A breed standard is a "word picture" of the appearance and behavior of the certain dog breed written by the World Canine Organization or national kennel clubs as a guideline to ensure that the breed is fit for function. This dog standard is used to determine which dog is accepted or admitted into the breed to secure its integrity and heritage.
All the dogs taking part in international and national dog shows are judged against the breed standards, which may vary from country to country. New dog standards are drawn up once the breed has become established in a certain country or internationally.
Photo Credit: Ferlinka Borzoi (Deb West)/Flickr CC
Here are the breed standards drawn up by the World Canine Organization for the Russian dog breeds officially recognized by this institution:
Borzoi (Borzoi Hunting Sighthound)
Caucasian Dog (Caucasian Shepherd Dog)
Central Asian Dog (Central Asian Shepherd Dog)
Russo European Laika (Russian European Laika)
Russian Sheepdog (South Russian Shepherd Dog)