SUSSEX SPANIEL

SUSSEX SPANIEL

FCI-Standard N° 127 / 28. 11. 2003 / GB

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 : Massive, strongly built. Active, energetic dog, whose characteristic movement is a decided roll, and unlike that of any other Spaniel.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Natural working ability, gives tongue at work in thick cover. Kindly disposition, aggression highly undesirable.

HEAD : Well balanced.

CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Wide, showing moderate curve from ear to ear, neither flat nor apple headed, with centre indentation. Brows frowning; occiput decided, but not pointed.
Stop : Pronounced.

FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Nostrils well developed and liver in colour.
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.
Eyes : Hazel colour, fairly large, not full, but soft expression and not showing much haw.
Ears : Thick, fairly large and lobular, set moderately low, just above eye level. Lying close to skull.



NECK : Long, strong and slightly arched, not carrying head much above level of back. Slight throatiness, but well marked frill.

BODY : Whole body strong and level with no sign of waistlines from withers to hips.
Back and loin : Well developed and muscular in both width and depth.
Chest : Deep and well developed; not too round and wide. The back ribs must be deep.

TAIL : Customarily docked.
Docked : Set low and never carried above level of back. Lively actioned. Customarily docked to a length from 13-18 cms (5-7 ins).
Undocked : Set low, of medium length, and not carried above the level of the back. It should taper gradually to a point and be moderately feathered.

LIMBS FOREQUARTERS : Legs rather short and strong.
Shoulders : Sloping and free.
Arms : Well boned and muscular.
Pastern joint : Large and strong.
Pasterns : Short and well boned.

HINDQUARTERS : Legs short and strong with good bone. Hindlegs not appearing shorter than forelegs or over angulated.
Thighs : Strongly boned and muscular.
Hocks : Large and strong.

FEET : Round, well padded, well feathered between toes.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : True fore and aft with distinctive roll.




COAT HAIR : Abundant and flat with no tendency to curl and ample undercoat for weather resistance. Ears covered with soft, wavy hair, but not too profuse. Forequarters and hindquarters moderately well feathered. Tail thickly clothed with hair but not feathered.

COLOUR : Rich golden liver and hair shading to golden at tip; gold predominating. Dark liver or puce undesirable.

SIZE AND WEIGHT :
Ideal height at withers : 38-41 cm (15-16 ins).
Weight : Approximately 23 kg (50 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.