Canadian Kennel Club:
Official Breed Standard
for the Kerry Blue Terrier

General Appearance

The typical Kerry Blue Terrier should be upstanding, well knit and in good balance, showing a well-developed and muscular body with definite terrier style and character throughout. A low-slung Kerry is not typical.

Size

The ideal Kerry should be 18 1/2 in. (47 cm) at the withers for a dog, slightly less for a bitch.

In judging Kerries, a height of 18 - 19 1/2 in. (46-50 cm) for a dog, and 17 1/2 - 19 in (44-48 cm) for a bitch should be given primary preference. Only where the comparative superiority of a specimen outside of the ranges noted clearly justifies it, should greater latitude be taken. In no case should it extend to a dog over 20 in. (51 cm) or under 17 1/2 in (44 cm), or to a bitch over 19 1/2 in. (50 cm) or under 17 in. (43 cm). The minimum limits do not apply to puppies.

Weight - the most desirable weight for a fully developed dog is from 33 - 40 lb. (15 - 18 kg), bitches weighing proportionately less.

Coat and Colour

Coat soft, dense, and wavy. A harsh wire or bristle coat should be severely penalized. In show trim, the body should be well covered but tidy, with the head (except for the whiskers) and the ears and cheeks clear.

The correct mature colour is any shade of blue gray or gray blue from deep slate to light blue gray, of a fairly uniform colour throughout except the distinctly darker to black parts may appear on the muzzle, head, ears, tail and feet.

Kerry colour, in its process of "clearing" from an apparent black at birth to the mature gray blue or blue gray, passes through one or more transitions - involving a very dark blue (darker than deep slate), shades or tinges of brown, and mixtures of these, together with a progressive infiltration of the correct mature colour.

Up to 18 months such deviations from the correct mature colour are permissible without preference and without regard for uniformity. Thereafter, deviation from it to any significant extent must be severely penalized.

Solid black is never permissible in the show ring. Up to 18 months any doubt as to whether a dog is black or a very dark blue should be resolved in favour of the dog, particularly in the case of a puppy. Black on the muzzle, head, ears, tail and feet is permissible at any age.

Head

Long, but not exaggerated and in good proportion to the rest of the body. Well balanced, with little apparent difference between the length of the skull and foreface.

Skull

Flat, and narrowing very slightly to the eyes. Cheeks clean and level, free from bumpiness.

Muzzle

Jaws deep, strong and muscular.

Foreface

Full and well made up, not falling away appreciably below the eyes but moderately chiseled out to relieve the foreface from wedginess.

Nose

Black, nostrils large and wide.

Mouth

Teeth strong, white and either level or with the upper(incisors) teeth slightly overlapping the lower teeth.

Eyes

Dark, small, not prominent, well placed and with a keen terrier expression. Anything approaching a yellow eye is very undesirable.

Ears

V-shaped, small but not out of proportion to the size of the dog, of moderate thickness, carried forward close to the cheek with the top of the folded ear slightly above the level of the skull. A "dead" ear, hound-like in appearance, is very undesirable.

Neck

Clean and moderately long, gradually widening to the shoulders upon which it should be well set and carried proudly.

Forequarters

Shoulders fine, long and sloping, well laid back and well knit. Legs moderately long with plenty of bone and muscle. The forelegs should be straight from both front and side view, with the elbows hanging perpendicularly to the body and working clear of the sides in movement, the pasterns short, straight, and hardly noticeable.

Body

Back short, strong and straight (i.e., level), with no appearance of slackness. Chest deep and of but moderate breadth. Loin short and powerful with a slight tuck-up, the ribs fairly well sprung, deep rather than round.

Hindquarters

Strong and muscular with full freedom of action, free from droop or crouch, the thighs long and powerful, stifles well bent and turned neither in nor out, hocks near the ground and when viewed from behind, upright and parallel with each other, the dog standing well up on them. Feet should be strong, compact, fairly round and moderately small, with good depth of pad free from cracks, the toes arched, turned neither in nor out, with black toenails.

Tail

Should be set on high, of moderate length and carried gaily erect; the straighter the better.

Gait

Both forelegs and hind legs should move straight forward when traveling, the stifles turning neither in nor out.

Faults

An undershot mouth should be strictly penalized.

Disqualifications

Solid black.
Faking or dyeing.
Dewclaws on hind legs.

Scale of Points

Head ...................................................20
Neck ................................................... 5
Shoulders and chest ................................... 10
Legs and feet ..........................................10
Body ...................................................10
Hindquarters and stern .................................10
Colour .................................................10
Coat ...................................................15
General conformation and character .....................10
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              TOTAL ...................................100

Canadian Kennel Club: Official Breed Standard for the Kerry Blue Terrier