Cocker Spaniel Breed
General Character And Symmetry
Confirmatory of all indicated below, viz., a concentration of
pure blood and type, sagacity, docility, good temper,
affection, and activity.
General Description Of Head
Not so heavy in proportion and not so high in occiput as in
the modern Field Spaniel, with a nicely developed muzzle or
jaw; lean, but not snipy, and yet not so square as in the
Clumber or Sussex varieties, but always exhibiting a
sufficiently wide and well-developed nose. Forehead perfectly
smooth, rising without a too decided stop from muzzle into a
comparatively wide and rounded, well-developed skull, with
plenty of room for brain power.
General Description Of Body
Massive, broad, deep, long, powerfully built, on legs wide apart, and
squarely set. Muscles sharply defined. Size a great desideratum, if
combined with quality. Height and substance important if both points are
proportionately combined.
Skull
Broad between the ears, forehead flat, but wrinkled when attention is
excited. Brows (superciliary ridges) slightly raised. Muscles of the
temples and cheeks (temporal and masseter) well developed. Arch across the
skull of a rounded, flattened curve, with a depression up the centre of
the forehead from the medium line between the eyes, to half way up the
sagittal suture.
Face Or Muzzle
Short, broad under the eyes, and keeping nearly parallel in width to the
end of the nose; truncated, _i.e._ blunt and cut off square, thus forming
a right angle with the upper line of the face, of great depth from the
point of the nose to under jaw. Under jaw broad to the end; canine teeth
healthy, powerful, and wide apart; incisors level, or the lower projecting
beyond the upper, but never sufficiently so as to become visible when the
mouth is closed. Nose broad, with widely spreading nostrils when viewed
from the front; flat (not pointed or turned up) in profile. Lips diverging
at obtuse angles with the septum, and slightly pendulous so as to show a
square profile. Length of muzzle to whole head and face as 1 to 3.
Circumference of muzzle (measured midway between the eyes and nose) to
that of the head (measured before the ears) as 3 to 5.
Ears
Full, but not prominent, hazel or brown coloured, with a
general expression of intelligence and gentleness, though
decidedly wideawake, bright and merry, never goggled nor weak
as in the King Charles and Blenheim kinds.
Eyes
Lobular, set on low, leather fine and not exceeding beyond the
nose, well clothed with long silky hair, which must be
straight or wavy no positive curls or ringlets.
Neck
Strong and muscular, and neatly set on to fine sloping
shoulders. Chest and Shoulder
The former sloping and fine, chest deep and well developed,
but not too wide and round to interfere with the free action
of the fore-legs.
Feet and Legs
The legs should be well boned, feathered and straight, for the
tremendous exertions expected from this grand little sporting
dog, and should be sufficiently short for concentrated power,
but not too short as to interfere with its full activity. Feet
firm, round, and cat-like, not too large, spreading, and loose
jointed. This distinct breed of Spaniel does not follow
exactly on the lines of the larger Field Spaniel, either in
lengthiness, lowness, or otherwise, but is shorter in the
back, and rather higher on the legs.
Back, Loins
Immensely strong and compact in proportion to the size and
weight of the dog; slightly sloping towards the tail.
Hind Quarters
Wide, well rounded, and very muscular, so as to ensure
untiring action and propelling power under the most trying
circumstances of a long day, bad weather, rough ground, and
dense covert.
Stern
That most characteristic of blue blood in all the Spaniel
family may, in the lighter and more active Cocker, although
set low down, be allowed a slightly higher carriage than in
the other breeds, but never cocked up over, but rather in a
line with the back, though the lower its carriage and action
the better, and when at work its action should be incessant in
this, the brightest and merriest of the whole Spaniel family.
Tail
Put on high up, and reaching to the hocks, or a little below them, wide at
its root and tapering to the end, hanging straight in repose, but forming
a curve, with the end pointing upwards, but not over the back, when the
dog is excited.
Coat
Flat or waved, and silky in texture, never wiry, woolly, or
curly, with sufficient feather of the right sort, viz., waved
or Setter-like, but not too profuse and never curly.
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