Savant Alaunt Breed Standard
This is a family line in progress.
The Savant Family
What you’re looking at isn’t just a breed type - it’s a culmination of intent The Savant Family of dogs carries forward a philosophy built on clarity of function and respect for tradition. This render and breed standard capture the essence of what we’ve been building: balance, drive, discernment, and the kind of instinct you can’t fake.
This is the blueprint behind the bloodline — where philosophy meets flesh.
Official Standard of the Savant Alaunt
General Appearance
The Savant Alaunt presents as an sporting, durable hound of speed, substance and agility. Symmetrical and balanced in outline, this is a dog built for the chase - lean, firm, and capable of sustained performance over distance. The Alaunt represents a strong, muscular and active hound - handsome, upstanding and athletic while remaining capable of great speed, and a fair (good) amount of endurance. Of even and dignified temperament, they are devoted and affectionate towards their handlers, reserved with strangers. Males appear robust and commanding; females show refinement, lightness, and efficiency.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The ideal Alaunt is longer than tall, rectangularly built with clean lines and a physique optimized for speed and endurance, not bulk. Structure must be strong, well muscled but never heavy. Substance should support function — bone, muscle, structure geared for the chase rather than mass. Size alone should never take precedence over type, balance, soundness and temperment. It should be noted that too small dogs generally lack the power, and too large dogs, the agility and maneuverability, desired in the working dog. Dogs - 27-29 inches in height; Bitches 26-28” in height. Desirable weight - Dogs - 90lbs -110lbs. Bitches - 80-100lbs.
Head
Skull & Stop — Head of fair length, skull flat and broad between the ears. Resembling an elongated wedge. Cheeks are well developed and enhance head appearance. A slight wrinkle when in repose is acceptable, indicative of mastiff influence. The stop is slight rather than pronounced, maintaining a fluid line from skull into muzzle.
Eyes — Moderately well apart, round or oval shaped, moderately deep set, bright, and expressive — intelligence and composure should shine. Tight fitting lids. Their color harmonizing with the pigmentation of the dog.
Ears — Set high and cropped short; alert when engaged.
Muzzle — Long, deep, and powerful; clean lips and closely fitting jaws. Pendulous or loose flews are a fault. A clear face with black or brown/liver/flesh pigmentation only on nose, lips and around the eyes, or a masked face with black or brown/liver/flesh pigmentation is correct. A darker ear often accompanies the darker masked dog. Nose – Should be black, or brown/liver/flesh color keeping with the color of the dog. A black nose should be accompanied by dark eyes, a brown/liver/flesh nose with amber eyes. A dudley nose is acceptable. No other colored nose is permissible.
Bite & Dentition — Jaws level and strong - powerful and well formed. Disqualifying Faults - Overshot or undershot. Full complement of sound white teeth (6/6 incisors, 2/2 canine, 8/8 premolars, 4/6 molars) all well developed, and deeply rooted. A scissor bite is required.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck — Fairly long, muscular, with a slight arch to carry the head on high, rising free and light from the shoulders, strong in substance yet not loaded. Slight throatiness is permitted, and should be harmoniously balanced with the rest of the dog.
Topline & Loin — The back is moderately long firm and powerful, with strong, slightly arched loins to support endurance and propulsion. Defects - very long or swayed or roached back. Flat, narrow loins.
Chest — Deep and capacious, never wide or barrel-like. Ribs moderately sprung to allow lung room without bulk. Defects - Chest disproportionally wide or with lack of depth. Flat ribs.
Tail — Strong at the root, tapering toward the tip. In motion, carried with a gentle curve upward; never curled over the back or excessively high.
Forequarters
Shoulders — Long, sloping, clean, and muscular — built for reach, stride, and efficiency. Not heavy or loaded-conveying the idea of freedom of action with activity and strength.
Elbows — Close to body. Defects - Out elbows or knees knuckled over forward, or bent backwards.
Forelegs — Straight, strong, moderate bone. Straight from the elbows to the feet. Pasterns firm yet slightly flexible to absorb impact, and may be slightly sloping. Defects - Straight, upright shoulders. Crooked Forelegs.
Feet (Front) — Hard, close, more hare than cat. Well-knuckled toes, tight and resilient pads, strong claws. Weight should be evenly distributed between heel pad and toes. Defects - Feet long, open or spreading.
Hindquarters
Musculature — Clean, well-defined, without excessive bulk. Powerful second thighs.
Hocks — Well let down, firm, providing drive and propulsion.
Rear Feet — Matching the front in structure and strength — hard, compact, well-arched, with weight evenly distributed between heel pad and toes.
Gait
At the trot, the Alaunt moves with a level topline, efficient, long and unrestricted strides. Reach in the forequarters balanced by drive from the rear — harmony, rhythm, and endurance define proper movement. At sustained work or chase, the dog should maintain extension and power without breakdown. The importance of correct gait is acknowledged and highly desired as an indication of proper structure. The judge should remember that it is not our task to pick out the best mover, but the best representation of type.
Coat
Short, dense, sleek, and glossy. Never woolly, silky, or loose. Durability and protection in modest coverage are priorities.
Color
Allowed colors include brindle, seal, black, and various shades of fawn, red or liver, with minimal white on chest or toes permissible. Excessive white (on belly, above toes, or widespread on limbs) is undesirable. Dilute colors are considered disqualifications.
Pattern
Brindle can occur with or without a mask. All shades and expression of fawn are permissible. Urajiro is sometimes seen and is not a fault.
Disqualifications & Faults
Disqualifications
Merle, piebald, tan points, ticking and roan are unacceptable color patterns.
Dilution (Blue, Blue Fawn/Formintino, Isabella) or excessive white beyond minimal allowances is a disqualification.
Structural failures (e.g. split nose, undershot bite, sway or roach back, straight stifled, severe oversize, understructure, lack of musculature)
Serious Faults
Poor head type - that is blocky as opposed to an elongated wedge shape.
Weak or excessively straight shoulders.
Poor movement (inefficient, choppy gait).
Loose or weak topline.
Pendulous lips or poor muzzle structure.
Flat footed or splayed feet.
Temperament
Alaunts are confident, controlled, and wise. They are alert and responsive, loyal yet independent. With strangers they are reserved; with their handler, they show devotion and disciplined purpose. Courage is evident, but not aggression without cause.