OFFICIAL STANDARD FOR THE
ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The English Springer Spaniel is a
medium-sized sporting dog, with a
compact body and a docked tail.
His coat is moderately long, with
feathering on his legs, ears, chest
and brisket. His pendulous ears,
soft gentle expression, sturdy
build and friendly wagging tail
proclaim him unmistakably a
member of the ancient family of
Spaniels. He is above all a
well-proportioned dog, free from
exaggeration, nicely balanced in
every part. His carriage is proud
and upstanding, body deep, legs
strong and muscular, with enough
length to carry him with ease.
Taken as a whole, the English
Springer Spaniel suggests power,
endurance and agility. He looks
the part of a dog that can go, and
keep going, under difficult hunting
conditions. At his best, he is
endowed with style, symmetry,
balance and enthusiasm, and is
every inch a sporting dog of
distinct spaniel character,
combining beauty and utility.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE
The Springer is built to cover
rough ground with agility and
reasonable speed. His structure
suggests the capacity for
endurance. He is to be kept to
medium size. Ideal height at the
shoulder for dogs is 20 inches; for
bitches, it is 19 inches. Those
more than one inch under or over
the breed ideal are to be faulted. A
20 inch dog, well-proportioned and
in good condition, will weigh
approximately 50 pounds; a 19 inch
bitch will weigh approximately 40
pounds. The length of the body
(measured from point of shoulder
to point of buttocks) is slightly
greater than the height at the
withers. The dog too long in body,
especially when long in loin, tires
easily and lacks the compact
outline characteristic of the breed.
A dog too short in body for the
length of his legs, a condition
which destroys balance and
restricts gait, is equally
undesirable. A Springer with
correct substance appears
well-knit and sturdy with good
bone, however, he is never coarse
or ponderous.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
HEAD
The head is impressive without
being heavy. Its beauty lies in a
combination of strength and
refinement. It is important that its
size and proportion be in balance
with the rest of the dog. Viewed in
profile, the head appears
approximately the same length as
the neck and blends with the body
in substance. The stop, eyebrows
and chiseling of the bony structure
around the eye sockets contribute
to the Springer's beautiful and
characteristic expression, which is
alert, kindly and trusting. The eyes,
more than any other feature, are
the essence of the Springers
appeal. Correct size, shape,
placement and color influence
expression and attractiveness.
The eyes are of medium size and
oval in shape, set rather well-apart
and fairly deep in their sockets.
The color of the iris harmonizes
with the color of the coat,
preferably dark hazel in the liver
and white dogs and black or deep
brown in the black and white dogs.
Eyerims are fully pigmented and
match the coat in color. Lids are
tight with little or no haw showing.
Eyes that are small, round or
protruding, as well as eyes that are
yellow or brassy in color, are
highly undesirable. Ears are long
and fairly wide, hanging close to
the cheeks with no tendency to
stand up or out. The ear leather is
thin and approximately long
enough to reach the tip of the
nose. Correct ear set is on a level
with the eye and not too far back
on the skull. The skull is
medium-length and fairly broad,
flat on top and slightly rounded at
the sides and back. The occipient
bone is inconspicuous. As the
skull rises from the foreface, it
makes a stop, divided by a groove,
or fluting, between the eyes. The
groove disappears as it reaches
the middle of the forehead. The
amount of stop is moderate. It
must not be a pronounced feature;
rather it is a subtle rise where the
muzzle joins the upper head. it is
emphasized by the groove and by
the position and shape of the
eyebrows, which are
well-developed. The muzzle is
approximately the same length as
the skull and one half the width of
the skull. Viewed in profile, the two
lines of the skull and muzzle lie in
approximately parallel planes. The
nasal bone is straight, with no
inclination downward toward the
tip of the nose, the latter giving an
undesirable downfaced look.
