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American Cocker Spaniel

Derived in the last century in America from the Cocker Spaniel, ostensibly to retrieve quiail, the American Cocker has very striking differences from the English forebear. The prominent rounding of the skull is most distinctive, as are the full eyes set to look straight forward. His back appears short, and slopes slightly from the withers to tail. His most characteristic attribute is his coat which while being short on his head, is longer on the body, and becomes profuse on legs and abdomen. Thee breed standard does require that it should not be so excessive as to affect his function as a sporting dog. but it has to said that he usually appears in the show-ring with a great deal of coat, which is unlikely to find a favour in the field. However, he is very cheerful fellow, and makes a highly succesful family dog; he is on the small side of 15 inches, and does not need much food, though he needs careful grooming.

General Appearance ** Serviceable-looking dog with refined chiselled head. strong, well boned legs, well up at shoulder, compact sturdy body, wide muscular quarters, well balanced.

Characteristics ** Merry, free, sound, keen to work.

Temperament ** Equable with no suggestionn of timidity.

Head and Skull ** Well devenloped and rounded, neither flat nor domeed> Eyebrows and stop clearly defined. Median line distinctly marked to rather more than half-way up crown. Area surrounding eye socket well chiselled. Distance from tip of nose to stop approximately one-half distance from stop up over crown to base of skull. Muzzle broad, deep, square,even jaws.Nose well developed. Nostrils black in black and tans, black or brown in buffs, browns, browns and tans, roans and parti-colours.

Eyes ** Eyeballs round, full and looking directly forward. Shape of eyerims gives a slightly almond appearance. Neither weak nor goggeld. Expression intelligent, alert, soft and appealing. Colour of iris dark brown to black in blacks, black and tans, buffs and creams, and in the darker shades of the parti-colours and roans. In reds and browns, dark hazel; in parti-colours and roans of lighter shades, not lighter than hazel; the darker the better.

Ears ** Lobular, set on line no hgher than lower part of eyes, feather fine and extending to nostrils, well clothed with long silky, straight or wavy hair.

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

Neck ** Long, muscular and free from throatiness. Rising strongly and slightlynarched.

ForeQuarters ** Shoulders deep, clean-cut and sloping without protrusion , so set that upper points of withers at an angle permitting wide spring of ribs. Forelegs straight, strongly boned and muscular, set close to body well under scapulae. Elbows well let down, turning neither in nor out. Pasterns short and strong.

Body ** Height at withers approximating length from withers to set on tail. Chest deep. Lowest point no higher than elbows, front sufficiently wide for adequate heart and lung space, yet not so wide as to interfere with straight forward movement of forelegs. Ribs deep and well sprung throughout. Body short in couplings and flank, with depth at flank somewhat less than at last rib. Back must be very strong, sloping evenly and slightly downwards from withers to set of tail. Hips wide with quarters well rounded and muscular. Body appearing short, compact and firmly knit together, giving impression of strength. Never appearing long and low.

HindQuarters ** Strongly boned, muscled with good angulation at stifle and powerful, clearly defined thinhs, Stifle joint strong without slippage. Hocks strong, well let down; when viewed from behind, hindlegs parallel when in motion or at rest.

Feet ** Compact, not spreading, round and firm, with deep strong, toughpads and hair between toes; facing truly forward.

Tail ** Customarily docked by three-fifths of tail Set on carried on a line with top line of back or slightly higher, never straight up and never so low as to indicate timidity. When dog in motion merry tail action.

Gait / Movement ** Co-ordinated, smooth and effortless, covering ground well.

Coat ** On head, short and fine; on body, medium length, with enough undercoating to give protection. Ears, chest, abdomen and legs well feathered, but not so excessive as to hide body lines or impede movement and function as a sporting dog. Texture most important. Coat silky, flat or slightly wavy. Excessive coat, curly, wooly or cotton texture undesirable.

Colour ** Black jet black; shadings of brown or liver in sheen of coat undesirable. Black and tan and brown and tan classified under solit colours having definite tan markings on jet black or brown body. Tan markings distinct and plainly visible and colour of than may be from lightest cream to darkest red colour. Amount of tan markings restricted to ten per cent or less of colour of specimen; tan markings in excess of ten per cent undesirable. Tan markings not readily visible in ring or absence of tan markings in any of specified locations undesirable. Tan markings located as follows:

1 A clear spot over each eye.

2 On sides of muzzle and on cheeks.

3 On underside of ears.

4 On all feet and legs.

5 Under tail;.

6 On chest, optional presence or absence permissible.

Tan on muzzle which extends upwards and joins over muzzle highly undesirable. Any solid colour other than black of uniform shades. Lighter colouring of feathering permissible. In all above solid colours a small amount of white on chest and troat while not desirable, permissible, but white in any other location highly undesirable. Parti-colours. Two or more definite colours appearing in clearly defined markings essential. Primary colour whichs is ninety per cent or more highly undesirable ; secondary colour or colour which are limited are solely to one location also highly undesirable . Roans are classified as parti colours and may be of any usual roaning patterns. Tricolours, any of above colours combine with tan markinks. Tan markings preferable located in same pattern as for black and tan,.

Size ** Ideal height: the word approximate leaves too much to chance) dogs 36.25-38.75 cms ( 14-15 ins); bitches: 33.75-36.25cms ( 13- 14 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.

Note ** Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrtum.