The Karakachan dog is a massive harmoniously developed dog with well-built parts of the body. Its whole appearance suggests power and respect. The musculature is strong, bones are solid but not rough, joints are dry.
The braveness and self-respect of that breed combined with its exceptional brute fidelity make the Karakachan dog an unique human friend.

HEAD

Highly proportional to the general appearance. Its length is about 40 percent of the height of the withers. The brain part is longer than the muzzle and is divided by a shallow line. The slope of the forehead is noticeable but not steep.
The nose crest is straight and the nose is large and black. The muzzle is solid, expanding to the base. The lips are thick and stuck and the upper lip covers the lower. The teeth are big and white.
The eyes are small, light or dark brown, deeply placed. The ears are low situated, small, with V-shape, hanging, and at their front end they are close to the skull. They are covered with short and thick hairs.

NECK

Short and mighty. It is connected tightly to the head and the trunk. The angle between the neck and the line of the back is about 30 degrees. The skin of the neck has no flaps.

BODY

The length of the body is greater than the height of the withers with 4 to 10 percent. The withers is low, long and muscular, slightly noticeable. The brisket is deep and wide, averagely long and a little rounded. The chest measurement is at least 20 percent greater than the height of the withers. The back is straight and wide, with solid muscles. The croup is comparatively long and it has a slight slant. The abdomen is muscular and tight, faintly gathered.

FRONT LEGS

They are straight and parallel. The height of the elbow is about 55 percent of the height of the withers. The shoulder-blade is long and wide, tightly connected to the trunk. The angle between the shoulder-blade and the shoulder is about 105 degrees; and the angle between the shoulder and the forearm is about 145 degrees. The forearm is dry and muscular. The metacarpus is wide and strong and a little slanted. The paws are flexible and dark. The nails are robust and dark.

BACK LEGS

Parallel, stronger and longer than the forelegs. The hips are covered with well-developed muscles and they are wide and averagely long. The angle between the hip and the forehip is 110 to 120 degrees. The forehip is muscular, wide and long. The hock is wide and dry. The angle between the forehip and foreheel is 130 to 140 degrees. Thr foreheel is normally long, massive and sloped. The paws are the same as those of the front legs.

TAIL

It is situated not very high and its end reaches at least the hock. It is covered with long and rough hairs. Normally it hangs downwards. When the dog moves it raises in a crescent-shaped way over the back.

SKIN

It is dense and flexible, tight and it doesn't form flaps.

HAIRS

The breed can be divided into two types according to the lenght of the hairs: shorthaired - with lenght of the hairs no more than 6 cm. (2,36 in) and longhaired - with hairs longer than 6 cm. (2,36 in).
The hairs of the neck, the withers, the back of the four feet and the tail are long and rough. The hairs of the trunk are straight and hard. The hairs of the head and the front of the feet are short and tight.

COLOUR

Black, spotted, grey, brown, chestnut, yellow, tiger and rarely white.

HEIGHT

The male dogs are 63-73 cm. (24,8-28,7 in) high at the withers.
The female dogs - 60-70 cm. (23,6-27,5 in) high at the withers.

WEIGHT

The weight of the male dogs is 40-50 kg. (88-110 lbs).
The female dogs weight about 35-45 kg. (77-99 lbs).

MOVEMENT

A characteristic movement is the springly trot. The joints spread out easely and widely.

DEFECTS NOT LEADING TO DISQUALIFICATION

Insufficiently wide head. Ears not close to the skull or highly situated ears. Flaps of the skin of the neck. Insufficient width and depth of the brisket. Tail a little higher than the hock.

DISQUALIFYING DEFECTS

Missing teeth, except one of the first premolars. Height below the one marked in the standard. Symptoms of degeneration. Phlegmatic temper.