FCI Breed Standard

Riko Limerick

General Appearence:

Large-sized dog, sturdily built, well balanced and with much substance; secondary sex characteristics strongly marked, with high nobility and dignity in modesty; constitution tough.
Important proportions: The ratio of height at withers to length of body (from the point of the shoulders to the point of the buttock) is 10 : 11, but the body is slightly longer in bitches than in dogs.
Behaviour & Tempermant: The temperament is composed, faithful, docile and receptive.

Head:

Skull: The size is in proportion to the body.  The forehead is broad, with distinct furrow.  No wrinkle.
Stop: Defined.

Facial Region:

Nose: Large and black. Slight and diffuse lack of pigment accepted in white dogs only, but black is always preferred. 
Muzzle: Moderately long and strong with broad base, tapering but not pointed.  Nasal bridge is straight.
Jaws/Teeth: Teeth strong with scissor bite.
Lips: Tight.
Cheeks: Moderately developed.
Eyes: Relatively small, almost triangular in shape due to the rising of the outer eye corner, set moderately apart, dark brown : the darker, the better.
Ears: Relatively small, thick, triangular, slightly rounded at tips, set moderately apart, pricked and inclining forward.
Neck: Thick and muscular, without dewlap, in balance with head.

Body:

Back: Straight and strong.
Loin: Broad and muscular.
Chest: Deep, forechest well developed, ribs moderately well sprung.
Belly: Well drawn up.
Tail: Set on high, thick, carried vigorously curled over back ; the tip nearly reaching hocks when let down.

Limbs:

Shoulders: Moderately sloping and developed.
Elbows: Tight.
Forearms: Straight and heavy-boned.

Hindquarters:

Well developed, strong and moderately angulated.
Feet: Thick, round, arched and tight.
Gait: Resilient and powerful movement.

Coat:

Hair: Outer coat harsh and straight, undercoat soft and dense ; the withers and the rump are covered with slightly longer hair ; the hair on tail is longer than on the rest of the body.

Colour: Red fawn, sesame (red fawn hairs with black tips), brindle and white.  All the above mentioned colours except white must have urajiro. 
(Urajiro = whitish coat on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheeks, on the underside of jaw, neck, chest, body and tail and on the inside of the legs).

Size:

Height at the withers:

  • Dogs        : 67 cm
  • Bitches    : 61 cm.

There is a tolerance of 3 cm above or below stated figures.

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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog..

  • Bitchy dogs / doggy bitches.
  • Undershot or overshot mouth.
  • Missing teeth.
  • Blue or black spotted tongue.
  • Iris light in colour.
  • Short tail.
  • Shyness.

Eliminating Faults:

  • Aggresive or overly shy.
  • Ears not pricked.
  • Hanging tail.
  • Long hair (shaggy).
  • Black mask.
  • Markings on white ground.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B: Male Akita’s should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.