Japanese Spaniel

		Japanese Spaniel
		FCI standard Nº 206

Origin		China
Translation		Revised by Renée Sporre-Willes
Group		Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs
Section		Section 8 Japan Chin and Pekingese
Working		Without working trial
Acceptance on a definitive basis by the FCI		Monday 02 December 1957
Publication of the official valid standard		Monday 04 April 2016
Last update		Friday 03 June 2016
En français, cette race se dit		Epagneul japonais
Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar		Japanische Spaniel
En español, esta raza se dice		Spaniel japonés
In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd		Japanse Spaniel
In his country of origin, his name is		Chin

Usage

Companion dog.

Brief historical summary

According to ancient documents it is assumed that the ancestors of the Chin were presented as a gift from the rulers of Korea (during the Silla Dynasty age 377-935) to the Japanese court in 732. For a successive 100 years, there appears to have been a large number of Chins coming into Japan. Historical records also indicate that envoys sent to China (during the Tung Dynasty age 618-910) and North Korea (during the Po H’ai Dynasty age 698-926) brought back dogs of this breed directly. During the reign of the Shogunate Tsunayoshi Tokugawa (1680-1709) the breed was raised as an indoor toy dog in the Castle of Edo.
In 1613 a Britisher, Captain Searles, brought a Chin to England and in 1853 Commodore Perry from the U.S. brought several to the U.S. of which two were presented to Queen Victoria of England. Since 1868, the Chin has been favored as a lapdog by ladies of the upper classes, and currently is being widely spread as a companion dog.

General appearance

Small sized dog with broad face, covered with profuse coat, with elegant and graceful figure.

Important proportions

The ratio of height at withers to length of the body is equal. The body of bitches slightly longer.

Behaviour / temperament

Clever, mild and lovely.

Head
Cranial region
Skull		Broad and rounded.
Stop		Deep and indented.

Facial region
Nose		Nasal bridge very short and wide, the nose on a straight line with the eyes; the nose colour black or deep flesh colour, according to dog’s markings. Well opened nostrils.
Jaws and teeth		Teeth white and strong; level bite desirable, but scissor bite or undershot mouth permitted.
Eyes		Large, round, set wide apart and lustrous black in colour.
Ears		Long, triangular, hanging, covered with long hair; set wide apart.

Neck

Rather short, and held high.

Body
Back		Short and straight.
Loin		Broad and slightly round.
Chest		Moderately broad and deep, with ribs moderately sprung.
Underline and belly		Belly well drawn up.

Tail

Covered with beautiful, profuse and long hair, being carried up over back.

Limbs

Forequarters
Forearm		Forearms straight, fine boned; backside of forearms below the elbows feathered.

Hindquarters
Generality		Hindlegs moderately angulated, rear of the rump covered with feather.

Feet

Small and hare-shaped, preferably feathered between the toes.

Gait and movement

Elegant, light and proud.

Coat
Hair		Silky, straight and long. Whole body except face covered with profuse hair. The ears, neck, thighs and tail have profuse feather.
Colour		White with markings of black or red. Markings symmetrically distributed from around eyes over ears as on whole body desirable. Especially white and wide blaze from muzzle to crown desirable.

Size and weight
Height at withers		Dogs approximately 25 cm. Bitches slightly smaller than dogs.

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 and its ability to perform its traditional work.
• Faults listed should be in degree of seriousness.

General faults

Nose : Any colour other than black for white dogs with black markings.

Overshot mouth, wry underjaw.

Solid white coat with no markings; single marking on face.

Shyness.

Disqualifying faults

Aggressive or overly shy dogs.

Wry lower jaw.

Tricolour.

NB :

• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
• The above mentioned faults when occurring to a highly marked degree or frequently are disqualifying.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.

Bibliography

https://www.fci.be/

Details: Written by: Francis Vandersteen; Also available:; Last Updated: 26 January 2024; Hits: 548

Japanese Spaniel