F.C.I. Standard No. 46/05. 05. 2003 /
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Switzerland
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE VALID ORIGINAL OF THE STANDARD: 25.03.2003
USES: Herding, guarding, domestic and farm dog. Today also a versatile working and family dog.
FCI GROUP II (Pinschers and Beardies, Molossi and Swiss Mountain Dogs and other breeds), section 3 Swiss Mountain Dogs. Without a working test.
A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW:
In 1853, the Appenzell Shepherd Dog was first described in the magazine “Animal Life of the Alpine World” as “a barking, short-haired, medium-sized, multi-coloured shepherd dog”, “a breed characterised by a regular stripe of white, partly used for guarding huts, partly for herding flocks”. In 1895, a great supporter of the breed, Mayor Max Sieber, called on the SKG to do something for the Appenzell Shepherd Dogs. In 1898, the government advisory council of the canton of St. Gallen granted 400 Swiss francs for the upliftment of the Appenzell sheepdogs. On the orders of the SKG, a commission was set up to determine the breed’s characteristics. 9 dogs and 7 bitches appeared at the annual fair in Alstätten. They received bonuses of between 5 and 10 Swiss francs. Subsequently, at the first International Dog Show in Winterhur in 1898, eight Appenzellers appeared in the experimentally introduced class. Thanks to the encouragement of Prof. Dr. Albert Heim, who was committed to the Swiss Shepherd Dogs and named the Appenzell Shepherd Dog, the “Appenzell Shepherd Dog Club” was founded in 1906 with the aim of guiding and preserving the breed in its natural state. The compulsory registration of puppies in the Appenzell Mountain Dog Studbook was the start of targeted pure breeding. In 1914 Prof. Dr. Alebert Heim developed the first valid breed standard. The original breeding area was Appenzell, but today the breed is spread all over Switzerland and is also bred beyond the country’s borders. The term “Appenzell Shepherd Dog” is now clearly defined and the breed as such is clearly distinguished from other Swiss Shepherd Dogs. Although the Appenzell Shepherd Dog has many lovers, the breeding base is still very small. Only through responsible, conscious and attentive breeding will its natural and excellent heritage be deepened and strengthened.
OVERALL DESCRIPTION:
A tri-coloured, medium-sized, almost squarely built dog, harmoniously proportioned in all parts, muscular, very mobile and clever, with a clever expression on his face.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:
withers height to body length = 9:10, stocky rather than long muzzle length to head length = 4:5
BEHAVIOR/CHARACTER:
Lively, lively, confident and fearless. Slightly distrustful of strangers; incorruptible guardian; cheerful, teachable.
HEAD:
In harmony with the body, slightly wedge-shaped.
TOP OF HEAD:Skull: rather flat, widest between the ears, tapering evenly towards the muzzle. Occipital bump very little pronounced. Forehead furrow slightly marked.Stop: Slightly pronounced.
COVER PART:Snout: in black dogs black; in Havanese brown brown (possibly dark).Slipper: Medium thick, evenly tapering, not yet pointed, with a powerful lower jaw. Back of nose straight.Lips: Dry and close-fitting, black in black dogs, brown (possibly dark) pigmented in Havana browns. Mouth corner not visible.Jaw/ Teeth: Strong, regular and complete scissor bite; pincer bite is tolerated. One (1) missing or one duplicated PM1 (premolar 1) and missing M3 (molars 3) are tolerated.Cheeks: Very slight.Eyes: Relatively small, almond-shaped, not protruding, somewhat oblique in relation to the nose. Colour: dark brown in black dogs, brown in Havanese browns, lighter brown in Havanese browns, but as dark as possible.Eyelids: Well-fitting, black in black dogs, brown (possibly dark) pigmented in Havanese browns.Ears: Rather high and wide set, drooping, flat against the cheeks when at rest; triangular, slightly rounded at the tips. When erect at the root and turned forwards, so that the head and ears form a truncated triangle when viewed from the front.
KRK:
Rather short, strong, dry.
BODY:
Strong, compact.