Neither is the nasal bone concave,
resulting in a "dish-faced" profile;
nor convex, giving the dog a
Roman nose. The cheeks are flat,
and the face is well-chiseled under
the eyes. Jaws are of sufficient
length to allow the dog to carry
game easily: fairly square, lean and
strong. The upper lips curve down
full and rather square to cover the
line of the lower jaw; however, the
lips are never pendulous or
exaggerated. The nose is
fully-pigmented, liver or black in
color, depending on the color of
the coat. The nostrils are
well-opened and broad. Teeth are
strong, clean, of good size and
ideally meet in a close scissors
bite. An even bite or one or two
incisors slightly out of line are
minor faults. Undershot, overshot
and wry jaws are serious faults and
are to be severely penalized.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
NECK, TOPLINE, BODY
The neck is moderately long,
muscular, clean and slightly
arched at the crest. It blends
gradually and smoothly into
sloping shoulders. The portion of
the topline from withers to tail is
firm and slopes very gently. The
body is short-coupled, strong and
compact. The chest is deep,
reaching the level of the elbows,
with well developed forechest;
however, it is not so wide or round
as to interfere with the action of
the front legs. Ribs are fairly long,
springing gradually to the middle
of the body, then tapering as they
approach the end of the ribbed
section. The underline stays level
with the elbows to a slight upcurve
at the flank. The back is straight,
strong and essentially level. Loins
are strong, short and slightly
arched. Hips are nicely-rounded,
blending smoothly into the hind
legs. The croup slopes gently to
the set of the tail, and tail-set
follows the natural line of the
croup. The tail is carried
horizontally or slightly elevated
and displays a characteristic lively,
merry action, particularly when the
dog is on game. A clamped tail
(indicating timidity or
undependable temperament) is to
be faulted, as is a tail carried at a
right angle to the backline in
Terrier fashion.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
FOREQUARTERS
Efficient movement in front calls
for proper forequarter assembly.
The shoulder blades are flat and
fairly close together at the tips,
moulding smoothly into the
contour of the body. Ideally, when
measured from the top of the
withers to the point of the
shoulder to the elbow, the
shoulder blade and upper arm are
of apparent equal length, forming
an angle of nearly 90 degrees; this
sets the front legs well under the
body and places the elbows
directly beneath the tips of the
shoulder blades. Elbows lie close
to the body. Forelegs are straight
with the same degree of size
continuing to the foot. Bone is
strong, slightly flattened, not too
round or too heavy. Pasterns are
short, strong and slightly sloping,
with no suggestion of weakness.
Dewclaws are usually removed.
Feet are round or slightly oval.
They are compact and well-arched,
of medium size with thick pads,
and well-feathered between the
toes.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
HINDQUARTERS
The Springer should be worked
and shown in hard, muscular
condition with well-developed hips
and thighs. His whole rear
assembly suggests strength and
driving power. Thighs are broad
and muscular. Stifle joints are
strong. For functional efficiency,
the angulation of the hindquarter
is never greater than that of the
forequarter, and not appreciably
less. The hock joints are somewhat
rounded, not small and sharp in
contour. Rear pasterns are short
(about 1/3 the distance from the
hip joint to the root) and strong,
with good bone. When viewed
from behind, the rear pasterns are
parallel. Dewclaws are usually
removed. The feet are the same as
in front, except that they are
smaller and often more compact.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
COAT
The Springer has an outer coat
and an undercoat. Oh the body,
the outer coat is of medium length,
flat or wavy, and is easily
distinguishable from the
undercoat, which is short, soft and
dense. The quantity of undercoat
is affected by climate and season.
When in combination, outer coat
and undercoat serve to make the
dog substantially waterproof,
weatherproof and thornproof. On
ears, chest, legs and belly the
Springer is- nicely furnished with a
fringe or feathering of moderate
length and heaviness. On the
head, front of the forelegs, and
below the hock joints on the front
of the hind legs, the hair is short
and fine. The coat has the clean,
glossy, "live" appearance
indicative of good health. It is
legitimate to trim about the head,
ears, neck and feet, to remove
dead undercoat, and to thin and
shorten excess feathering as
required to enhance a smart,
functional appearance. The tail
may be trimmed, or well fringed
with wavy feathering. Above all,
the appearance should he natural.
Overtrimming, especially of the
body coat, or any chopped,
barbered or artificial effect is to be
penalized in the show ring, as is
excessive feathering that destroys
the clean outline desirable in a
sporting dog. Correct quality and
condition of coat is to take
precedence over quantity of coat.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
COLOR
All of the following combinations of
colors and markings are equally
acceptable: (1) Black or liver with
white markings or predominantly
white with black or liver markings;
(2) Blue or liver roan: (3) Tricolor:
black and white or liver and white
with tan markings, usually found
on eyebrows. cheeks, inside of
ears and under the tail. Any white
portion of the coat may be flecked
with ticking. Off colors such as
lemon, red or orange are not to
place.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
GAIT
The final test of the Springer's
conformation and soundness is
proper movement. Balance is a
prerequisite to good movement.
