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                   STANDARDS OF THE SHARPLANINA SHEPHERD DOG
 
                          
 
         General appearance and characteristics   

       a) A strong, well built dog, above the average height, of a generally proportional build.  Covered in a long, thick and relatively rough coat, leaving the impression of a robust build. A strongly built dog with calm temper, good-natured but very rough. Faithful to his master and uncompromising. 
       b) Average height at the ridge is 62 cm. in the male specimen and 58 cm. in the female specimen. Taller specimens are higher regarded. Male specimens under 56 cm. and female under 54 cm are excluded from competition. Average weight of a mature male dog in working condition ranges between 35 and 45 kg, and of a female between 30 and 40 kg.  
       c) The trunk is slightly longer than the ridge height (male: 8-10% and female 10-12% longer than ridge height). 

   Head  

      a) The head is proportional to body size and approximately 25 cm long (or 40% of the ridge height). The scull is slightly longer than the snout, covering 58% of the total length of the head (58%:42% scull-snout ratio). The female specimen has a slightly longer snout, comprising 57% of the length of head (57%:43% scull-snout ratio). The profile shows a slightly projected forehead line and a flat snout, the two lines converging. 
      b) The forehead (scull) is dry, wide, with a projected central forehead line. Viewed from above, the lateral side is slightly bulging and rounded. The cheekbones are poorly emphasized. The neck bone is also poorly emphasized. 
      c) The stop - the area between the snout and the scull (near the eyes) is also not emphasized. 
      d) The snout is shorter than the scull, its base being wide and deep, but gradually and gently narrowing towards the tip (of the nose). The nostril is straight and wide. The profile of the lower jaw starts with a slanting arc continuing in a straight line, which diverges with the nostril line. 
      e) The nose is wide with black pigment. 
      f) The lips are fairly full, pressed, the upper lip slightly exceeding the lower one. The corners of the lips are closed, with no lesions.  
      g) The teeth are jagged and full (42 teeth). 
      h) The eyes are almond-shaped, neither bulging nor sunken, dark or light brown, with a calm, but piercing and fearless stare. The eyelids, like all visible mucous tissues, have black pigment.  
      i) The ears are set in the same imaginary line connecting the tip of the nose and the inner corners of the eyes, or only slightly lower. They are flipped, set by the head in a "V" shape, medium long, reaching the inner corners of the eyes and covered with a short coat. 

  Neck  

      The upper neck profile is straight or slightly projected in the upper part, the lower part being straight. The neck is medium long. Due to its thick coat, it appears shorter, wide and muscular. It is well tied with the head and body, the connecting points being invisible. The neck is slightly raised in relation to the ridge line. The skin is tightly stretched, not forming a jowl. The coat is thick, long and rough, creating a mane where the head meets the neck, thus visually widening and deepening this part of the head.  

  Trunk  

      a) General appearance: the upper line of the trunk is straight, or gently rising from the ridge line to the hips. A raised behind, although not preferable, is tolerable in specimens brought up in mountainous areas. The trunk is slightly longer than the ridge height.  
      b) The ridge is slightly more emphasized and broader. The neck and ridge are tightly connected, with an invisible connecting point. 
      c) The back is straight and broad, not too long. The groin part is short, broad and muscular. 
      d) Hips are medium long, slanting backwards, broad and well covered in muscle tissue. 
      e) Thoracic cage. The chest is broad, its lower line reaching at least until the elbows,  medium long with gently rounded ribs. Frontally seen, the thoracic cage is broad and muscular. The circumference of the thoracic cage should be at least 20% longer than ridge height. 
      f) The abdomen is tight and muscular. The lower abdominal line is gently rising backwards. The groin is relatively short with emphasized connecting points. 

  Tail  

       The tail is long and reaches at least until the jump wrist. The hip line continues following the upper line of the tail, with no visible transitions. The tail is powerful in its base, gradually getting thinner towards the tip. Covered in thick coat, growing longer underneath, thus giving the impression of a richly coated tail. The tail is saber-shaped, raised high when in action, and when anxious, carried in an arch over the ridge line. 

