Catalonian Sheepdog

FCI:

Catalonian Sheepdog - Group I. - Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs, Section 1 – Sheepdogs, Recognized in the year 1929th.

General Appearance:

The Catalonian Shepherd is serene, peaceful, but also active, calm, cheerful and most obedient dog. It excels in intelligence and its behaviour is typically generous and joyful. Even as a companion dog is still capable Shepherd, it acts individually, it solves situation itself and it passes all immediately, it works in passion, and with enthusiasm.

Temperament/Behaviour:

Because of its cleverness and comprehension, there are not any major problems with its training. The beginner can be owner too. However an owner must be consistent graciously.

If it is held as a social dog, it needs plenty of opportunity to move, but also some regular mental work, it is the best at training dog sports. It complies with its agility, flyball, frisbee and it is excellent even in dog dancing. If the owner wants to make it a great joy, he should give the dog the opportunity to work with the herd.

With children, especially older, it is getting well. If it is properly socialized, it can play with the smaller ones too, but dog is a little big for them, too fast and too pat, which does not always go together. However, it is also prudent to all unknown persons. It remains as a watchful guard and defensive wholly devoted and loyal to owners and members of its family. It could be all year round in the outdoor kennel, but it would cause for the dog psychological distress.

Body:

This is a medium-sized long haired dog of balanced proportions, noble expression, resistant to cold, heat and any bad weather. The body length slightly exceeds the height at the withers, male 47 to 55 cm and female, from 45 to 53 cm.

The head is massive, without causing heavy. Skull should be slightly longer than broad, slightly arched above. The frontal bones are long and wide, brow ridges must be clearly visible. The frontal slope must be clear, not too steep. Muzzle is rather shorter nasal bridge should be straight. The nose must be black and its size corresponds to the size of the head.

Lips are thick, the top is short almost straight edge; the bottom must be weeping. Their edges are black pigmented as well as the palate of the mouth. The teeth should be strong, large, white and healthy. Scissor bite is required. Working individuals may have the blunt canines-tusk.

The eyes are round, wide open, lively and intelligent expression, rich amber colour. The edges of the eyelids must be black. The earlobes are set high, hanging, triangular, fine, pointed at the tops, closely adjacent to the head and covered with long hair forming their edges "fraying". For working individuals are permitted cropped ears. (Where permitted by law)

The neck should be strong, tough, muscular and rather short. Body should be slightly elongated, burly and muscular and raises legitimate impression of strength and agility. Withers should be clearly marked and upper body lines must be straight. The back should never be saddled, croup is a robust, well muscled, slightly sloping, is slightly domed, should always be slightly lower than the withers.

The tail is relatively low set, may be long, so that it is below the hock, or short, not longer than 10 cm. There are also individuals innately tailless and working with individuals admits tail docked. At rest is hung down and its end portion is bent upward hook, it may be like sickle. The motion is carried gaily (high), but it should never be curled in the stern. It is covered by rich slightly wavy hair.

The chest should be broad, roomy and deep. Ribs sprung, never be too flat, the abdomen should be slightly tucked up, flanks are short, solid, clearly marked. The forelegs should be strong, lean, straight, vertical and parallel. Shoulders are muscular, strong and slightly oblique. Shoulder bones must be strong, muscled properly. Elbows pointing straight backwards and tightly cling to the chest. Forearms are reasonably strong, vertical, wrist and relatively short pasterns to be a direct continuation of the forearm. Feet should be oval shaped, padded black and strong. Inter digital skin duplications ("webbed") must be neatly covered with hair. The nails are strong, black colour.

The hindquarters should be strong and muscular, vertical to ground. Thighs are long, broad and muscular, strong bones. Lower legs are strongly boned, muscular, fetlocks to be rather short, strong and vertical to ground. The feet have double dewclaws bone surfaces. The movement is elastic.

The top coat should be long, fitting or only slightly wavy, coarse. The undercoat should be rich, particularly in the rear third of the body. On the head it is formed a beard hair, beard and eyebrows which do not affect the vision. The tail is like limbs properly covered with hair.

Colour – viewed from the distance the dog seems to be self-coloured and may have lighter shadings at the extremities. There is close up, it is noticeable that the colour comes from the mixture of hairs of different tones:  fawn, brown more or less reddish, grey, black and white. The basic colours deriving from this mixture there are: fawn, in its light tones, medium or dark, sable, with chestnut hairs, fawn or white and black, also in its light tones, medium and dark grey, made up of white, grey and black with shadings going from silver grey to black grey. If black is dominant and it is simply combined with white, it makes a black colour which looks frosty.

Inadmissible are white or black markings, are only allowed small white spots on the chest and front paws but the white coat colour on the fingers must not be associated with white claws. Rich coat needs regular care and grooming. It is necessary to comb long hair and comb with shorter, denser pins undercoat.

Any faults from the standard requirements must be considered as defects and evaluated precisely by the seriousness with regard to the health and welfare of the male or female. To negative defects are aggression or excessive shyness, lack of pigmentation of the lips, nose, eye rims and palate, brown nose, blue eyes, large white patches in the coat, the absence of more than two premolars (P) or two other teeth, tail curled on shoulders , lack of dewclaws or inter digital skin duplications, the white colouring of claws, shoulder height of 3 cm higher or lower than the threshold set by the standard, like head of Pyrenean Shepherd or  Briard, overshot or undershot jaw.