A
breed standard (also called
bench standard or
the standard) in the
dog fancy is a set of guidelines covering specific
externally observable qualities such as
appearance,
movement, and
temperament for that
dog breed. Breed standards are not scientific documents, but are written for each breed by
clubs of
hobbyists called
breed clubs for their own specific requirements. Details and definitions within breed standards for a specific dog breed may vary from breed club to breed club and from country to country. Dog breed standards are similar in form and function to
breed standards for other domesticated animals.