Head and Neck:
Head: Carried well up, very slightly domed and broad between the ears, never narrow. Neck not too thick, nor too long, but graceful and strong; minimum of dewlap.
Teeth: Scissors bite preferred, Even bite acceptable. Eyes: Prominent, hound-like, pleading expression. Dark brown or black, not lighter than hazel. Eyelids firm and close (no drooping). Ears: Set medium low, well attached to head and devoid of erectile power, should reach approximately to end of nose when drawn out. Should hang gracefully, inside part tipping toward muzzle, should not be too pointed at tip, slightly oval, soft and velvety, hanging in a roll when head is raised. Muzzle: Well-balanced with the other features of the head, medium square, with flews sufficient to give square appearance. Nostril large, open; black in color, never butterfly or pink.

Shoulders:
Muscular and sloping; indicating speed and strong.

Chest:
Deep moderately wide; showing large lung space.

Back:
Short and slightly arched, well-muscled and strong. This is one important part of this breed. A good rule to breed to is the same distance from the root of the tail to shoulder as height at shoulder.

Hips:
Smooth, round, proportionately wide, flanks gracefully arched, muscular at the loins, tail heavy, strong at the root tapering there, rather long without brush, carried free, well-up, saber like.

Legs:
Front: Straight, smooth forearms, muscular, straight at knees, perfectly in line with upper leg. Hind: Strong and muscular above hock. Slightly bent at hock and stifle, not cow hocked, free of dewclaws.

Feet:
Tight and well padded. Toes short to medium and close knit. Neither cat -footed nor splay-footed. Foot to be proportionate to the size of the body.

Color and Coat
Smooth haired, fine, glossy, but thick enough for protection. Predominantly deep, rich black, with tan trim covering not more than 10-15 percent of body. Small pumpkin seeds over eyes. A little white on breast is not a fault, but no white elsewhere.

Height:
Slightly more at shoulders than at hips.
Males: 23-27 inches
Females: 21-26 inches.

Weight:
Males: 50-75 pounds
Females: 40-65 pounds.
Dogs being shown slightly under weight due to hunting will not be penalized. This is a working breed and should appear as such.

Characteristics Of This Breed:
Active, fast, bright, kind, confident, courageous, with open trailing and treeing instincts and ability.