American Kennel Club - The Complete Dog Book: 20th Edition

Table of Contents

CREDITS

Breed standards effective January 1, 2006.

New standards, and revisions of standards, are published when approved in the American Kennel Clubs official monthly magazine, the AKC GAZETTE.

Each breed standard is owned by the breeds national parent club, with full use granted to the American Kennel Club.

The American Kennel Club thanks the many members of the dog fancy, officers of breed, companion and performance clubs, and our own staff members who have contributed their knowledge, photographs, expertise, and enthusiasm to make the compilation of this book possible.

We offer special thanks to the AKC parent clubs for their invaluable contributions, and to George Berger, Bud Buccone, Russell Bianca, Kimberly Silva, and Marcy Zingler.

NOTICE

The Complete Dog Book is an official publication of the American Kennel Club. It is the only book authorized to include all the official breed standards as approved by the AKC.

No other book may carry claims that imply endorsement, sponsorship, or assistance by and of the American Kennel Club or be so advertised. The Complete DogBook is identified by the official AKC seal on the covers, spine, and title page.

THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB

The American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization devoted to the advancement of purebred dogs.

Established in 1884, the AKC comprises 579 autonomous dog clubs nationwide. In addition, approximately 4,050 affiliated clubs hold AKC events and use AKC rules to conduct dog shows, performance and companion events, educational programs, training classes, and health clinics. In 2004 there were 15,254 AKC-SANCTIONED events in the United States, including 3,616 dog shows, 4,417 companion events, and 3,605 performance events.

Each member club exercises its voting privilege through a representative known as a delegate. Only dog clubs may be AKC members. The delegates make up the legislative body of the AKC; they set the rules of the sport and elect a thirteen-member Board of Directors. The directors are responsible for managing the AKC, electing AKC officers, and making regulations and policies in conformity with the rules prescribed by the delegates.

The staff of the American Kennel Club is divided between headquarters in New York City and operations in Raleigh, North Carolina. All registration functions are administered in North Carolina. The AKC records the parentage of more than one million dogs annually but is not itself involved in the sale of dogs and cannot, therefore, guarantee the health and quality of dogs in its registry. Some employees, including the AKC field representatives and kennel inspectors, work outside the office and report back to their respective department heads.

Also located in New York City is the AKC reference library. Containing more than 18,000 volumes, the library has one of the most complete collections of its kind in existence. It includes many rare and antique editions, as well as modern works, international publications, and studbooks from around the world. It is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. The library can also help with questions over the phone (call 212-696-8245), and its catalog is online at www.akc.org.

TheAKCMissionStatement

The American Kennel Club is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its Registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs, and breeding for type and function. Founded in 1884, the AKC and its affiliate organizations advocate for the purebred dog as a family companion, advance canine health and well-being, work to protect the rights of all dog owners, and promote responsible dog ownership.

The AKC works to inform the public about the pleasures and responsibilities of owning purebred dogs. The web site at akc.org brings the AKC message to 1.4 million unique visitors monthly. Visitors can register dogs and litters online; acquire AKC goods, services, and educational materials; track breaking news; and generally rely upon the site as their one-stop authority for all things canine.

The AKC mission is also furthered through print and television ads, seminars, publications, and school teaching aids.

The AKC works for the passage of laws that protect the rights of dog owners. The Canine Legislation department supports local and regional dog organizations in their efforts to ensure that new laws are fair, enforceable, and nondiscriminatory.

The AKC Canine Health Foundation, formed in 1994 as a separate entity, raises and distributes funds for canine health research and helps to coordinate research worldwide. The AKC also offers annual scholarships for veterinary students with a special interest in dogs.

AKC Companion Animal Recovery is a national database service committed to reuniting lost pets with their owners. For more information, contact AKC Companion Animal Recovery, 5580 Centerview Drive, Suite 250, Raleigh, NC 27606-3394; 800-252-7894; fax 919-233-1290; akc.org.

The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog houses the nations finest collection of artwork on the dog, including paintings, sculptures, and porcelains. It is open to the public daily, except Mondays and holidays. For more information, contact The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog, 1721 S. Mason Road, St. Louis, MO 63131; 314-821-DOGS.

The AKC Stud Book is the recorded ancestry of every dog and bitch who has produced a litter registered with the AKC since its inception. To date, more than 40 million dogs have been registered with the AKC, and approximately one million individual registrations are added each year.

The AKC publishes an award-winning magazine for breeders and enthusiasts. The AKC GAZETTE, continuously published since 1889, offers a wide range of articles and photographs, as well as news of the various breed clubs, AKC activities and forthcoming events, and actions taken by the AKC Board of Directors. Its companion publication, the EVENTS CALENDAR, is a supplement that lists all AKC-LICENSED shows and events for the coming months. An official record of awards and titles given at AKC events is published in a separate monthly, AKC Awards. In addition, the AKC publishes the NEW PUPPIES HANDBOOK, which is sent to all new purebred puppy registrants, and the bimonthly AKC FAMILY DOG, a magazine devoted to the purebred-pet owner.

For more than a century, the AKCs name has been synonymous with purebred dogs and the sport of dogs in this country. The AKC continues to be an important source of information for anyone interested in breeding, registering, studying, exhibiting, or raising purebred dogs.

SELECTING THE RIGHT PUREBRED DOG

Purebred dogs are found in an impressive variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and personalities. Some breeds are old, others are new, and all have been molded over time to serve humanity in some capacity. Thus we have hunters, guards, trackers, shepherds, sled dogs, and above all, companions. We have energetic dogs, sedate dogs, extroverted dogs, and those that prefer the fellowship of one or a few familiar faces.

Choosing the purebred dog thats right for you requires some work. There is no substitute for making a careful study of each breeds characteristics and narrowing down the field until you are left with the one that best suits your temperament, lifestyle, accommodations, and taste. Unfortunately, many people purchase their puppy on impulse, without pausing to consider its eventual size, appearance, and personalitytraits that are well established and largely predetermined by breed. Before you buy any puppy, be sure you fully understand what the future holds in store. Will the adult dog be large or require extensive grooming? Is it likely to need lots of outdoor exercise? Dont forget to ask yourself whether its temperament will be appropriate for your family, especially the children.