The STANDARD
sickle curve, neither curling to the side of the body nor touching the back. The tail should never be docked. Faults: low or high tail set. FOREQUARTERS – The shoulders are moderately laid back with the shoul- der and upper arm forming an angle of approximately 110 degrees. The shoul- der blade and upper arm are equal in length. The forelegs are straight, well- muscled, with moderate, oval bone. When viewed from the front, the legs are parallel, and straight. The elbows turn neither in nor out. The pasterns are flexible, moderate in length, strong, and slightly sloping when viewed from the side. Dewclaws may be removed. The FEET are tight, oval in shape, with arched toes, webbing between the toes, and with strong nails. The pads are thick, tough, and darkly pigmented. The front feet may turn slightly outward when standing. HINDQUARTERS – The hindquarters are muscular and strong, moderately angulated, and in balance with the forequarters. The slope of the pelvis is approximately 30 degrees off the hori- zontal with the angle of the stifle at about 110 degrees. The upper and lower thigh muscles are well-defined. The rear pasterns are parallel to each other, and perpendicular to the ground when viewed from any angle. The rear feet point straight ahead. Rear dew claws must be removed. COAT – The Chinook has a thick dou- ble coat lying close to the body. The outer coat is straight, strong, and
of the eye. Any ear type is allowed, including drop, prick, or propeller ears that maintain a fold when at attention. For aesthetic purposes, dropped and matched ears are preferred. The TOP- SKULL is broad and slightly arched between the ears. When viewed from above, the topskull is almost square, gradually narrowing and flattening on top as it approaches the eyes. The STOP is moderate and marked with a central furrow extending up the top- skull. The MUZZLE is aquiline and shorter in length than the topskull, measuring from nose to stop as 2:3 in ratio with stop to occiput. Viewed from the front, the muzzle is tapered to form a blunt wedge. Viewed from the side, the top of the muzzle to the nasal cartilage and the topskull are almost parallel. The nose is large, prominent and the leather is solid black. The lips are black. BITE – The Chinook has a full comple- ment of strong teeth meeting in a scis- sors or a level bite. NECK, TOPLINE, BODY – The NECK is strong, balanced in length, arched, and covered with fur that forms a pro- tective ruff. The skin on the neck is pli- able but a pendulous dewlap is a fault. The neck blends smoothly into the withers. TOPLINE – The back is straight, strong and level, with no sign of weakness. There is a slight arch over the loins. Faults: sloping topline, roach
or sway back. The BODY is well mus- cled and hard. The chest is moderately broad, well filled and deep, and nei- ther too broad or too narrow. The forechest has a prominent prosternum that extends beyond the point of shoulders when viewed from the side. The brisket reaches to or nearly to the elbows. The ribs are well sprung, oval in shape, flattening toward the lower end to allow for elbow clearance and efficient movement. The loins are mus- cular with a slight arch, having enough length to be athletic but still in propor- tion. The underline has a moderate tuck-up. The croup is muscular, slightly sloping, broad and without exaggera- tion. Faults: Narrow or barrel chest, dropped croup. TAIL – The saber tail is moderately set just below the level of the topline and is well coated with dis- tinct but moderate fringing. It is broad at the base, tapering to the end and reaches to the hock with a slight curve at the tip when relaxed. When alert or moving, the tail is carried in a graceful
166 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE • J ANUARY 2011
Powered by FlippingBook