A patch is a disqualification. Judges new to the breed often dread the possibility that they will be confronted with what could be a patch and not be sure. Well, the revised Standard provides some excellent advice and I will add a few more words. It is appreciably larger than a normal sized spot. Patches are a dense, brilliant color with sharply defined, smooth edges.
Patches are present at birth.
Large color masses formed by intermingling or overlapping spots are not patches. To that advice, I can add that patches usually occur on the ears, around the eyes and less often on the neck, flank, croup and base of the tail. If an ear appears patched, turn the flap over and view the inside. A patched ear will be patched on both surfaces, a spotted ear will not. The Standard advises that color and markings rate 25 points out of a possible 100 and their overall appearance are very important points to be evaluated.