Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:56 am Post subject: Head including ears and eyes
The KC breed standard is this
Head and Skull
Skull slightly rounded as seen from front, side or above. Toplines of skull and muzzle should be parallel. Width of skull measured at the zygomatic arches is less than its length. Median line and occiput are slightly defined. Stop moderate. Muzzle tapered but not snipy. Ideal proportion of skull to muzzle as 3 is to 2. Nostrils open and well shaped.
Eyes
Expressive, brown to dark, in harmony with coat colour, Somewhat oval in shape and slightly obliquely set. Never light or hard in expression.
Ears
Triangular in shape, slightly rounded at tip. Relatively wide and rather short with slightly wavy hair. Set and carried high, falling flat against the cheek. When drawn forward, the ear tip reaches the stop.
Mouth
Jaws strong with a perfect regular scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Lips tight, upper lip slightly overlapping lower.
FCI this
Skull: Slightly rounded as seen from the front or the side. Seen from above, the lateral surfaces are slightly convex.
The top lines of the head and the muzzle are parallel. The width of the skull measured between the zygomatic arches is less than its length.
The supercilliary arches are not prominent but form a slightly rounded curve. The frontal furrow as well as the sagittal crest are slightly defined. The occipital crest as well as the zygomatic arches are moderately defined.
Stop: moderate.
Nose: Large, with very wide, humid and well-open nostrils, of a colour in harmony with that of the coat, as is the case of the edges of the eyelids and natural orifices.
Muzzle: Straight, with lateral surfaces practically parallel.
Lips: Not loose, not very large, relatively thin and fitting tightly. The lower is discreetly masked by the upper whose contour bends progressively until reaching the commisure, which is not too apparent and tightly closed. The whole is free of depigmentation.
Jaws/Teeth: The teeth are set square to the jaws and form a complete and healthy set. Scissors bite.
Cheeks: Not heavy, the skin fitting tightly.
Eyes: Slightly oblique. With an intelligent, soft and frank expression. Somewhat oval, not protruding, with fine, well pigmented, tightly fitting eyelids. The colour of the iris is in keeping with the colour of the coat, preferably dark. Eye expression coupled with upward movement of the base of the ears gives rise to the true « Brittany expression ».
Ears: Set high, triangular in shape, relatively large and rather short, (drawn forward, the tip of the ear reaches the stop). Partially covered with wavy hair, especially in the upper part, the extremity being covered by short hair. Always quite mobile when the dog is attentive or in action. _________________ Guy, Ellie, Topaz, Catja and in memory Barley
Beauty from Structure
www.epagneulbreton.org.uk
Anyone like to elaborate - perhaps explain bits in relation to other dogs? eyes like this dog but not like that one etc? what makes exceptional. what is a 'work in progress'?
Rate of development of the parts - stuff like that. _________________ Guy, Ellie, Topaz, Catja and in memory Barley
Beauty from Structure
www.epagneulbreton.org.uk
This should help. We have permission from Jean Louvet to use this image from his excellent book on the breed. It is in French but even the pictures and diagrams should give most of the information you need on the breed. Where do you see work in progress? I can't find it.
Most breeds, including ours grow different parts of the body at different rates. However, two of mine have looked like mini Brittanys from day one and continued right through to adulthood, growing all parts at an even rate. (they didn't go through a 'bum high' or leggy stage)
It doesn't really matter whether they do or not so long as the end result is as it should be - with no parts of the body exaggerated, and more or less following the Louvet diagrams when mature. Maturity can be up to 2 or three years. So fast maturers can sometimes 'go over'. For instance a strong head at birth and as an 8 week old, or 6 month old is likely to be too strong and over done when mature.
Click to see full size image _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
In a Brittany,the head is the first thing I look at ...for obvious reasons as you look into their eyes!!
Look under defects in the FCI standard and it will be self explanatory.
All kennels have a " type" they go for ...
If you look in the French Forum, you will see someone queried the flews of the winner of the Centenary winner. They were loose( on the photo anyhow)
I remember louvet describing at lengh the head when he came to judge( before your time Guy ) skin tight fitting, ie...not loose or houndy, no droopy and heavy flews, muzzle not too heavy.
The lips tight, the zygmatic arches not too pronounced. I worry that in a fairly young dog, if the head looks finished, he may go over at about 3 and become " heavy" broad, whatever you like to call it.
But it is not always the case...
All kennels have a type they go for, and that is how we define where we get our stock from.
Everyone has their particular idea of what they look in a Brittany.
IMO, the head needs to be moderate, chiselled, kind, intelligent and not coarse.That is of course, my opinion following what I have seen in France.
Go and look at lots of dogs in their cages ..in France.
Exactly as you and Annie have posted answers it for me.
I have spoken to several with puppies who think their heads are small or their legs are long when compared to the standard or dogs in illustrations. These posts and others, I hope, will help them understand more. _________________ Guy, Ellie, Topaz, Catja and in memory Barley
Beauty from Structure
www.epagneulbreton.org.uk
thoughts on 'setter like' heads anyone? _________________ Guy, Ellie, Topaz, Catja and in memory Barley
Beauty from Structure
www.epagneulbreton.org.uk
Yuk _________________ Jan
Merlin, hips 9/9=18 and Ghillie, hips 8/9=17
Pull [n or v] An equal and opposite force perpetrated on both ends of a lead that results in the inevitable tripping and falling of the human involved!!
Agreed - the last dog our Brits should look like is a setter! _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
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) skin tight fitting, ie...not loose or houndy, no droopy and heavy flews, muzzle not too heavy.
