FCI-Standard No. 110 / 22. 01. 1999 / GB (Link to FCI Standard in Word Format)

ORIGIN : Great Britain.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 22.01.1999.

UTILIZATION : Retriever.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 8 Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs. Section 1 Retrievers. With working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Strong, upstanding dog with a degree of elegance. Distinctive coat.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT

Intelligent, steady, reliable. Bold, friendly, self confident and independent. May seem aloof.

HEAD

Wedge-shaped in both side and front profiles. In proportion to body size.

CRANIAL REGION

Skull : Foreface and skull equal length. Planes of skull and muzzle parallel.
Stop : Slight.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Black in blacks and brown in livers.

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

Eyes : Large, not prominent, oval-shaped, obliquely set. Dark brown in blacks; in livers brown tone to blend with coat colour.

Ears : Rather small, set slightly above level of eye; lying close to head, covered with small curls.

NECK

Strong and slightly arched, of medium length, free from throatiness and flowing freely into well laid back shoulders.

BODY

Topline : Strong and level. Slightly longer from withers to root of tail than from withers to ground.
Loins : Short, deep and powerful.
Chest : Deep with well sprung ribs, oval in cross section with brisket reaching elbow. Forechest visible. Ribs extend well back.
Flank : Slight tuck up.

TAIL

Flows from topline. Should reach approximately to hock, carried straight on a level with topline when moving.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs straight, set well under body.
Shoulders : Well laid back and muscular.
Upper arm : Upper arm and shoulder blade approximately equal in length.
Pasterns : Strong.

HINDQUARTERS : Strong, muscular.
Stifles : Moderate turn of stifles.
Hock : Well let down and well bent.

FEET : Round, tight with well-arched toes.

GAIT / MOVEMENT

Effortless, powerful gait with good extension and drive. Parallel movement. At speed, legs tend to converge.

COAT

HAIR : Body coat a thick mass of small tight, crisp curls lying close to skin, extending from occiput to tip of tail; without undercoat or bare patches. Elsewhere hair smooth.

COLOUR : Black or liver.

SIZE

Ideal height at withers : Dogs: 67,5 cm (27 ins), Bitches : 62,5 cm (25 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.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.