Breed Standard

A dog of harmonious proportions, strong, with a short coat. Powerful with solid bone structure. Muscles well developed without being heavy.

Males: 65–70 cm. Females: 61–68 cm at the withers. Body length (shoulder to buttock) slightly greater than height.

Rather long head with a frank, lively and bright expression. Natural ears droop alongside the cheeks.

Smooth on the head and legs. Short, thick and firm on the body (3–4 cm). Dense undercoat, preferably mouse-grey. Shaggy coat is a disqualifying fault.

Black & Tan: deep black with tan markings covering the lower legs (hence "Bas Rouge"), limited to 1/3 of the limb. Arlequin: equal parts black and grey, with tan markings. A small discrete white patch on the chest is tolerated; a clearly visible one is disqualifying.

Double dewclaws on the inner side of each rear leg — a breed hallmark. The tail is long and carried low, forming a slight J-hook at the tip.

Very clever and polyvalent. Guardian, herding dog, and family companion. Faithful and deeply affectionate towards the family. High trainability with natural authority.