About English Springer Spaniel.
The Breed Standard
This standard is produced by kind
permission of The Kennel Club who are owner of the copyright.
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 origins, 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 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
the eyes, dying away along forehead towards occiputal 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 shaped, 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 and complete
scissor bite, i.e. Upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set
square to the jaws.
NECK
Good length, strong and muscular, free from throatiness,
slightly arched, tapering towards head.
BODY
Strong, neither too long nor too short. Chest deep,
well developed. Well sprung ribs. Loin muscular, strong with slight
arch and well coupled.
FOREQUARTERS
Forelegs straight and well boned. Shoulders sloping and
well laid. Elbows set well to body. Strong flexible pasterns.
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. Docked: Set low, never carried
above level of back. Well feathered with lively action. Undocked: Set
low, never carried above level of back. Well feathered with lively action.
In balance with the rest of the dog.
GAIT / MOVEMENT
Strictly his own. Forelegs swing straight forward from
the shoulder, throwing the 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: 51 cms (20 ins).
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 and its effect upon the
health and welfare of the dog.
NOTE
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles
fully decended into the scrotum.