General Appearance:
The Tamaskan Dog is large and athletic. He/She should have a wolf-like appearance with coarse and thick fur, small ears and a straight bushy tail.

Important Proportions:
The length of the body from point of shoulder to the rear point of pelvis is longer than the height of the body from ground to top of the withers.

Behaviour-Temperament:
The Tamaskan Dog is friendly and affectionate. He should not appear aggressive or overly reserved towards people or other dogs. His high intelligence and eagerness to please make him versatile in his uses as a working dog and loyal companion.

Croup:
Short, not broad, falling away

Elbow:
Close fitting, turned neither in nor out.

Neck:
Slightly arched, long and strong.

Pastern:
Slightly slanted, strong, flexible.

Stifle:
Well bent, turned neither in nor out.

Stop:
Slight/Moderate.

Tail:
The tail should reach to the hock joint but not beyond. At rest the tail is carried downward, but when the dog is excited or in motion, it is carried higher. The tail, should not be carried curled over the back. Coarse thick hair but not feathered.

Topline:
Level topline with a slightly sloping croup.

Tuck-up:
Taut belly, tucked up.

Withers:
Well muscled, pronounced.

Ears:
Of medium size, but small in proportion to the head. The ears are triangular in shape and slightly rounded at tips. Set wide apart on the skull. Carried facing forward and erect.

Eyes:
Eyes are Yellow through amber & brown. Almond shaped and of medium size. Blue eyes are a disqualifying fault. Close fitting lids

Nose:
The nose, lips, and eye rim pigmentation should be black, the lighter streaked 'snow nose' is acceptable only in winter months.

Jaws & Teeth:
Jaws strong and symmetrical. Well developed teeth, Scissor bite.

Coat:
Straight, close. Winter and summer coat differ. In winter an immense undercoat forms all over the body including the inner part of the ears. Well coated neck. The coat should form a slight ruff around the neck and shoulders framing the head.

Forequarters:
The front legs are straight, close together and the feet should turn slightly outwards.

Height:
Males 63cm – 84cm (25in - 33in)
Females 61cm – 71cm (24in - 28in)

Weight:
Males 32kilos – 50kilos (70lbs - 110lbs)
Females 25kilos – 41kilos (55lbs - 90lbs)

Movement:
Movement should be light and balanced, but powerful and flowing. Should be able to cover massive amount of ground.

Coat Colors:

White is a disqualifying fault for showing.

At present, white (cream: e/e) is a non-accepted coat color for the breed and a disqualifying fault for showing; however, registered white colored Tamaskan Dogs may currently be used for breeding if they really are the best representation from their litter combination. Our aim is to gradually eliminate this coat color over time without unnecessarily narrowing the gene pool in the process.

At present, solid black (recessive or dominant black), liver (b/b), piebald (extreme white spotting S/S), and dilute blue (d/d) are non-accepted coat colors for the breed and are disqualifying faults for showing. Tamaskan Dogs of this color may not be used for breeding.

Acceptable Masks:
There are three types of mask that are acceptable, in every variation the mask must reach all the way to the nose.