GENERAL APPEARANCE: A medium size dog of average height, characterized by a thick, woolly fleece which assures it an effective protection against the cold and humidity. The hair forms a beard on the chin. It is this feature which has given this breed its name.
CHARACTER: Balanced; not aggressive nor fearful. Docile, very devoted to its masters, very sociable and fond of water.
APTITUDES: Essentially a water dog, for wild fowl hunting; however, it has some abilities to hunt like a pointer, even not being a true pointer. This breed has no fear of the cold, going into the water in all types of weather.
HAIR: Long, woolly, wavy, sometimes curly, forming wisps of hair. If not regularly untangled, the hair can form into characteristic patches. The hair is abundant/thick, covering the entire body. This is an essential of the breed.
Faults: short. rough. non-woolly hair.
COAT: One simple color (unicolor) BLACK, GRAY, BROWN, TAWNY, SAND, WHITE or more or less blended. All shades of tawny and sand are accepted. The shade should preferably be the same over the entire body.
Faults: All other coat colors; coats which are marked (bi-colored. tri-colored). overlaid with black. brindle. speckled. Flecked, and one color coat with non uniform shading.
HEAD:The hair on the head must fall down as far as the nose and hide the eyes. The beard is long and thick, the mustache overlays the entire nose and is very thick. The skull is round and large, the stop pronounced, the nose (the bridge of the nose) is large and short, the snout is very square, the lips thick and pigmented, entirely covered with long hair. The pigmentation of the mucous membranes can be black or brown.
Faults: Head delicate and narrow. nose thin and long, lips thin.
EYES: Round, preferably dark brown. Completely hidden under the hair of the skull and the nose.
Faults: Eyes light color eves uncovered by the hair.
EARS: Attached low (at the level of the eye or a little lower), long, flat, large, with long hair forming wisps. When putting the ears together in front of the nose leather, they are longer than it by about 5 cm (with the hair). The cartilage of the ears goes past the corner of the mouth.
Faults: attached higher than the eye, thin, short, narrow.
NECK: Short and strong.
Faults: long and thin.
SHOULDERS: Oblique (lay-back).
Faults: straight.
ARMS: Strong and muscular.
Faults: skinny.
BACK: Very slightly convex.
Faults: dished (weak).
LOIN: Arched, short and strong.
Faults: long and weak.
CROUP: Rounded profile.
Faults: straight.
TAIL: A little held up but not reaching the horizontal line; attached low, forming a light hook at the end.
Faults: attached high curved over the back. tails. short tail- (truncated short-tail).
FOREQUARTERS: Straight, upright, strong frame, steady balanced, completely furnished with long hair.
Faults: Thin and fine. fringed limbs (Spaniel type).
HINDQUARTERS: Slightly slanted, well muscled; low straight hocks, quite angulated, stead/balanced.
Faults; flat tight. straight hocks (no angulation). fringed limbs (spaniel type). presence of dewclaw.
FEET: Round, large, covered with hair.
Faults: fine and narrow. bare feet (uncovered bv hair).
SKIN: Thick.
Faults; thin. delicate.
SIZE: Minimum for the females 50 cm. Minimum for the males 54 cm.
The males must have two normal testicles completely descended into the scrotum.