Canine Coat and Nose Color Testing

Presence of black and liver (brown) colors, and black or brown nose. The nose is completely pigmented on the leather; black in black-spotted dogs and brown in liver-spotted dogs. Incomplete nose pigmentation is a major fault. Color and markings and their overall appearance are very important points to be evaluated. The ground color is pure white. In black-spotted dogs, the spots are dense black. In liver-spotted dogs, the spots are liver brown. Any color markings other than black or liver are disqualified. Spots are round and well defined, the more distinct the better. They vary from the size of a dime to the size of a half-dollar. They are pleasingly and evenly distributed. The less the spots intermingle the better. Spots are usually smaller on the head, legs and tail than on the body. Ears are preferably spotted. Tri-color (which occurs rarely in this breed) is a disqualification. It consists of tan markings found on the head, neck, chest, leg or tail of a black- or liver-spotted dog. Bronzing of black spots, and fading and/or darkening of liver spots due to environmental conditions or normal processes of coat change are not tri-coloration. Patches are a disqualification. A patch is a solid mass of black or liver hair containing no white hair. It is appreciably larger than a normal sized spot. Patches are a dense, brilliant color with sharply defined, smooth edges. Patches are present at birth. Large color masses formed by intermingled or overlapping spots are not patches. Such masses should indicate individual spots by uneven edges and/or white hairs scattered throughout the mass.