STANDARD FOR THE PETITE LEFLEUR
PURPOSE: The Petite LeFleur has been developed as a companion and as such must be healthy, long lived, and of good family temperament. Therefore, proper structure, movement, and soundness are vital to the breed. An unhealthy, poorly moving dog will not make a good companion. A dog that is a good family companion should be able to walk, run, jump, and play with its master. This involves athleticism especially in a small dog where even a short distance is a long way to run. A poorly built dog is not an athlete. A good family companion must also be mentally sound. It should never be shy, aloof, or mean. A good pet is always happy, outgoing, friendly, and most of all trustworthy especially around children.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: An alert happy dog, unique in appearance, always of willing temperament. It should always be a delight for any family to own. A Petite LeFleur should be of a size that makes it easy to live with, even in a tiny apartment, and easy to travel with. In appearance it is a small,compact,well balanced dog with a striking appearance.
HEAD: The head is well proportioned to the body, never looking too small for its body. The skull has a pronounced stop, but is never round or apple headed. The muzzle should be the same length as the skull, with plenty of chin, never too pointy or snipey. A scissor bite is preferred, but a level bite is acceptable. An undershot bite is a serious fault.
EYES: The eye is of medium size and almond shape. A large or round eye is considered a fault. The eyes are to be as dark as possible.
EARS: There are two types of ears possible. An erect is preferred. The erect ears should be as small as possible and set high on the head. The drop ear is also possible but not preferred. It should be carried high on the head and carried forward , not to the side like a hounds ear. Both types of ears are to be presented shaved clean.
NECK AND SHOULDERS: The neck is of medium length and in proportion to the length of the back. The neck should be set high on the shoulders. The shoulders are to be laid back enough to provide adequate reach of the front assembly.
BACK AND BODY: The back should be short and level. The body is cobby and well rounded. It is not to be boney and flat sided.
REAR: A well angulated, strong rear is necessary for a sound moving companion dog. The rear should be well angulated, but never overangulated and sickle hocked. A rear that is too straight will lead to serious knee problems a common problem in small dogs. The croup should be as level as possible leading to strong, free movement of the rear legs.
LEGS: Always straight. Front legs: Straight from the shoulders to the toes. Slight toeing out is permissable, but never a fiddle or crooked front. Rear legs: Straight when viewed from the rear. The stifles should not point out , nor should the rear be cow-hocked.
TAIL: The tail is always important to the finished picture. The tail is left natural. It is set high on the back and carried flat over the back. A corkscrew tail is considered a fault.
MOVEMENT: A Petite LeFleur moves with strong reach and drive, much like a large dog. When moving its legs should turn neither in nor out. Its movement should be that of a very athletic dog so that despite its small size it can keep up with its owner.
SIZE: Under 12 inches at the shoulder and less than 10 LBS. in weight. All things being equal, the smaller dog is preferred. Never should size be preferred over soundness.
COAT: There are several types of coats that occur, but the kind preferred is that of the non-shedding type. This coat is thick, stand-offish,and has a slight curl to it. The texture should be slightly coarse, but not of terrier-type. It should not be soft and silky, causing it to lay flat. It covers the entire body including the face and legs. The coat may be scissored or left natural. The ears are shaved.
COLOR: Color is unimportant. The Petite LeFleur may be of any color or color combination.
TEMPERAMENT: A good companion is a dog that is confident, friendly, outgoing, and always trustworthy. They should never be shy, aloof or afraid. Their temperament should be that of a dog that has never met a stranger.