The tazh is a breed of hounds that comes from the Middle Asia Republics of the former USSR. This breed is known from time immemorial. The main area of propagation includes Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. Adopted by
All-Union Dog-Breeding Council of Ministry of Agriculture of USSR
23 December 1973
Approved by
Chief Administration for Nature Conservation Reserves, Forest and Hunting Farms of Ministry of Agriculture of USSR
No 19 of 30 April 1980
THE TAZH
The tazh is a breed of hounds that comes from the Middle Asia Republics of the former USSR. This breed is known from time immemorial. The main area of propagation includes Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
The tazh is used for hunting fox, hares, wolves and other animals. It can work Independently as well as together with golden eagles which is especially valued.
The tazh is fast, sharp-eyed, fierce towards wild animals, powerful and capable of manoevre when coursing.
General Appearance. Type of Constitution. The tazh is of middle and above-middle height with a lean-type constitution. The withers height is 60-70 cm for male dogs and 55-65 cm for females. The extension index is 103.
Defects: height below standard, damp, rough, elongated, snub legs.
Colour. White, red and grey of all shades, black of one colour and skewbuld. Only spots of the similar colour are allowed as well as light grey or whitish scorches.
Defects: red shades, spots on body.
Hair. Short, soft, straight; the hair on ears is soft, wavy, elongated and 5 - 6 cm below the ear tips, forming the so-called "felts". There is slight hair hangings on the lower side of the tail. The elongated hair on the back parts of forelegs and hips forms breechings. The hair between toes is rough.
Defects or flaws (according to notlceabllity): long hair all over the body, partially long hair on body sides, on hindleg sides, lack of "felts" or breechings, bushy hanging on the tall, curly hair.
Skin, Muscles and Frame. The skin is thin, elastic with no folds, well-developed muscles, especially on hips, the frame is tough and rather easy.
Defects or flaws (according to noticeability): weak frame or muscles. Rough skeleton.
Head. Lean, wedge-like, elongated with moderately wide sculp, the parietal crest is weakly developed, the occiput is moderately developed, the head has a weakly-defined stop. The muzzle is lean with a slope below, not long, lips are thin fitting tightly to the jaws.
Defects: sharply defined stop, excessively developed cheeks or arcs above the eyebrows, excessively fleshy or hanging down lips.
Ears. Drooping in "felts", set on the eye level or slightly above, thin, 11-14 cm long, slightly protruding on the gristle.
Defects: short, without "Felts", excessively protruding on the gristle.
Eyes. Large with squinting eyelids, brown for any hair colour, the eyelids edges are dark.
Defects: small, sunk of light colour protruding, edges of the eyelids of light colour.
Nose tip. Black, coffee-coloured allowable If the dog's colour is light.
Teeth. Well-developed, white, closed in a level bite.
Defects and flaws: ordinary for all breeds of sporting dogs.
Neck. Long, round or slightly compressed on the sides, sometimes curved upwards a little. Set high.
Defects: raw, short.
Chest. Wide, barrel-like and deep, the rib reaches the elbows.
Defects or flaws (according to noticeability): too narrow, insufficlantly deep, wide open.
Withers. Noticeably defined.
Back. Strait or slightly curved upwards, wide, muscular.
Loins. Short, convex.
Defects or flaws (according to noticeabillty): weakly-defined withers, soft or sagged back, hunchback, straight weak loins.
Crupper. Wide, long, sloping, the pelvis projections are rather noticeable, the width between the haunches is 7 cm for a dog of average height.
Defects or flaws (according to noticeability): narrow, rather steep, short, level.
Betty. Rather domed.
Defects: Sagged.
Forelegs. Lean, straight and parallel when facing them, elbows are directed backwards, forearms are strong, the angle of the shoulder-blade joint is 90-100, the metacarpals are relatively long, slightly sloping.
Defects: short, soft tarsi. Inward or ourward elbows, intoed, X-like carriage.
Hindlegs. When viewing from behind-straight and parallel, set wide; lean, with long levers and well-defined angles of joints, the hocks are well-developed and sharply-defined; the sanks (metatarsus) are long, vertical.
Defects or flaws (according to noticeability): cow's carriage intoed, too narrow, poorly-expressed angles of joints. Dew claws exclude the dog out of breed.
Paws. Oval, slightly elongated, especially, hind paws: toes are close to each other - in a lump, claws are directed to the ground.
Defects or flaws (according to noticeability): small, round, spread out.
Stern (tail). Thin, not long, hangs down sabre-like when the dog is calm, rolled up in a ring or a hook on the end. The tail doesn't reach above the back when the dog moves.
Defects or flaws (according to noticeability): long, thick, no ring or hook on the end.
