English cocker spaniel is a merry, sturdy, sporting; well balanced; compact; measuring approximately same from withers to ground as from withers to root of tail.
FCI-Standard N° 5 / 28. 11. 2003 / GB
ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL
ORIGIN : Great Britain.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 29.10.2003.
UTILIZATION : Flushing dog.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 8 Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs.
Section 2 Flushing dogs.
With working trial.
GENERAL APPEARANCE : Merry, sturdy, sporting; well balanced; compact; measuring approximately same from withers to ground as from withers to root of tail.
BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Merry nature with ever-wagging tail shows a typical bustling movement, particularly when following scent, fearless of heavy cover. Gentle and affectionate, yet full of life and exuberance.
HEAD
CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Well developed, cleanly chiselled, neither too fine nor too coarse.
Stop : Distinct, set midway between tip of nose and occiput.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Sufficiently wide for acute scenting power.
Muzzle : Square.
Jaws/Teeth : Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Cheek : Not prominent.
Eyes : Full, but not prominent. Dark brown or brown, never light, but in the case of liver, liver roan and liver and white, dark hazel to harmonize with coat; with expression of intelligence and gentleness but wide awake, bright and merry; rims tight.
Ears : Lobular, set low on level with eyes. Fine leathers extending to nose tip. Well clothed with long, straight silky hair.
NECK : Moderate in length, muscular. Set neatly into fine sloping shoulders. Clean throat.
BODY : Strong, compact.
Topline : Firm, level, gently sloping downwards to tail from end of loin to set on of tail.
Loin : Short, wide.
Chest : Well developed and brisket deep; neither too wide nor too narrow in front. Ribs well sprung.
TAIL : Set on slightly lower than line of back. Must be merry in action and carried level, never cocked up. Customarily docked.
Docked : Never too short to hide, nor too long to interfere with, the incessant merry action when working.
Undocked : Slightly curved, of moderate length, proportionate to size of body giving an overall balanced appearance; ideally not reaching below the hock. Strong at the root and tapering to a fine tip; well feathered in keeping with the coat. Lively in action, carried on a plane not higher than level of back and never so low as to indicate timidity.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS : Legs well boned, straight, sufficiently short for concentrated power. Not too short to interfere with tremendous exertions expected from this grand, sporting dog.
Shoulders : Sloping and fine.
HINDQUARTERS : Wide, well rounded, very muscular; legs well boned.
Stifle : Good bend.
Hock : Short below the hock joint, allowing plenty of drive.
FEET : Firm, thickly padded, cat-like.
GAIT / MOVEMENT : True through action with great drive covering ground well.
COAT
HAIR : Flat, silky in texture, never wiry or wavy, not too profuse and never curly. Well feathered forelegs, body and hindlegs above hocks.
COLOUR : Various. In self colours no white allowed except on chest.
SIZE AND WEIGHT :
Height approximately : dogs 39 - 41 cm (15 1/2 - 16 ins);
bitches 38 - 39 cm (15 - 15 1/2 ins).
Weight approximately 12,5 - 14,5 kg (28 - 32 lbs).
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.
Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
This amended breed standard will become effective from April 2004.
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