The front and rear assemblies
must be equivalent in angulation
and muscular development for the
gait to be smooth and effortless.
Shoulders which are well laid-back
to permit a long stride are just as
essential as the excellent rear
quarters that provide driving
power. Seen from the side, the
Springer exhibits a long,
ground-covering stride and
carries a firm back, with no
tendency to dip, roach or roll from
side to side. From the front, the
legs swing forward in a free and
easy manner. Elbows have free
action from the shoulders, and the
legs show no tendency to cross or
interfere. From behind, the rear
legs reach well under the body,
following on a line with the
forelegs. As speed increases,
there is a natural tendency for the
legs to converge toward a center
line of travel. Movement faults
include high stepping, wasted
motion; short, choppy stride;
crabbing; and moving with the feet
wide, the latter giving roll or swing
to the body.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
TEMPERAMENT
The typical Springer is friendly,
eager to please, quick to learn and
willing to obey. Such traits are
conducive to tractability, which is
essential for appropriate handler
control in the field. In the show
ring, he should exhibit poise and
attentiveness and permit himself
to be examined by the judge
without resentment or cringing.
Aggression toward people and
aggression toward other dogs is
not in keeping with sporting dog
character and purpose and is not
acceptable. Excessive timidity,
with due allowance for puppies
and novice exhibits, is to be
equally penalized.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
SUMMARY
In evaluating the English Springer
Spaniel, the overall picture is a
primary consideration. One should
look for type, which includes
general appearance and outline,
and also for soundness, which
includes movement and
temperament. Inasmuch as the dog
with a smooth easy gait must be
reasonably sound and
well-balanced, he is to be highly
regarded, however, not to the
extent of forgiving him for not
looking like an English Springer
Spaniel. An atypical dog, too short
or long in leg length or foreign in
head or expression, may move
well, hut he is not to be preferred
over a good all-round specimen
that has a minor fault in movement.
It must be remembered that the
English Springer Spaniel is first
and foremost a sporting dog of the
Spaniel family, and he must look,
behave and move in character.
ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The English Springer Spaniel is a
medium-sized sporting dog, with a
compact body and a docked tail.
His coat is moderately long, with
feathering on his legs, ears, chest
and brisket. His pendulous ears,
soft gentle expression, sturdy
build and friendly wagging tail
proclaim him unmistakably a
member of the ancient family of
Spaniels. He is above all a
well-proportioned dog, free from
exaggeration, nicely balanced in
every part. His carriage is proud
and upstanding, body deep, legs
strong and muscular, with enough
length to carry him with ease.
Taken as a whole, the English
Springer Spaniel suggests power,
endurance and agility. He looks
the part of a dog that can go, and
keep going, under difficult hunting
conditions. At his best, he is
endowed with style, symmetry,
balance and enthusiasm, and is
every inch a sporting dog of
distinct spaniel character,
combining beauty and utility.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE
The Springer is built to cover
rough ground with agility and
reasonable speed. His structure
suggests the capacity for
endurance. He is to be kept to
medium size. Ideal height at the
shoulder for dogs is 20 inches; for
bitches, it is 19 inches. Those
more than one inch under or over
the breed ideal are to be faulted. A
20 inch dog, well-proportioned and
in good condition, will weigh
approximately 50 pounds; a 19 inch
bitch will weigh approximately 40
pounds. The length of the body
(measured from point of shoulder
to point of buttocks) is slightly
greater than the height at the
withers. The dog too long in body,
especially when long in loin, tires
easily and lacks the compact
outline characteristic of the breed.
A dog too short in body for the
length of his legs, a condition
which destroys balance and
restricts gait, is equally
undesirable. A Springer with
correct substance appears
well-knit and sturdy with good
bone, however, he is never coarse
or ponderous.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
HEAD
The head is impressive without
being heavy. Its beauty lies in a
combination of strength and
refinement. It is important that its
size and proportion be in balance
with the rest of the dog. Viewed in
profile, the head appears
approximately the same length as
the neck and blends with the body
in substance. The stop, eyebrows
and chiseling of the bony structure
around the eye sockets contribute
to the Springer's beautiful and
characteristic expression, which is
alert, kindly and trusting. The eyes,
more than any other feature, are
the essence of the Springers
appeal. Correct size, shape,
placement and color influence
expression and attractiveness.
