Page 246 - Showsight March 2013

jaw. The nasal bone should be straight and
slightly divergent from parallel with the
plane of the top skull. While the breed
should have a distinctive head we are NOT
A HEAD BREED. Please do not judge the
head first and foremost and put primary
importance on the head.
Movement & Gaiting
When moving your entry together or
individually it is important to ensure they
are gaited at the proper speed for the breed.
The breed standard reads, “The Field Span-
iel should be show at its own natural speed
in an endurance trot, preferably on a loose
lead, in order to evaluate its movement.”
A natural speed in an endurance trot is
appropriate for the breed. They should not
be shown charging out and pulling at the
end of the lead or zipping around the ring
at top speeds. While there is good forward
reach from the shoulder, coupled with
strong drive, proper Field Spaniel move-
ment should remain effortless in a long
and low majestic stride. Fast, tight, and
strict movement is incorrect. A loose lead is
best to appropriately evaluate movement.
While the standard allows for some con-
vergence in front at higher speeds, there
should not be extreme toeing in.
When gaiting a dog to assess front and
rear movement, elbows and hocks should
move parallel, just as they should be when
standing still. Pay attention to this. You
will be hard pressed to find a specimen
that moves in parallel that does not stand
in parallel, especially the rear. Dogs that
are cow-hocked but move straight may-
be reflective of weakness in the second
thigh. The legs move straight, with slight
convergence at increased speed, however
single tracking is incorrect. Please watch
for toeing on frontward movement this
may reflect lack of forechest or depth of
chest. Lifting from the pastern is common
in younger dogs; however mature dogs
should be reaching beginning at the shoul-
der if moving correctly. Energy wasting
movement is incorrect. Specimens should
not be throwing out elbows or hocks and
the down and back exercise is the best
opportunity to judge this. Movement in
this breed should be very clean and fluid.
Substance
“Substance—Solidly built, with mod-
erate bone, and firm smooth muscles.”
Upon examination, the bite is to be scis-
sors or level, with scissors preferred. While
a good dog should not be totally over-
looked for an incorrect bite, correct bite is
not insignificant to type. The forelegs are
straight and well-boned to the feet. As you
move along this is your opportunity to let
your hands be your eyes. The neck should
be well set into the shoulder. The proster-
num should be prominent and well fleshed.
Elbows are closed-set directly below the
withers and turned neither in nor out. The
ribcage should be long and extending into
a short loin. (The 7:6 length in this breed
is to be picked up in the rib, not the loin.)
Ribs should oval and well-sprung, but not
overly round or barrel chested. These dogs
should not be narrow from any angle. The
loin should be deep with little to no tuck
up. The croup should be short and gently
rounded. Hocks should be well let down
and should be parallel when viewed from
the rear. Tail should be set on low, in line
with the croup, just below the level of the
back with a natural downward inclination.
Docked tails are preferred, but natural
tails are allowed.
Coat
The coat should be
single and moderately
long, flat or slightly
wavy and silky. It should
be dense and water-
repellent. “Amount of
coat or absence of coat
should not be faulted
as much as structural
faults” according to the
breed standard. Moder-
ate setter-like feathering
typically adorns the chest, underbody,
backs of the legs, buttocks, and may
also be present on the second thigh and
underside of the tail. Overabundance of
coat, or cottony texture, impractical for
field work should be penalized. Colors are
black, liver, and golden liver. Golden liver
is generally considered the color of a Sus-
sex Spaniel. Tan-points acceptable on any
of the aforementioned colors and are the
same as any tan-pointed breed (Gordon
Setters, Dobermans, etc.).
The breed is either a self-colored or bi-
colored dog. Bi-colored dogs MUST be
roaned and/or ticked in white areas. White
is allowed on the throat, chest, and/or bris-
ket, and may be clear, ticked, or roaned on
a self-color dog.
Always remember that this is a sturdy
hunting companion. Symmetry, gait, atti-
tude and purpose are more important than
any of the parts. Look at the whole dog in
this light. Fault judging does a disservice
to the breed. Applying personal preference
above all else to one area of the dog is also
not in the breed’s interests. Look at the whole
dog and then weigh each dog’s faults and
attributes from there in order to make your
selections. Type and purpose should go hand
in hand. There are no disqaulifications in
the Field Spaniel standard. Remember that
the breed has had only a few decades of
to hone conformation here in the United
States, and your selections can either help
or inhibit a breeds’ path in the future. The
search for breed type and proper structure,
one that can stand up to the requirements
of a day in the field should always be at the
forefront of your judging process.
“...‘SoLIDLy bUILT,
with moderate bone, and firm smooth muscles.’”
246 • ShowSight Magazine, March 2013