General Appearance
|
Symmetrically built, compact, strong, merry, active. Highest on leg and raciest in build of all British land
Spaniels
|
Characteristics
|
Breed is of ancient and pure origin, oldest of sporting Gundogs: original purpose was finding and springing
game for net, falcon or greyhound. Now used to find, flush and retrieve game for the gun.
|
Temperament
|
Friendly, happy disposition, biddable. Timidity or aggression highly undesirable
|
Head and Skull
|
Skull of medium length, fairly broad, slightly rounded, rising from foreface, making a brow or stop, divided
by fluting between eyes, dying away along forehead towards occipital bone which should not be prominent. Cheeks
flat. Foreface of proportionate length to skull, fairly broad and deep, well chiselled below eyes, fairly deep
and square in flew. Nostrils well developed.
|
Eyes
|
Medium size, almond shape, not prominent nor sunken, well set in (not showing haw) alert, kind expression. Dark
hazel. Light eyes undesirable
|
Ears
|
Lobular, good length and width, fairly close to head, set in line with eye. Nicely feathered
|
Mouth
|
Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular & complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower
teeth and set square to the jaws.
|
Neck
|
Good length, strong muscular. Free from throatiness, slightly arched, tapering towards head.
|
Forequarters
|
Forelegs straight and well boned. Shoulders sloping and well laid. Elbows set well to body. Strong flexible
pasterns.
|
Body
|
Strong, neither too long nor too short. Chest deep, well developed. Well sprung ribs. Loin muscular, strong
with slight arch and well coupled.
|
Hindquarters
|
Hindlegs well let down. Stifles and hocks moderately bent. Thighs broad muscular, well developed. Coarse hocks
undesirable
|
Feet
|
Tight, compact, well rounded with strong full pads.
|
Tail
|
Set low, never carried above level of back. Well feathered with lively action. Customarily docked.
|
Gait/Movement
|
Strictly his own, forelegs swing straight forward from shoulder, throwing feet well forward in an easy free
manner. Hocks driving well under body, following in line with forelegs. At slow movement may have a pacing stride
typical of this breed.
|
Coat
|
Close straight and weather resisting, never coarse. Moderate feathering on ears, forelegs, body and hindquarters
|
Colour
|
Liver and white, black and white, or either of these colours with tan markings
|
Size
|
Approximate height 51cm (20 inches)
|
Faults
|
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault
should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree
|
Note
|
Male Animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum
|