The eyes are of medium size and
oval in shape, set rather well-apart
and fairly deep in their sockets.
The color of the iris harmonizes
with the color of the coat,
preferably dark hazel in the liver
and white dogs and black or deep
brown in the black and white dogs.
Eyerims are fully pigmented and
match the coat in color. Lids are
tight with little or no haw showing.
Eyes that are small, round or
protruding, as well as eyes that are
yellow or brassy in color, are
highly undesirable. Ears are long
and fairly wide, hanging close to
the cheeks with no tendency to
stand up or out. The ear leather is
thin and approximately long
enough to reach the tip of the
nose. Correct ear set is on a level
with the eye and not too far back
on the skull. The skull is
medium-length and fairly broad,
flat on top and slightly rounded at
the sides and back. The occipient
bone is inconspicuous. As the
skull rises from the foreface, it
makes a stop, divided by a groove,
or fluting, between the eyes. The
groove disappears as it reaches
the middle of the forehead. The
amount of stop is moderate. It
must not be a pronounced feature;
rather it is a subtle rise where the
muzzle joins the upper head. it is
emphasized by the groove and by
the position and shape of the
eyebrows, which are
well-developed. The muzzle is
approximately the same length as
the skull and one half the width of
the skull. Viewed in profile, the two
lines of the skull and muzzle lie in
approximately parallel planes. The
nasal bone is straight, with no
inclination downward toward the
tip of the nose, the latter giving an
undesirable downfaced look.
Neither is the nasal bone concave,
resulting in a "dish-faced" profile;
nor convex, giving the dog a
Roman nose. The cheeks are flat,
and the face is well-chiseled under
the eyes. Jaws are of sufficient
length to allow the dog to carry
game easily: fairly square, lean and
strong. The upper lips curve down
full and rather square to cover the
line of the lower jaw; however, the
lips are never pendulous or
exaggerated. The nose is
fully-pigmented, liver or black in
color, depending on the color of
the coat. The nostrils are
well-opened and broad. Teeth are
strong, clean, of good size and
ideally meet in a close scissors
bite. An even bite or one or two
incisors slightly out of line are
minor faults. Undershot, overshot
and wry jaws are serious faults and
are to be severely penalized.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
NECK, TOPLINE, BODY
The neck is moderately long,
muscular, clean and slightly
arched at the crest. It blends
gradually and smoothly into
sloping shoulders. The portion of
the topline from withers to tail is
firm and slopes very gently. The
body is short-coupled, strong and
compact. The chest is deep,
reaching the level of the elbows,
with well developed forechest;
however, it is not so wide or round
as to interfere with the action of
the front legs. Ribs are fairly long,
springing gradually to the middle
of the body, then tapering as they
approach the end of the ribbed
section. The underline stays level
with the elbows to a slight upcurve
at the flank. The back is straight,
strong and essentially level. Loins
are strong, short and slightly
arched. Hips are nicely-rounded,
blending smoothly into the hind
legs. The croup slopes gently to
the set of the tail, and tail-set
follows the natural line of the
croup. The tail is carried
horizontally or slightly elevated
and displays a characteristic lively,
merry action, particularly when the
dog is on game. A clamped tail
(indicating timidity or
undependable temperament) is to
be faulted, as is a tail carried at a
right angle to the backline in
Terrier fashion.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
FOREQUARTERS
Efficient movement in front calls
for proper forequarter assembly.
The shoulder blades are flat and
fairly close together at the tips,
moulding smoothly into the
contour of the body. Ideally, when
measured from the top of the
withers to the point of the
shoulder to the elbow, the
shoulder blade and upper arm are
of apparent equal length, forming
an angle of nearly 90 degrees; this
sets the front legs well under the
body and places the elbows
directly beneath the tips of the
shoulder blades. Elbows lie close
to the body. Forelegs are straight
with the same degree of size
continuing to the foot. Bone is
strong, slightly flattened, not too
round or too heavy. Pasterns are
short, strong and slightly sloping,
with no suggestion of weakness.
Dewclaws are usually removed.
Feet are round or slightly oval.
