.
Eyes : Relatively small, almost triangular in shape due to rising from the outer corner of the eye, moderately set and dark brown; the darker the better.
Ears : Relatively small, thick, triangular, slightly rounded at the tips, moderately set, erect and bent forward.
NECK: Thick and muscular, without dewlap, in proportion to the head.
SIZE AND WEIGHT:
Height at the withers: males 67 cm, bitches 61 cm.
There is a tolerance of 3 cm up or down.
FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be regarded as a fault and the assessment of the seriousness of the fault should be commensurate with the extent of the fault and its effect on the health and welfare of the dog.
Bitch-like male/huge bitch.
Underbite or overbite.
The lack of teeth.
Blue or black spotted tongue.
Iris light in color.
Short tail.
shyness.
DISQUALIFYING ERRORS:
Aggressive or excessively shy.
Not standing ears.
Hanging tail.
Long hair (shaggy).
Black mask.
Markings on white background.
Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioral abnormalities should be disqualified.
NOTE: Male animals should have two normally developed testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Dutch translation of English standard: Joanne Breedveld.
Source Nippon Inu
BODY:
Back: Straight and strong.
Loin: Broad and muscular
Chest : Deep, forechest well developed,
Ribs: Moderately sprung.
Belly: Well tucked up.
TAIL: Set on high, thick, carried strongly curled over back;
the tail tip reaches almost to the hock joints as it hangs down.
LIMBS:
FOREQUARTERS:
Shoulders: Moderately sloping and developed.
Elbows: Fixed.
Forelegs: Straight and heavy in bone.
HINDQUARTERS : Well developed, strong and moderately angulated.
FEET : Thick, round, arched and closed.
GAIT: Resilient and strong movements.
COAT:
HAIR: The outer coat is hard and straight, the undercoat soft and dense; the shoulders and torso are covered with slightly longer hair; the hair on the tail is longer than on the rest of the body.
COLOUR: Red yellow, sesame (red yellow hairs with black tips), brindle (Brindle) and white. All colors except white must show the ' Urajiro ' pattern ('Urajiro' = the whitish fur on either side of the muzzle, on the cheeks, on the underside of the jaw, neck, chest, body and tail, and on the inside of the legs).
