Blackening in patches is undesirable. Although allowance should be made for females and young males, absence of blackening in mature dogs is a serious fault. Washed out, predominant color, such as cream or gray is to be severely penalized. Chest is normally black, but may be a mixture of black and gray. A single white patch is permitted on the chest, not to extend to the neck or breast.
Face has a black mask and the ears are mostly black.
A face with a complete absence of black is a serious fault. Frost or white on chin or muzzle is normal. The underparts of the body, tail, and breeches are cream, gray, or light beige. The tail typically has a darker or black tip. Nail color may vary from black to transparent.