General Appearance: Heavily boned, powerfully build, not to compact and never appearing short on the leg.
Characteristics: Sled dog capable of surviving in Arctic temperatures and of pulling heavy loads at steady speeds.
Temperament: Affectionate, friendly, loyal, devoted companion but not a 'one man' dog, playful on invitation, generally impressive by his dignity after maturity but tends to show dominance to other dogs.
Head & Skull: Head broad, powerful, not coarse, in proportion to size of dog. Skull broad between ears, gradually narrowing toward eyes, rounding off to moderately flat cheeks. Very slight but perceptible stop. Nose black except in red and white dogs when it is brown. Pink streaked 'snow nose' acceptable.
Eyes: Almond shaped, moderately large, set obliquely. Dark eyes preferred, except in red and white dogs where light eyes are premissible. Blue eyes highly undesirable.
Ears: Small in proportion to head. Triangular in shape, slight rounded at tips, set wide apart, at back of skull. Ears forward when erect. When dog is working sometimes folded against skull.
Mouth: Upper and lower jaws broad with large teeth, with a prefect regular and complete scissor bite i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Neck: Strong and moderately arched.
Forequarters: Shoulders moderately sloping; fore legs heavily boned and well muscled, straight as far as pasterns which are short, strong and almost vertical viewed from the side.
Body: Strong and powerfully build, chest strong and deep; forelegs heavily boned and well muscled, straight as far as the pasterns, but not level, sloping slightly downwards from shoulder to croup. Loins well muscled, never so short as to interfere with movement. No excess weight.
Hindquarters: Hindlegs broad and powerfully muscled through thighs; stifles moderately bent, hocks joints broad and strong, moderately bent and well let down. Viewed from behind, hindlegs vertical, standing and moving true in line with movement of front legs. Legs indicate tremendous propelling power. Dewclaws on hind legs undesirable.
Feet: Large and compact. Toes close, well arched, pads thick and tough. Toenails short and strong. Protective growth of hair between toes.
Tail: Moderately high set following line of spine at start then curving gently upwards. At rest may hang straight down. Well furred and carried over back when dog is working, not tightly curled to rest on back, nor short furred and carried like a fox brush, but giving the appearance of a waving plume.
Gait/Movement: Single tracking at trot is normal but movement not to wide or too close at any gait. Easy, tireless, rhythmic movement, produced by powerful drive from hindquarters.
Coat: Thick course guard coat, not long and soft. Dense undercoat, from 2.5-5cm (1-2ins.) in depth, oily and woolly. Course guard coat stands out, with thick fur around neck. Guard coat varies in length as does overcoat, but in general coat of medium length along sides of body, increasing somewhat around shoulders and neck, down back over croup, as well as in breeching and plume.
Colour: Range is from light grey through intermediate shadings to black, or from gold through shades of red to liver, always with white in underbody, parts of legs, feet and part of mask markings. Markings either caplike or masklike on face. Combination of and mask not unusual. White blaze in forehead, white collar, or spot on nape premissible. Heavy mantling of unbroken colour acceptable, broken colour extending over body in spots or uneven splashing undesirable. Only solid colour permissible is all white.
Size Range: Height Dogs: 64-71cms. (25-28ins.). Bitches: 58-66cms. (23-26ins.). Weight between 38-56kgs (85-125lbs.) Size consideration not to overweight type.
Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scotum.
