SWISS GUIDE STANDARD
Standard of points
Head, Eyes & Ears Head to be short & broad, Muzzle of good width & rounded at the nostrils.
Eyes to be large, bright and bold and set with good width between.
Ears to be large and drooping, and set with good width between.
Body Shape To have short, cobby body; thick-set, with good width across shoulders.
To be fit and of good substance, with plenty of firm flesh covering shoulders.
To have good size appropriate to age.
Coat Appearance To stand erect from the body, being thick and even in length to give an overall ‘puff-ball’ appearance, with sufficient density that the skin is not visible without parting the coat.
To be between 5 and 7 cm in length in the adult cavy.
Belly coat to be wavy, well-covered and shorter in length than on the rest of the body.
To have chops of length appropriate to age.
Ideally to have longer hairs, known as ‘horns’, over the ears.
Coat Feel To be soft, plush and of good density.
Presentation To be clean, free of grease and unmatted
GUIDANCE NOTES
The Swiss is a rexoid, semi-longhaired cavy whose coat stands erect from the body to give a ‘puff-ball’ appearance.
The Swiss is inclined to moult at regular intervals, from the shoulder backwards. Accordingly, those in ‘mid moult’ have longer coats around the rump than on the rest of the body. They should not be shown during the moulting stages.
Some Swiss possess a rosette on the forehead. This usually fills out and disappears by 5 months of age. However, Swiss should not be shown with any visible rosette.
Swiss must be shown on a board. A brush or comb may be taken to the judging table in order to ‘tidy up’ the cavy after handling.
Swiss may be shown in any colour or combination of colours.
Specific disqualifications
Himalayan Breed Standard
Standard of points _
Head, Eyes & Ears Head to be short and broad, with a gently curving profile
Muzzle to be of good width and rounded at the nostrils.
Eyes to be large, bright and bold and set with good width between.
Ears to be large and drooping, and set with good width between.
Body Shape To have short, cobby body with good width across shoulders and body.
To be fit and of good substance, with plenty of firm flesh.
To have good size appropriate to age.
Markings (Points) To consist of even, sharply defined dark points on face, ears and feet with clear demarcation from the background white body colour.
Smut To be prominent, wider at the nostril end, ideally pear-shaped and carried well up between the eyes; sharply defined and intensely coloured black or rich milk chocolate.
Ears To be intensely coloured black or rich milk chocolate, dense to the base. Feet To be even and intensely coloured black or rich milk chocolate; sharply defined, with colour carried well up the legs and including nails and pads.
Colour (of body) To be pure white and as and free from body pigment (stain) as possible.
Coat To be soft, clean and groomed free of guard hairs.
Guidance notes
The Himalayan is an albino cavy that develops pigment on its nose, ears and feet (the Points) during the first few months of life. The contrast between the sharpness of these Points and a pure white body colour is the essence of the Himalayan's appeal and so is highly desirable.
U/5s should not be excessively penalised for white hairs in Points.
In 5/8s white hairs may still be expected on the inside of the ears, and exhibits should not be penalised for this.
N.B. There is a tendency to form body pigment in very cold weather. The tendency is reversed in very hot weather, when Points, particularly smut & feet, may fade in intensity.
In badly faded Blacks the smut & feet may appear brown, but the black ears should prevent confusion with Chocolates.
Specific disqualifications
Standard of points
Head, Eyes & Ears Head to be short & broad, Muzzle of good width & rounded at the nostrils.
Eyes to be large, bright and bold and set with good width between.
Ears to be large and drooping, and set with good width between.
Body Shape To have short, cobby body; thick-set, with good width across shoulders.
To be fit and of good substance, with plenty of firm flesh covering shoulders.
To have good size appropriate to age.
Coat Appearance To stand erect from the body, being thick and even in length to give an overall ‘puff-ball’ appearance, with sufficient density that the skin is not visible without parting the coat.
To be between 5 and 7 cm in length in the adult cavy.
Belly coat to be wavy, well-covered and shorter in length than on the rest of the body.
To have chops of length appropriate to age.
Ideally to have longer hairs, known as ‘horns’, over the ears.
Coat Feel To be soft, plush and of good density.
Presentation To be clean, free of grease and unmatted
GUIDANCE NOTES
The Swiss is a rexoid, semi-longhaired cavy whose coat stands erect from the body to give a ‘puff-ball’ appearance.
The Swiss is inclined to moult at regular intervals, from the shoulder backwards. Accordingly, those in ‘mid moult’ have longer coats around the rump than on the rest of the body. They should not be shown during the moulting stages.
Some Swiss possess a rosette on the forehead. This usually fills out and disappears by 5 months of age. However, Swiss should not be shown with any visible rosette.
Swiss must be shown on a board. A brush or comb may be taken to the judging table in order to ‘tidy up’ the cavy after handling.
Swiss may be shown in any colour or combination of colours.
Specific disqualifications
- None
- The presence of any visible rosette in the coat (usually found on the head) is a severe fault.
- Having coat of inappropriate length, or of differing lengths and texture (particularly extra length on the rump), is a severe fault.
- Coat faults, where the coat direction visibly goes against the general lie of the coat, such as swirls (usually found in the hip area) should be penalised according to the extent of the fault.
Himalayan Breed Standard
Standard of points _
Head, Eyes & Ears Head to be short and broad, with a gently curving profile
Muzzle to be of good width and rounded at the nostrils.
Eyes to be large, bright and bold and set with good width between.
Ears to be large and drooping, and set with good width between.
Body Shape To have short, cobby body with good width across shoulders and body.
To be fit and of good substance, with plenty of firm flesh.
To have good size appropriate to age.
Markings (Points) To consist of even, sharply defined dark points on face, ears and feet with clear demarcation from the background white body colour.
Smut To be prominent, wider at the nostril end, ideally pear-shaped and carried well up between the eyes; sharply defined and intensely coloured black or rich milk chocolate.
Ears To be intensely coloured black or rich milk chocolate, dense to the base. Feet To be even and intensely coloured black or rich milk chocolate; sharply defined, with colour carried well up the legs and including nails and pads.
Colour (of body) To be pure white and as and free from body pigment (stain) as possible.
Coat To be soft, clean and groomed free of guard hairs.
Guidance notes
The Himalayan is an albino cavy that develops pigment on its nose, ears and feet (the Points) during the first few months of life. The contrast between the sharpness of these Points and a pure white body colour is the essence of the Himalayan's appeal and so is highly desirable.
U/5s should not be excessively penalised for white hairs in Points.
In 5/8s white hairs may still be expected on the inside of the ears, and exhibits should not be penalised for this.
N.B. There is a tendency to form body pigment in very cold weather. The tendency is reversed in very hot weather, when Points, particularly smut & feet, may fade in intensity.
In badly faded Blacks the smut & feet may appear brown, but the black ears should prevent confusion with Chocolates.
Specific disqualifications
- White patches in markings
- Unpigmented areas in foot pads
- Unpigmented toenails
- Uneven markings, speckled with white hairs giving a ‘peppered’ effect
- Poor demarcation between Points and body colour
- Excessive pigmentation in the body colour, giving a ‘muddy’ effect