They are compact and well-arched,
of medium size with thick pads,
and well-feathered between the
toes.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
HINDQUARTERS
The Springer should be worked
and shown in hard, muscular
condition with well-developed hips
and thighs. His whole rear
assembly suggests strength and
driving power. Thighs are broad
and muscular. Stifle joints are
strong. For functional efficiency,
the angulation of the hindquarter
is never greater than that of the
forequarter, and not appreciably
less. The hock joints are somewhat
rounded, not small and sharp in
contour. Rear pasterns are short
(about 1/3 the distance from the
hip joint to the root) and strong,
with good bone. When viewed
from behind, the rear pasterns are
parallel. Dewclaws are usually
removed. The feet are the same as
in front, except that they are
smaller and often more compact.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
COAT
The Springer has an outer coat
and an undercoat. Oh the body,
the outer coat is of medium length,
flat or wavy, and is easily
distinguishable from the
undercoat, which is short, soft and
dense. The quantity of undercoat
is affected by climate and season.
When in combination, outer coat
and undercoat serve to make the
dog substantially waterproof,
weatherproof and thornproof. On
ears, chest, legs and belly the
Springer is- nicely furnished with a
fringe or feathering of moderate
length and heaviness. On the
head, front of the forelegs, and
below the hock joints on the front
of the hind legs, the hair is short
and fine. The coat has the clean,
glossy, "live" appearance
indicative of good health. It is
legitimate to trim about the head,
ears, neck and feet, to remove
dead undercoat, and to thin and
shorten excess feathering as
required to enhance a smart,
functional appearance. The tail
may be trimmed, or well fringed
with wavy feathering. Above all,
the appearance should he natural.
Overtrimming, especially of the
body coat, or any chopped,
barbered or artificial effect is to be
penalized in the show ring, as is
excessive feathering that destroys
the clean outline desirable in a
sporting dog. Correct quality and
condition of coat is to take
precedence over quantity of coat.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
COLOR
All of the following combinations of
colors and markings are equally
acceptable: (1) Black or liver with
white markings or predominantly
white with black or liver markings;
(2) Blue or liver roan: (3) Tricolor:
black and white or liver and white
with tan markings, usually found
on eyebrows. cheeks, inside of
ears and under the tail. Any white
portion of the coat may be flecked
with ticking. Off colors such as
lemon, red or orange are not to
place.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
GAIT
The final test of the Springer's
conformation and soundness is
proper movement. Balance is a
prerequisite to good movement.
The front and rear assemblies
must be equivalent in angulation
and muscular development for the
gait to be smooth and effortless.
Shoulders which are well laid-back
to permit a long stride are just as
essential as the excellent rear
quarters that provide driving
power. Seen from the side, the
Springer exhibits a long,
ground-covering stride and
carries a firm back, with no
tendency to dip, roach or roll from
side to side. From the front, the
legs swing forward in a free and
easy manner. Elbows have free
action from the shoulders, and the
legs show no tendency to cross or
interfere. From behind, the rear
legs reach well under the body,
following on a line with the
forelegs. As speed increases,
there is a natural tendency for the
legs to converge toward a center
line of travel. Movement faults
include high stepping, wasted
motion; short, choppy stride;
crabbing; and moving with the feet
wide, the latter giving roll or swing
to the body.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
TEMPERAMENT
The typical Springer is friendly,
eager to please, quick to learn and
willing to obey. Such traits are
conducive to tractability, which is
essential for appropriate handler
control in the field. In the show
ring, he should exhibit poise and
attentiveness and permit himself
to be examined by the judge
without resentment or cringing.
Aggression toward people and
aggression toward other dogs is
not in keeping with sporting dog
character and purpose and is not
acceptable. Excessive timidity,
with due allowance for puppies
and novice exhibits, is to be
equally penalized.
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
SUMMARY
In evaluating the English Springer
Spaniel, the overall picture is a
primary consideration. One should
look for type, which includes
general appearance and outline,
and also for soundness, which
includes movement and
temperament. Inasmuch as the dog
with a smooth easy gait must be
reasonably sound and
well-balanced, he is to be highly
regarded, however, not to the
extent of forgiving him for not
looking like an English Springer
Spaniel. An atypical dog, too short
or long in leg length or foreign in
head or expression, may move
well, hut he is not to be preferred
over a good all-round specimen
that has a minor fault in movement.
It must be remembered that the
English Springer Spaniel is first
and foremost a sporting dog of the
Spaniel family, and he must look,
behave and move in character.
