Pedigree heading

 

28.10.2009/EN
FCI-Standard N° 125

ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL

Standard Springer

©M.Davidson, illustr. NKU Picture Library

This illustration does not necessarily show the ideal example of the breed.

ORIGIN : Great Britain.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID
STANDARD : 28.07.2009.

UTILIZATION : Flushing dog, Retriever.

FCI-CLASSIFICATION : Group 8 Retrievers-Flushing

Dogs-Water Dogs.
Section 2 Flushing Dogs.
With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : 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.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Symmetrically built, compact,
strong, merry, active. Highest on leg and raciest in build of all British
land Spaniels.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Friendly, happy disposition,
biddable. Timidity or aggression highly undesirable.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION :
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.

FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Nostrils well developed.

Muzzle : Foreface of proportionate length to skull, fairly broad and
deep, well chiselled below eyes.
Lips : Fairly deep and 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.
Cheeks : Flat.
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.

NECK : Good length, strong and muscular, free from throatiness,
slightly arched, tapering towards head.

BODY : Strong, neither too long nor too short.
Loin : Muscular, strong with slight arch and well coupled.
Chest : Deep, well developed. Well sprung ribs.

TAIL : Previously 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.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS :
General appearance : Forelegs straight and well boned.
Shoulder : Sloping and well laid.
Elbow : Set well to body.
Metacarpus (Pastern) : Strong, flexible.
Forefeet : Tight, compact, well rounded, with strong, full pads.

HINDQUARTERS :
General appearance : Hind legs well let down.
Thigh : Broad, muscular, well developed.
Stifle : Moderately bent.
Hock : Moderately bent. Coarse hocks undesirable.
Hind feet : Tight, compact, well rounded, with strong, full pads.

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
Hair : Close, straight and weather resisting, never coarse. Moderate
feathering on ears, forelegs, body and hinquarters.

COLOUR : Liver and white, black and white, or either of these
colours with tan markings.

SIZE AND WEIGHT: Approximate height at withers: 51 cm (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 and on its ability to perform
its traditional work.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS :

• Aggressive or overly shy.
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities
shall be disqualified.
FCI-St. N° 125 / 28.10.2009

N.B.:

• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed
typical conformation should be used for breeding.
FCI-St. N° 125 / 28.10.2009