Montra Kennel

Official Standard for the Japanese Chin
 

General Appearance

The Japanese Chin is a small, well balanced, lively, aristocratic toy dog with a distinctive Oriental expression. It is light and stylish in action. The plumed tail is carried over the back, curving to either side. The coat is profuse, silky, soft and straight. The dog’s outline presents a square appearance.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Size: Ideal size is 8 inches to 11 inches at the highest point of the withers.
Proportion: Length between the sternum and the buttock is equal to the height at the withers.
Substance: Solidly built, compact, yet refined. Carrying good weight in proportion to height and body build.

Head

Expression: bright, inquisitive, alert, and intelligent. The distinctive Oriental expression is characterized by the large broad head, large wide-set eyes, short broad muzzle, ear feathering, and the evenly patterned facial markings.
Eyes: set wide apart, large, round, dark in color, and lustrous. A small amount of white showing in the inner corners of the eyes is a breed characteristic that gives the dog a look of astonishment.
Ears: hanging, small, V-shaped, wide apart, set slightly below the crown of the skull. When alert, the ears are carried forward and downward. The ears are well feathered and fit into the rounded contour of the head.
Skull: large, broad, slightly rounded between the ears but not domed. Forehead is prominent, rounding toward the nose. Wide across the level of the eyes. In profile, the forehead and muzzle touch on the same vertical plane of a right angle whose horizontal plane is the top of the skull.
Stop: deep
Muzzle: short and broad with well-cushioned cheeks and rounded upper lips that cover the teeth.
Nose: very short with wide, open nostrils. Set on a level with the middle of the eyes and upturned. Nose leather is black in the black and white and the black and white with tan points, and is self-colored or black in the red and white.
Bite: The jaw is wide and slightly undershot. A dog with one or two missing or slightly misaligned teeth should not be severely penalized. The Japanese Chin is very sensitive to oral examination. If the dog displays any hesitancy, judges are asked to defer to the handler for presentation of the bite.

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck: moderate in length and thickness. Well set on the shoulders enabling the dog to carry its head up proudly.
Topline: level
Body: square, moderately wide in the chest with rounded ribs. Depth of rib extends to the elbow.
Tail: set on high, carried arched up over the back and flowing to either side of the body.

Forequarters

Legs: straight, and fine boned, with the elbows set close to the body. Removal of dewclaws is optional.
Feet: hare-shaped with feathering on the ends of the toes in the mature dog. Point straight ahead or very slightly outward.

Hindquarters

Legs: straight as viewed from the rear and fine boned. Moderate bend of stifle. Removal of dewclaws is optional.
Feet: hare-shaped with feathering on the ends of the toes in the mature dog. Point straight ahead.

Coat

Abundant, straight, single, and silky. Has a resilient texture and a tendency to stand out from the body, especially on neck, shoulders, and chest areas where the hair forms a thick mane or ruff. The tail is profusely coated and forms a plume. The rump area is heavily coated and forms culottes or pants. The head and muzzle are covered with short hair except for the heavily feathered ears. The forelegs have short hair blending into profuse feathering on the backs of the legs. The rear legs have the previously described culottes, and in mature dogs, light feathering from hock joint to the foot.

Color

Either black and white, red and white, or black and white with tan points. The term tan points shall include tan or red spots over each eye, inside the ears, on both cheeks, and at the anal vent area if displaying any black. The term red shall include all shades of red, orange, and lemon, and sable, which includes any aforementioned shade intermingled or overlaid with black. Among the allowed colors there shall be no preference when judging. A clearly defined white muzzle and blaze are preferable to a solidly marked head. Symmetry of facial markings is preferable. The size, shape, placement or number of body patches is not of great importance. The white is clear of excessive ticking. Disqualification – any color not listed.

Gait

Stylish and lively in movement. Moves straight with front and rear legs following in the same plane.

Temperament

A sensitive and intelligent dog whose only purpose is to serve man as a companion. Responsive and affectionate with those it knows and loves but reserved with strangers or in new situations.

Disqualifications

Any color not listed.

Approved October 11, 2011
Effective November 30, 2011

Official Standard for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
 

General Appearance

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is an active, graceful, well-balanced toy spaniel, very gay and free in action; fearless and sporting in character, yet at the same time gentle and affectionate. It is this typical gay temperament, combined with true elegance and royal appearance, which are of paramount importance in the breed. Natural appearance with no trimming, sculpting or artificial alteration is essential to breed type.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Size – Height 12 to 13 inches at the withers; weight proportionate to height, between 13 and 18 lbs. A small, well balanced dog within these weights is desirable, but these are ideal heights and weights and slight variations are permissible.
Proportion – The body approaches squareness, yet if measured from point of shoulder to point of buttock, is slightly longer than the height at the withers. The height from the withers to the elbow is approximately equal to the height from the elbow to the ground.
Substance – Bone moderate in proportion to size. Weedy and coarse specimens are to be equally penalized.

