Vivace Aviva sweet nature, beauty and class.

Breed Standard

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CANINE COUNCIL

GENERAL APPEARANCE - A greyhound in miniature, more slender in all proportions. 

CHARACTERISTICS - Elegant, graceful and quick moving. 

TEMPERAMENT - Intelligent, affectionate and vivacious, may appear aloof. 

HEAD AND SKULL - Skull long, flat and narrow, slight stop.  Muzzle fine and long.  Nose dark in colour. 

EYES - Rather large, bright; full of expression. 

EARS -  Rose-shaped, placed well back, soft and fine, not pricked. 

MOUTH - Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.  Teeth even. 

NECK - Long, gracefully arched. 

FOREQUARTERS - Shoulders long and sloping.  Legs straight; well set under shoulders; fine, strong bone and pasterns. 

BODY - Chest deep and narrow.  Good length of rib and brisket.  Back slightly arched over loin. 

HINDQUARTERS - Long, well muscled thigh: hind legs parallel when viewed from behind; well bent stifle, hocks well let down. 

FEET - Hare feet. 

TAIL - Low set, long, fine, carried low. 

GAIT/MOVEMENT - High stepping and free action.  Front and hind legs to move forward in a straight line with propulsion from behind. 

COAT - Skin fine and supple.  Hair, short, fine and glossy. 

COLOUR - Black, blue, cream, fawn, red, white, or any of these colours broken with white.  White dogs may be broken with one of these colours.  Black or blue with tan markings, or brindle not acceptable. 

SIZE -  Ideal height:  32-38 cms (13-15ins) at withers.  Ideal weight: 3.6-4.5 kg (8-10 lbs). Overall type and elegance essential. 

FAULTS - Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

NOTE - Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.