DESCRIPTION OF THE SUSSEX SPANIEL 1991
- Skull
- The Skull should be wide and show a moderate curve from ear to ear, neither flat nor apple-headed, with centre indentation and a pronounced stop. Brows frowning - occiput decided, but not pointed. A well balanced head is about 8½ inches from nose to occiput.
- Foreface
- Strong, finishing in a deep square muzzle, lips not too pendulous. Nostrils wide and well developed and liver colour.
- Eyes
- Hazel colour, fairly large, not too full but soft in expression, and not showing the haw overmuch.
- Ears
- Thick, fairly large and lobe-shape, set moderately low but above eye level. Should lie closely - hair soft and wavy but not too profuse.
- Neck
- Reachy, muscular, and not carrying the head much above the line of back, not too throaty, but good frill.
- Shoulders and Chest
- Former sloping, not too fine to bring fore action too close, chest deep and roomy giving a good girth. A fair shoulder height for a 45lb. Sussex dog is 16 inches. Bitches should be 15½ inches and weigh not less than 40lbs.
- Body
- Back and loin well developed and muscular with good depth of ribs which should be carried well back, though not too far to interfere with movements of stifle joints. The whole body should be level with no sign of waistiness from withers to hips, and longer, relatively, than in any other spaniel variety. A fair body outline for a 45lb dog 16 inches at shoulders, is 17 inches from withers to root of tail. On this basis, nose to root of tail should be 33 inches - i.e. nose to stop, 3½ inches - stop to occiput, 5 inches - occiput to withers (neck measurement), 7½ inches.
- Mouth
- Strong and level, neither overshot nor undershot, with a scissor bite.
- Legs and Feet
- Heavily boned with strong muscular arms and thighs. Forelegs straight and nicely feathered, and pasterns short. Stifles with sufficient angularity to give freedom and power in hind movements. Liberal hair growth on breaching and not too profuse below hocks.
- Feet
- circular and well padded, and well feathered between toes.
- Tail
- Set low, and not carried above the level of the back. Free actioned and thickly clothed with hair, but no feather. Customarily docked to a length of 5-7 ins
- Coat
- Abundant and flat, fine in texture (not woolly) with ample under-coat for weather resistance.
- Colour
- Rich golden liver, hair shading to a golden tinge towards the tips, the gold predominating.
- General Appearance
- Massive, and strongly built,
- Weight
-
Not less than 45lbs. Dogs.
Not less than 40lbs. Bitches. - An active, energetic, strong dog, whose characteristic movement is a decided roll.
JUDGING POINTS
Head............................................
15
Tail.............................................
5
Eyes...............................................
5
Legs & Feet.............................
15
Ears................................................
5
Coat............................................
5
Neck..............................................
5
Colour......................................
15
Shoulders & Chest....................
10
General Appearance...............
10
Body............................................
10
Self-appointed "body-guard" and a grand worker
who is happiest out of doors is "The Sussex Spaniel"
© SUSSEX SPANIEL ASSOCIATION
