Breed standard

A breed standard is the description of an ideal member of an individual that is a pedigreed member of a domestic breed. The breed standard specifies what is allowable in a member of the breed, and what features disqualify it from being shown. In animals such as poultry, cattle, and other livestock, the synonym "bench standard" is often used.

Many domestic animals exhibit sexual dimorphism. That term literally means "two body types- one for each sex". So, for example, the minimum height of a female Great Dane is shorter than for a male, because male dogs are generally larger than females. The breed standard for Great Danes is written a bit differently for males and females.