What does each club give for Height at the withers in the Tosa?

FCI, Male: over 60 cm; UKC, Male: over 59.7 cm; FCI, Female: over 55 cm; UKC, Female: over 55.2 cm.

Tosa breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, UKC.

Size

Size
Measure	FCI	UKC
Height at the withers, male	over 60 cm	over 59.7 cm
Height at the withers, female	over 55 cm	over 55.2 cm

Conformation

Conformation
Form	FCI	UKC
BiteScissors bite	Standard (“Strong with a scissor bite”)	Standard (“teeth meeting in a scissors bite”)
BiteLevel bite	No ruling	Fault (“level bite”)
BiteOvershot	Fault (“Slightly overshot or undershot bite”)	Fault (“slightly overshot or undershot”)
BiteUndershot	Fault (“Slightly overshot or undershot bite”)	Fault (“slightly overshot or undershot”)
DentitionFull dentition	No ruling	Standard (“complete set of large, evenly spaced, white teeth”)
DentitionMissing teeth	No ruling	Disqualifying (“More than four missing teeth”)
Ear carriageDrop (pendant)	Standard (“hanging close to the cheeks”)	Standard (“drop, and V-shaped”)
Ear setHigh	Standard (“set high on the skull sides”)	Standard (“The ears are set high”)
StopModerate	No ruling	Standard (“The stop is moderately deep”)
Muzzle shapeSquare	Standard (“a square muzzle”)	No ruling
Muzzle shapeSnipy	Fault (“Snipy muzzle”)	Fault (“snipey or shallow muzzle”)
ToplineLevel	Standard (“Back: Level and straight”)	No ruling
ToplineRoach (arched)	No ruling	Fault (“pronounced roach back, camel back, or sway back”)
ToplineSwayback	No ruling	Fault (“pronounced roach back, camel back, or sway back”)
ChestBroad	Standard (“Chest: Broad and deep”)	Standard (“The chest is broad and deep”)
ChestDeep	Standard (“Chest: Broad and deep”)	Standard (“The chest is broad and deep”)
ChestNarrow	No ruling	Fault (“shallow or narrow chest”)
Tuck-upPronounced	Standard (“Belly: Well drawn up”)	No ruling
DewlapPronounced	No ruling	Standard (“clearly observable dewlap”)
Neck shapeEwe neck	No ruling	Fault (“ewe neck”)

Markings

Markings
Marking	FCI	UKC
Chest patch	Alternate (“Slight white markings on chest and feet are permitted”)	Alternate (“White other than on the chest or above the feet is to be discouraged”)
Socks	Alternate (“Slight white markings on chest and feet are permitted”)	No ruling
Mask	No ruling	Alternate (“Black masks are allowed without preference”)

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
Procedure	FCI	UKC
Ear cropping	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Cropped ears”)
Tail docking	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Docked tail”)

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live. See where each procedure is banned or allowed.

Tosa colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Tosa color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Tosa in Black, White, Brown, Red, Fawn, and Apricot. Standard patterns: Solid, Brindle, Piebald, Sable, Tan point, and Reverse brindle.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“black”)	Standard (“Black”)	Standard (“dull black”)	Standard (“black”)
White	Not recognized	No ruling	Standard (“pied, which is the least desirable”)	Not recognized
Brown	Not recognized	No ruling	Standard (“brown”)	Not recognized
Red	Standard (“Red”)	Standard (“Red”)	Standard (“deep, solid, rich red”)	Standard (“Red”)
Fawn	Standard (“fawn”)	Standard (“Fawn”)	Standard (“All other shades of red, including fawn”)	Standard (“fawn”)
Apricot	Standard (“apricot”)	No ruling	Standard (“All other shades of red”)	Standard (“apricot”)
Patterns
Solid	Standard (“Red, fawn, apricot, black”)	No ruling	Standard (“solid colored”)	Standard (“Red, fawn, apricot, black”)
Brindle	Standard (“brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“any combination of red and black brindling”)	Standard (“brindle”)
Piebald	Not recognized	No ruling	Standard (“pied, which is the least desirable”)	Not recognized
Sable	Not recognized	No ruling	Standard (“Black tipped hairs are allowed without penalty”)	Not recognized
Tan point	Not recognized	No ruling	Standard (“black with red markings”)	Not recognized
Reverse brindle	Standard (“brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“any combination of red and black brindling”)	Standard (“brindle”)

Eyes: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	UKC	KUSA
Blue	No ruling	Standard (“A bluish eye color in a Tosa under the age of 12 months is acceptable”)	No ruling
Brown	No ruling	Standard (“Eye color is brown”)	No ruling
Dark brown	Standard (“dark brown”)	Standard (“brown with preference given to the darker color”)	Standard (“dark brown”)
Yellow	No ruling	Fault (“yellow eyes”)	No ruling

Nose: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	UKC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“Large and black”)	Standard (“always solid black”)	Standard (“Large and black”)

Tongue: rulings by club
Color or pattern	UKC
Pink	Standard (“The tongue may be pink, or pink with bluish-black spotting”)
Patterns
Spotted	Standard (“pink with bluish-black spotting”)

What the rulings mean

Standard: Described by the club's breed standard.
Fault: Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Not recognized: The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Tosa's colors can change over its life.

Blackchanges toRust
Coat · With body condition · can change back
Blackchanges toGray
Coat · Progressive
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Whitechanges toRoan
Coat · With age · from 2 weeks
Tan pointchanges toSaddle
Coat · With age · from 6 to 156 weeks
Bluechanges toDark brown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toBrown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toLight brown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toAmber
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toHazel
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toYellow
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back

Sources

Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.

Published standards

Back to the Tosa guide Grooming styles for the Tosa