   Forelegs  

      Generally viewed, the forelegs have a proper posture, in proportion with the trunk, the height of the elbows comprising 55% of the ridge height. The individual parts of the forelegs are in proportion with one another as well as with the general appearance of the trunk. 
      Shoulder blades. Considerably long and wide, well connected to the thoracic cage, slanting gently making an angle of 65 degrees with the horizontal axis. The upper legs are rich in muscle tissue, more angled than the shoulder blades, making an angle of 55 degrees with the horizontal axis. 
The elbow angle (between upper leg and shank) is approximately 145 degrees. The elbows are broad, with a proper posture, set closely to the thoracic cage.   
      Shank. Sharply slanting, with strong bones, long and muscular. The hind part of the shank is richly coated. The joint above the paw (the paw ankle) is wide, with gradual lines of transition. 
     Upper paw. Gently slanted, strong and broad. 
     Paws. Powerful, with projecting closely set toes, spoon-shaped. Nails are strong, with black pigment, pulp points and soles have dark or black pigment, strong but flexible. 

  Hindlegs  

      Viewed from, behind the posture of the hindlegs is proper, slightly wider than the forelegs. The profile also shows proper leg posture, angles being considerably closed. The thigh is muscular, with strongly rounded muscle structure, slanting to form an angle with the horizontal axis, similar to the one of the shoulder blade. The angle of the knee is more open than the one of the shoulder (approximately 125 degrees). The knee is strong and wide. The shank is angled and strong, with a considerably powerful muscle structure and with noticeable "flags" of coat. 
      Jump wrist. Broad and considerably open (with an angle of appx.130 degrees). 
      Hind upper paw. Strong, slightly more slanting than the front upper paw, with rare cases of "fifth toe", which should be eliminated. 

  Walks  

      The step is rich, long and light. It prefers the medium long, but high trot. When galloping it is slightly heavier, but with long and rich jumps. 

  Skin  

      Medium thick, flexible and tightly stretched on the body, with no wrinkles. All visible mucous tissues have dark or black pigment. 

      Coat  

      The head, ears and front parts of the legs are covered in thick and short coat. The neck, trunk and the rear parts of the limbs and tail are covered in long and slightly rougher, nearly straight coat. Under the long coat layer, there is a layer of shorter coat, much finer and thicker (undercoat). The length of the ridge coat is 10 -12 cm, and should not be shorter than 7 cm. 

  Color  

      The dog is singlecolored. All nuances ranging from white to dark gray, almost black, are acceptable. Most popular is the grayish-green and dark gray color. Multicolored specimens are not acceptable. In pigmented specimens, small marks on the neck and toes are allowed, although not desirable. In all pigmented specimens the dominant color is most intense on the upper parts of the head, neck and trunk. In the lower body parts the pigment gradually fades into lighter nuances of the lower leg parts (dim gray or yellowish). These transitions into lighter nuances must not be sudden, so as to avoid leaving a multi-colored impression. 
Weight. The male specimens in working condition should weigh approximately 35-45 kg, and the female 30-40 kg. 
 

        Defects of the species  
 
        Lighter defects: Insufficiently wide head scull, slightly longer arched part of the head, insufficiently developed jaws, insufficiently wide and broad chest, too flat or too rounded ribs, light defects in leg posture, slightly shorter coat (while the "flags" of coat are still well emphasized), white marks on the chest and paws, slightly shorter tail, "rabbit paws", as well as other minor defects. 
      Severe defects: Snout is too long (pointed), the area between the snout and the scull is too emphasized, ears are set too high, and insufficiently flipped, jaws are in the same line and touching, the back is saddle-like, the tail is carried sideways, lymphatic build as well as all other severe defects. 
      Disqualifying defects: absence of premolar teeth, greater disproportion between length and height, insufficient ridge height, insufficiently long coat (under 7 cm.), multicolored coat, tiger-like patches, depigmentation of the visible mucous tissues and eyes, degenerative phenomena (brachygnaty and prognaty, visible "O" and "X" leg posture, congenitally short tail, a "short" dog - lacking a tail, saddle-back and other degenerative phenomena. 
 

    Judges of  Sharplaninec dogs  from  Macedonia:
         1.Savovski Nacko  - Skopje , Macedonia
           2.Trenkoski Marjan  -Prilep ,Macedonia