General Appearance:
The Mi-Ki should give the appearance of a small well-balanced dog, light in bone, non-coarse, with winged or down ears and a long flowing coat topped by a full plumed tail. A good specimen of the breed has dignity and a proud head carriage.
The intelligence is notable in the Mi-Ki's alert, yet calm, expression. The Mi-Ki is a sweet dog that acts neither dull nor ill-tempered. The Mi-Ki is a devoted companion dog. The Mi-Ki is truly an elegant dog, with a graceful, stylish bearing.
The following description is that of the ideal Mi-Ki. Any deviation from this ideal dog is to be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Health, structural and movement faults can be common to all toy dogs are as undesirable in the Mi-Ki as in any other breed, even though they are not specifically mentioned herein.

SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE:
Height: Adult dogs are not to exceed 10 inches at the withers.
Fault: over 10 inches at the withers.

Weight: Adult dogs are not to exceed 10 pounds. Smaller sized Mi-Kis are the most desirable, but never at the expense of balance, structure, and correct gait.
Fault: over 10 pounds

Proportion: Adult dogs are slightly longer than tall when measured from the point of shoulder to point of buttocks and from withers to ground.

Substance: Adult dogs are of good substance which is determined by spring of rib, level back or topline, firm shoulders

HEAD:
Skull: The skull should be small with a medium width, rounded in front and between the ears.
Fault: Large and disproportionate to the rest of the body.

Stop: The stop (the region where the muzzle joins the skull) should be well defined at a 90 degree angle.
Fault: if the stop is not well defined

Forehead: The forehead and face are smooth and free of wrinkles.
Fault: Flat or domed forehead.

Muzzle: The muzzle should be no longer than 1/4 of the length of the head from the base of the skull to the stop. The shape of the muzzle should be square with no wrinkles. The top of the muzzle is flat, and the bridge, in profile, is straight.
Explanation of Muzzle
Fault: A muzzle longer than the formula. A fine muzzle, abruptly thinner than the head, tapering to the nose. Wrinkled muzzle. Pinched nostrils. Color of nose other than black on a white coated dog.

Nose: The nose leather should be of medium size, flat on top, and black in color. Black is preferred, but can be self-colored on brown on lighter coated dogs. Must be black on white coated dogs.
Fault: White coated dogs that don’t have black nose leather.

Bite: The bite is to be even or level, slightly undershot bite is most desirable, but most definitely not overshot.
Fault: Overshot bite or an extremely undershot bite with teeth showing when mouth is closed. Missing teeth or retained baby teeth at maturity.

Eyes: The eyes are large and round, set well apart. Dark brown is most desirable, blue eye color with a blue colored coat, brown or ruby eye color with a brown colored coat. Self colored eye ring is acceptable in brown and light colored dogs.
Fault: Eyes and eye rings colored other than dark color on a dark or white coated dog.

Ears: The most preferred ears should be set slightly below the crown of the skull and carried at such an angle that they wing out, slightly from the head. The hair on the ears should be feathered. A heavily coated ear that measurably wings out when excited or alert is also acceptable.
Fault: Ears placed on top of head pointing up. Scant amount of hair on ears.

Expression: The expression should be soft and it should reflect the characteristics of the breed: devotion, intelligence, and gentleness.

NECK, TOPLINE, BODY
Neck: The neck should set well on the shoulders, be of medium length and is long enough for proud head carriage, and thickness is to be proportionate to both the shoulders and head.
Fault: Extremely long or too thick neck.

Back: The back is strong, muscular and is level from just behind the withers to the hindquarters and should be square to slightly longer than the height.
Fault: Exceedingly long, roached or sagging back.

Chest: The chest is full with the lower forequarter reaching at least down to the elbows.
Fault: Chest is not to be proportionate to the rest of the forequarters.

Ribs: The ribs are well sprung, not barreled, with ample tapering to allow for proper elbow movement.
Fault: Ribs that have a barreled appearance

Tail: The tail is broader at the base and strong reaching to the hock. When the dog is in motion or excited, the tail is carried curved over the back. The tail is to be heavily plumed.
Fault: Low set, straight tail, or a plumage that lacks in hair

FOREQUARTERS, HINDQUARTERS
Forelegs: The forelegs are muscular, straight, fine boned, and parallel to each other.

Shoulders: The shoulders are slightly laid back.

Elbows: The elbows set close to the body pointing directly to the rear. The distance from elbow to ground equals about half the dog's height.

Pasterns: The pasterns are strong and slightly sloping.

Feet: The feet are proportionate to the body in size and are straight to minutely set outward.

Toes: The toes are straight

Dewclaws: Front dewclaws may be removed if desired.

Hind Legs: The hind legs are fine boned and parallel to slightly angled outward when viewed from behind, but not excessively angled.

Stifles and Hocks: The stifles are bent and the line from hock to ground is perpendicular. Hocks are well let down.

Feet: The hind feet are proportionate to the body in size and are straight.

Toes: The toes same as on forefeet. Dew claws must be removed.
Fault: Bowlegged forelimbs, feet, sharply angled outward. Hind legs excessively turned in or out. Dewclaws present on hind legs.

COAT AND COLOR
Coat: The coat is long, flowing, and either cottony or silky, both are acceptable. The silky/straighter coat is the preferred coat type. The less preferred cottony coat may be slightly wavy. The coat covers entire body including the face and legs. Hair on the face and muzzle can be long if left to grow. Most Mi-Kis are trimmed to keep the hair short on the head, neck, muzzle and feet. The Mi-Ki has hair not fur, with no undercoat making it hypoallergenic and non-shedding. The long coat hangs gracefully over the sides of the body and flows with movement.
Fault: Short coat, undercoat of any type and curly, wiry or wooly.

Color: The color is always secondary to type, structure, and soundness. All colors and variations of color are permissible. The rarest of the colors are the solid Sable Reds, solid Blues, and the Tri-color, being characterized by a primarily black and white body color with tan or red spots above the eyes, and on both cheeks.

TEMPERAMENT AND GAIT
Temperament: The Mi-Ki is trusting, affectionate, playful, alert, friendly, sensitive, and intelligent. They are wonderful with children and other animals. Being neither shy nor aggressive they are among the gentlest mannered of all the toy breeds. The Mi-Ki is not a ‘yappy’ dog and is responsive to those it knows and loves. They are not known to be reserved with strangers, or in new situations, however they will alert the household when something is amiss. They continue to be excellent therapy dogs. These characteristics are the most important characteristics of the breed.
Fault: Aggression, excessive shyness or nervousness.

Gait: The Mi-Ki in motion has good reach and drive with free flowing action, and when viewed from the front and rear, is straight and true. Gait is light, smooth and rhythmic, covering the maximum amount of ground with the minimum number of steps. Forelegs and hind legs travel in a straight line. As the dog's speed increases, the legs tend toward single tracking. When moving, a beautiful flowing coat is characteristic of the breed. Essential to good movement is the balance of correct front and rear assemblies.
Fault: Heavy in movement, incorrect tracking, and incorrect balance.

STATEMENT ON FAULTS
Any departure from the Standard is considered a fault. The seriousness with which the fault should be regarded, should be in exact proportion to the degree of he fault under consideration.

Disqualifications for Conformation Shows
1. Male dogs that do not have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
2. Neutered/Spayed dogs
3. Head and feet unshaven for showing. Top knot or any other cut.
4. Bad temper and meanness are not to be tolerated and are to be severely penalized as to remove the dog from competition.
5. More than 10 inches in height at the shoulder/wither.
6. Any dog, lame, limping, deaf or blind.
7. Docked tails.