Cocker Spaniel

Origin: Great Britain


General Appearance:
merry, sturdy, sporting; well balanced; compact; measuring approximately same from withers to ground as from withers to root of tail.

Characteristics:
merry natur with every-wagging tail shows a typical bustling movement, particularly when following scent, fearless of heavy cover.

Temperament:
gentle and affectionate, yet full of life and exuberance.

Head and Skull:
square muzzle, with distinct stop set midway between tip of nose and occiput. Skull well developed, cleanly chiselled, neither too fine nor too coarse. Check bones not prominent. Nose sufficiently wide for acute scenting power.

Eyes:
full, but not prominent. Dark brown, never light, but in the case of liver, liver roan and liver and white, dark hazel to harmonise with coat; with expression of intelligence and gentleness but wide awake, bright and merry; rims tight.

Ears:
lobular, set low a level with eyes. Fine leather extending to nose tip. Well clothed with long, straight silky hair.

Mouth:
jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite; i.e., upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck:
moderate in length, muscular. Set neatly into fine sloping shoulders. Clean throat.

Forequarters:
shoulders sloping and fine. Legs well boned, straight, sufficiently short for concentrated power. Not too short to interfere with tremendous exertions expected from this grand sporting dog.

Body:
strong compact. Chest well developed and brisket deep; neither too wide nor too narrow in front. Rips well sprung. Loin short, wide with firm, level topline gently sloping downwards to tail from end of loin to set on of tail.

Hindquarters:
wide, well rounded, very muscular. Legs well boned, good bend of stifle, short below hock allowing for plenty of drive.

Feet:
firm. thickly padded, cat-like.

Tail:
set on slightly lower than line of back. Must be merry in action and carried level, never cocked up. Customarily docked but never too short to hide, nor too long to interfere with the incessant merry action when working.

Gait / Movement:
true through action with great drive covering ground well.

Coat:
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:
height approximately: dogs 39 - 41 cms (15.5 - 16 inches); bitches 38 - 39 cms (15 - 15.5 inches). Weight approximately: 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.

Note:
male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.


(Published by the Kennel Club in August 1986. Approved by the General Assembly on 23th and 24th June 1987 in Jerusalem)