Back: Slightly long, firm and straight.Loin: Short and well muscled.Croup: Relatively short, running straight in the extension of the topline.Chest: Broad, deep, reaching to the elbows, with a distinct forechest. The sternum extending well back. Thoracic cage of circular-oval cross-section.Bottom line and abdomen: Only slightly retracted.
CHVOST:
High set, strong, of medium length, densely coated, the hair on the underside of the tail slightly longer. On the move, it is curled just above the crosses, carried in the middle or on the side. At rest, a drooping tail in various states is tolerated.
FINALS:
Strong, dry skeletal structure.
THORACIC LIMBS:
General: Well muscled, straight and parallel in front, not too narrow.Shoulder: Shoulder blade long and sloping.Shoulder: Same length or only slightly shorter than the shoulder blade. Angle with shoulder blade not too obtuse.Shoulder: Well fitting.Forearm: Straight and dry.Thumb: Forms a straight continuation of the forearm when viewed from the front; slightly angled when viewed from the side.
PELVIC LIMBS:
General: Well muscled, straight and parallel when viewed from behind, not too narrow. The typical angulation for the breed makes the hind legs relatively ‘steep’.Leg: Fairly long, with the hip joint (coxo-femoral joint) forming a relatively small angle.Knee joint: Relatively open.Calf: Nearly as long or only slightly shorter than the thigh. Dry and well muscled.Heel joint: Relatively high set.Forehead: Perpendicular and parallel, slightly longer than the metatarsal, neither concave nor convex. Claws must be removed except in countries where surgical removal of claws is prohibited.Paws: Short, with arched, close-fitting fingers and strong bellies.
MOVEMENT:
Strong bounce, good forward movement. At the trot, looking from the front and side, straight line of the limbs.
SETTING:
- A well-defined white hairline that extends from the top of the head without interruption across the back of the nose to the nose, which it may partially or completely cover.
- The white passes from the chin through the larynx without interruption to the chest.
- White on all four paws.
- White at the tip of the tail.
- A white patch on the neck or a half collar is tolerated.
- A solid thin white collar around the neck is tolerated but undesirable.
SIZE AND HEIGHT:
Tap height:
- Psi: 52 – 56 cm
- Bitches: 50 – 54 cm
Tolerance plus or minus 2 cm.
ERRORS:
Any deviation from these points must be treated as an error. Its value shall be in proportion to the degree of deviation and having regard to its severity.
- lack of sexual expression
- very long or inharmonious body structure
- soft or too heavy skeleton
- insufficient musculature
- very heavy or very light head
- rounded top of the head
- stop highlighted too strongly
- too long, too short, thin, pointed muzzle, uneven back of nose
- too strongly formed labia
- missing teeth, more than 1 x PM1 (premolars 1),
- cheeks too strongly developed
- round, bulging or bright eyes
- ears that are too small, too large, protruding, set too high or too deep
- dented back, carp-like back
- falling or rebuilt crosses
- distended abdomen
- flat or too barrel-shaped rib cage, missing anterior chest, too short sternum
- a loosely curled tail, the tip of the tail reaching at most to the root of the tail.
- insufficient angulation of the thoracic and/or pelvic limbs
- protruding elbows
- soft thimble
- cow attitude
- long – oval (rabbit) paws, outstretched fingers
- incorrect movement, e.g. bound short step, converging, crossing, etc.
- transpiration of the subset
- drawing errors
- black dots in white
- broken line
- continuous, wide, white collar
- broken white on the chest
- white (boots) clearly extending above the wrist
- missing white on the tip of the tail and on the paws
- below or above average height, outside tolerance limits
- insecure behaviour, lack of temperament, mild aggression
EXCLUDING DEFECTS:fearfulness, aggressivenessforebite, underbite, crossed biteentropium, ectropiumblue eyes, icy eyescocked tail (tip of tail does not reach even the root of the tail), clearly hanging tail, kinked tailcoat type as roughabsence of tri-colouringno base colour as black or havana brown
Dogs that exhibit distinct physical abnormalities or behavioural disorders shall be disqualified.
COMMENT:
Dogs must have two apparently normally developed testicles that are fully descended into the scrotum.
