Kai 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, AKC, UKC.
Size
| Measure | FCI | AKC | UKC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hauteur au garrot, male | under 53 cm | 47–53.3 cmover 53.3 cmDéfautunder 47 cmDéfaut | 47–55.9 cm |
| Hauteur au garrot, female | under 48 cm | 40–46.4 cmover 46.4 cmDéfautunder 40 cmDéfaut | 44.5–50.8 cm |
| Poids | No ruling | No ruling | 11.3–25 kg |
Conformation
| Form | FCI | AKC | UKC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articulé dentaireArticulé en ciseaux | Standard (“Jaws/Teeth: Strong with a scissor bite”) | Standard (“Teeth are strong with a scissors bite”) | Standard (“A scissors bite is preferred”) |
| Articulé dentaireArticulé en pince | No ruling | No ruling | Alternative (“a level bite is acceptable”) |
| Articulé dentairePrognathisme inférieur | Éliminatoire (“Extremely overshot or undershot mouth”) | Éliminatoire (“Disqualifying faults - overshot or undershot jaw”) | Défaut (“Faults: Overshot or undershot bite”) |
| Articulé dentairePrognathisme supérieur | Éliminatoire (“Extremely overshot or undershot mouth”) | Éliminatoire (“Disqualifying faults - overshot or undershot jaw”) | Défaut (“Faults: Overshot or undershot bite”) |
| DentitionDentition complète | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“complete set of good-size, evenly spaced, white teeth”) |
| DentitionDents manquantes | No ruling | Défaut (“Faults - ... missing teeth”) | Éliminatoire (“Disqualification: More than four missing teeth”) |
| Pigmentation de la langueTachetée | No ruling | Standard (“The mouth and tongue is generally spotted”) | Standard (“The tongue is generally spotted”) |
| Pigmentation de la langueRose | No ruling | No ruling | Alternative (“may be pink or blue black”) |
| Pigmentation de la langueBleu-noir | No ruling | No ruling | Alternative (“may be pink or blue black”) |
| Port des oreillesDressées (droites) | Standard (“Triangular, slightly inclining forward and firmly pricked”) | Standard (“Firmly pricked, moderately thick, triangular in form”) | Standard (“The ears are strongly erect”) |
| Forme des yeuxTriangulaires | Standard (“EYES: Nearly triangular and dark brown”) | Standard (“Eye shape is triangular, but not as extreme”) | Standard (“while slightly triangular in shape, are rounder”) |
| StopMarqué | Standard (“Stop: Abrupt with slight furrow”) | No ruling | Standard (“joined by an abrupt stop”) |
| StopModéré | No ruling | Standard (“wide falling to a moderate stop”) | No ruling |
| Forme du museauPointu | No ruling | Défaut (“snipy muzzle, roman nose”) | Défaut (“Fault: Snipy muzzle”) |
| Ligne du dessusHorizontale | Standard (“Back: Straight and short”) | Standard (“inclining slightly downward to a firm, level back”) | Standard (“inclines very slightly downward from well-developed withers and then becomes level”) |
| Attache de la queueHaute | Standard (“TAIL: Set on high, thick”) | Standard (“Tail is set on high, thick, and strong”) | Standard (“The tail is thick, and set on high”) |
| Port de la queueEn faucille | Standard (“vigorously curled or carried curved like a sickle over the back”) | Standard (“either sickle, sword or curled”) | Standard (“The preferred carriage is a sickle tail”) |
| Port de la queueEnroulée sur le dos | Standard (“vigorously curled or carried curved like a sickle over the back”) | Standard (“either sickle, sword or curled”) | Alternative (“a tail that curls over the back is acceptable”) |
| Port de la queueBasse (pendante) | Éliminatoire (“Hanging tail, short tail”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Longueur de la queueCourte | Éliminatoire (“Hanging tail, short tail”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| PiedsPied de chat | No ruling | Standard (“the springiness of the round, catlike feet”) | No ruling |
| PiedsÉcartés | No ruling | No ruling | Défaut (“Faults: Splay feet; poorly cushioned pads”) |
| JarretsBien descendus | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“The hocks are tough, elastic and well let down”) |
| Longueur du couMoyen | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“The neck is of moderate length, thick and muscular”) |
| Longueur du couCourt | No ruling | No ruling | Défaut (“Faults: Neck too short, too thin, or too weak”) |
| PoitrineDescendue | Standard (“Chest: Deep, ribs moderately sprung”) | Standard (“Chest is deep and oval”) | Standard (“The chest is deep and moderately broad”) |
Markings
| Marking | FCI | AKC | UKC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Étoile | No ruling | Alternative (“A small white blaze is allowed on the forechest, between the front legs”) | Alternative (“Some white is allowed on the forechest, between the front legs and on the belly”) |
| Balzanes | No ruling | Défaut (“Faults - Faded coloration, socks”) | Alternative (“Some white is allowed on the legs, but never above the knees”) |
Cropping, docking and other procedures
| Procedure | FCI | AKC | UKC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ablation des ergots | No ruling | No ruling | Alternative (“Dewclaws may be removed”) |
The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.
Kai colors and patterns
What each club's breed standard says about every Kai color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.
Breed standards describe the Kai in Noir, Blanc et Rouge. Standard patterns: Uni, Bringé et Bringé inversé.
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noir | Standard (“Black brindle”) | Standard (“Black Brindle”) | Standard (“All brindle colors are equally acceptable”) |
| Blanc | Éliminatoire (“Coat with many white spots”) | Standard (“A small white blaze is allowed on the forechest, between the front legs and on the belly”) | Standard (“Some white is allowed on the legs ... on the forechest, between the front legs and on the belly”) |
| Rouge | Standard (“red brindle”) | Standard (“Red Brindle”) | Standard (“All brindle colors are equally acceptable”) |
| Albinos | Non reconnu | Non reconnu | Éliminatoire (“Albinism”) |
| Crème | Non reconnu | Éliminatoire (“cream”) | No ruling |
| Patterns | |||
| Uni | Standard (“solid colour in puppyhood may turn brindle as the dog grows”) | Éliminatoire | No ruling |
| Bringé | Standard (“Black brindle, red brindle and brindle”) | Standard (“Brindle”) | Standard (“All brindle colors are equally acceptable”) |
| Bringé inversé | Standard (“Black brindle, red brindle and brindle”) | Standard (“Brindle”) | Standard (“All brindle colors are equally acceptable”) |
| Pie | Éliminatoire (“Pinto colour”) | Éliminatoire (“Pinto”) | No ruling |
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brun foncé | Standard (“dark brown in colour”) | Standard (“the iris dark brown”) | Standard (“dark brown”) |
| Brun clair | Défaut (“Light-coloured eyes”) | Défaut (“light colored eyes”) | No ruling |
| Jaune | No ruling | No ruling | Défaut (“Yellow or bird-of-prey eyes”) |
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noir | Standard (“Black”) | Standard (“black”) | Standard (“solid black except in red brindles, where it may be brownish black”) |
What the rulings mean
- Standard
- Described by the club's breed standard.
- Défaut
- Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
- Éliminatoire
- The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
- Non reconnu
- The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.
Color changes
How a Kai's colors can change over its life.
Noirchanges toRouille
Pelage · Avec l'état corporel · can change back
Noirchanges toGris
Pelage · Progressif
Noirchanges toMarron
Pelage · Au soleil · can change back
Blancchanges toRouan
Pelage · Avec l'âge · from 2 weeks
Noirchanges toNez de neige
Truffe · Avec la saison · can change back
Noirchanges toRose
Truffe · Avec la saison · can change back
Sources
Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.