Head

Proportionate to size of dog, appearing neither too large nor too small for the body. 
Expression – The sweet, gentle, melting expression is an important breed characteristic. 
Eyes – Large, round, but not prominent and set well apart; color a warm, very dark brown; giving a lustrous, limpid look. Rims dark. There should be cushioning under the eyes, which contributes to the soft expression. Faults – Small, almond-shaped, prominent, or light eyes; white surrounding ring.
Ears – Set high, but not close, on top of head. Leather long with plenty of feathering and wide enough so that when the dog is alert, the ears fan slightly forward to frame the face. 
Skull – Slightly rounded, but without dome or peak; it should appear flat because of the high placement of the ears. Stop is moderate, neither filled nor deep. 
Muzzle – Full muzzle slightly tapered. Length from base of stop to tip of nose about 1 1/2 inches. Face well filled below eyes. Any tendency towards snippiness undesirable. Nose pigment uniformly black without flesh marks and nostrils well developed. Lips well developed but not pendulous, giving a clean finish. Faults – Sharp or pointed muzzles. 
Bite - A perfect, regular and complete scissors bite is preferred, i.e., the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square into the jaws. Faults – Undershot bite, weak or crooked teeth, crooked jaws.

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck – Fairly long, without throatiness, well enough muscled to form a slight arch at the crest. Set smoothly into nicely sloping shoulders to give an elegant look. 
Topline – Level both when moving and standing. 
Body – Short-coupled with ribs well sprung but not barrelled. Chest moderately deep, extending to elbows, allowing ample heart room. Slightly less body at the flank than at the last rib, but with no tucked-up appearance. Tail – Well set on, carried happily but never much above the level of the back, and in constant characteristic motion when the dog is in action. Docking is optional. If docked, no more than one third is to be removed.

Forequarters

Shoulders well laid back. Forelegs straight and well under the dog with elbows close to the sides. Pasterns strong and feet compact with well-cushioned pads. Dewclaws may be removed.

Hindquarters

The hindquarters construction should come down from a good broad pelvis, moderately muscled; stifles well turned and hocks well let down. The hindlegs when viewed from the rear should parallel each other from hock to heel. Faults – Cow or sickle hocks.

Coat

Of moderate length, silky, free from curl. Slight wave permissible. Feathering on ears, chest, legs and tail should be long, and the feathering on the feet is a feature of the breed. No trimming of the dog is permitted. Specimens where the coat has been altered by trimming, clipping, or by artificial means shall be so severely penalized as to be effectively eliminated from competition. Hair growing between the pads on the underside of the feet may be trimmed.

Color

There shall be four allowed colors for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Blenheim – Rich chestnut markings well broken up on a clear, pearly white ground. The ears must be chestnut and the color evenly spaced on the head and surrounding both eyes, with a white blaze between the eyes and ears, in the center of which may be the lozenge or ‘Blenheim spot.” The lozenge is a unique and desirable, though not essential, characteristic of the Blenheim. Tricolor – Jet black markings well broken up on a clear, pearly white ground. The ears must be black and the color evenly spaced on the head and surrounding both eyes, with a white blaze between the eyes. Rich tan markings over the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears and on the underside of tail. Ruby – Whole-colored rich red. Black and Tan – Jet black with rich, bright tan markings over eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, on chest, legs, and on underside of the tail. Faults – Heavy ticking on Blenheims or Tricolors, white marks on Rubies or Black and Tans. Dogs not of an allowed color shall be disqualified.

Gait

Free moving and elegant in action, with good reach in front and sound, driving rear action. When viewed from the side, the movement exhibits a good length of stride, and viewed from front and rear it is straight and true, resulting from straight-boned fronts and properly made and muscled hindquarters.

Temperament

Gay, friendly, non-aggressive with no tendency towards nervousness or shyness. Bad temper, shyness, and meanness are not to be tolerated and are to be so severely penalized as to effectively remove the specimen from competition.

Disqualifications

Dogs not of an allowed color.

Approved Date: January 10, 2023

Effective Date: March 29, 2023