Dwelf Breed Standard

DWELF Breed Standard (DW)
September 20, 2005

HEAD....................................40 points Shape................... 4 Ears......................20 Eyes.......................5 Muzzle/Chin............5 Profile.....................4 Wrinkles ..........2	BODY....................................40 points Torso.................... 7 Legs......................20 Feet........................4 Neck.......................2 Tail.........................2 Wrinkles ..........5
This is a short breed with curled ears, I think the greater point distribution should reflect those two things most. ... and if you want them to be wrinkled, like SX used to be, I think we should give points to encourage & reward that. COAT/COLOR/PATTERN.......20 points Coat......................20 Color.......................0	CATEGORY: All DIVISION: All COLOR: All

I believe I would drop the points for "color" ... this breed is accepted in "All" colors, so it's illogical to give a judge 5% of the total points at their personal preference. They're hairless, so give the points to "coat" which is skin in this case & is more valid IMHO.

With this suggested distribution you give the greatest amount of the points (60%) to ears, legs & skin ... that seems right to me for this breed.

HEAD:
Shape: Modified wedge, only slightly longer than wide. Skull is

gently rounded with a flat forehead. Cheekbones are prominent with distinct whisker pads.

Ears: Large and alert, set upright equally on tops and sides of head.

The tips should be curled, rounded and flexible. The ears are slightly curled at the tips, in a vertical crimp, with a broad base making them stand more upright and flared. The ear tips curve toward each other, across the top of the head, in smooth, graceful lines. Ear cartilage should be firm from the base of the ear to at least 1/3 the height of the ear. The Interior should be hairless with no furnishings. Slight hair allowed on the backs and along the edges of the ears.

Eyes: Large, *Almond* shaped with a very open expression. Slightly slanted, the outer corners should come to a definite point on each side. The eyes should be wide set with at least one eye width between them.

Muzzle and Chin: Short, strong muzzle with very large, prominent whisker pads and a whisker break giving a square appearance when looked down on from the top. Firm chin lining up straight with *the tip of nose.

Profile: Slight curvature when veiwed from the side. Visable stop. ***

Body:
Torso: Small, stocky, very muscular overall appearance, short in length. Well muscled with medium boning. Broad sound chest. Abdomen well rounded, as if well fed. Back line may appear to rise gently from the shoulders to the base of the tail due to slightly longer back legs.

Legs: Short, medium boned, heavy musculature. Hind legs may be slightly longer than forelegs. Slight bowing in front legs allowed.

Feet: Large, oval shaped with prominent knuckles. Should point neither to the right nor left, but straight forward. Paw pads are to be thick, giving the appearance of walking on cushions.

Neck: Short and well muscled.

Tail: Long, slender and flexible like a whip, tapering to a point. Slight hair on tail is acceptable.

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN:

Length: Has the appearance of being hairless, but may be covered with a slight, almost imperceptible, down. Short, fine hair may be on the bridge of the nose, the back and edges of the ears, tail, feet and scrotum. Body may range from complete hairlessness to slight down. Whiskers and eyebrows may be present, broken or totally absent.

Texture: Soft suede, some resistance may be felt when stroking some cats due to a greater degree of hairlessness. Wrinkles are desirable, especially on the forehead, shoulders and legs.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
The Dwelf is a small, sturdy cat with a truly unique appearance, in that they are a hairless cat with short legs and curled ears. Dwelves are a Hybrid breed, foundationed primarily from the Munchkin, Sphynx and American Curl breeds. These three distinct mutation traits are independent of each other and pose no problem healthwise. Dwelves feel like soft suede & are warm to the touch. The ears, that curl back on the tips, give them an elfish appearance. Although Dwelves may appear hairless to the eye and touch, they may be covered with a slight down. They are an intelligent, friendly agile cat, their shortened legs & size do not hamper their mobility. They respond well to being handled as they are very interactive, social cats. Males may be up to 25% larger than females, this is not a fault.

PERMISSABLE OUTCROSSES: Sphynx, Munchkin, American Curl, Minskin, Bambino, DSH & DLH

ALLOWANCES: Lockets or buttons. Stud jowls in males. Small amounts of downy hair on the bridge of the nose, the backs & outer edges of the ears, the feet, tail & scrotum. Males may be up to 25% larger than females without fault.

PENALIZE: Frail, delicate or fine boned cats. Ears with more than a 90° arc of curl. *Straight profile or over or undershot chin. Lack of wrinkles.

Withhold All Awards (WW): Cats with the appearance of a Rex in molt.

Disqualify: Any evidence of hair removal by any means. Excessively challenging behaviour.