Ambitious and hardworking, the Field Spaniel is an enthusiastic dog with a keen scent They have excellent endurance afield. Dignified as well as docile in character, he is purpose driven and and energetic at work, this is a dog that can adapt to any environment, as long as he gets a healthy dose of exercise on a daily basis. In order for the Field Spaniel to have a fulfilling existance, he must feel useful. He makes an excellent family member and may be trained to fulfil his natural role as a hunter, obedience dog or in even as a tracking dog.
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Temperament in the Field Spaniel
An active, sociable dog, the Field Spaniel is affectionate and ready to please. They are outstanding with children and other family pets, but can be somewhat aloof with people they are not familiar with. Alert alarm dogs, Field Spaniels are not good as guarding type dogs, nor are they dogs for people that are particular about their household niceties. Seasonal shedding is moderate with this breed, but their large, heavily webbed feet reveal the breed's love for water, and their drinking episodes often leave the drinking bowl drier than the floor around it. True to their retrieving nature, Fields love to sport around triumphantly with objects in their mouths. They also like to take trips by car, most of them have a propensity to snore, and they can have a very wide variety of vocal sounds. To develop well, young "Fields" should be trained and socialized by exposing them to as many non-threatening life situations as possible, such as exposure to a wide variety of people and various kinds of animals.
Formal Breed Standard for the Field Spaniel
General Appearance
The Field Spaniel is a combination of beauty and utility. It is a well
balanced, substantial hunter-companion of medium size, built for
activity and endurance in a heavy cover and water. It has a noble
carriage; a proud but docile attitude; is sound and free moving.
Symmetry, gait, attitude and purpose are more important than any one
part.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Balance between these three components is essential. Size--Ideal
height for mature adults at the withers is 18 inches for dogs and 17
inches for bitches. A one inch deviation either way is acceptable. Proportion--A
well balanced dog, somewhat longer than tall. The ratio of length to
height is approximately 7:6. (Length is measured on a level from the
foremost point of the shoulder to the rearmost point of the buttocks.) Substance--Solidly
built, with moderate bone, and firm smooth muscles.
Head
Conveys the impression of high breeding, character and nobility, and
must be in proportion to the size of the dog. Expression--Grave,
gentle and intelligent. Eyes--Almond
in shape, open and of medium size; set moderately wide and deep. Color:
dark hazel to dark brown. The lids are tight and show no haw; rims
comparable to nose in color. Ears--Moderately
long (reaching the end of the muzzle) and wide. Set on slightly below
eye level: pendulous, hanging close to the head; rolled and well
feathered. Leather is moderately heavy, supple, and rounded at the tip.
Skull--The crown is slightly
wider at the back than at the brow and lightly arched laterally; sides
and cheeks are straight and clean. The occiput is distinct and rounded.
Brows are slightly raised. The stop is moderate, but well defined by
the brows. The face is chiselled beneath the eyes. Muzzle--Strong,
long and lean, neither snipy nor squarely cut. The nasal bone is
straight and slightly divergent from parallel, sloping downward toward
the nose from the plane of the top skull. In profile, the lower plane
curves gradually from the nose to the throat. Jaws are level. Nose--Large,
flesh and well developed with open nostrils. Set on as an extension of
the muzzle. Color: solid: light to dark brown or black as befits the
color of the coat. Lips--Close
fitting, clean, and sufficiently deep to cover the lower jaw without
being pendulous. Bite--Scissors
or level, with complete dentition. Scissors preferred.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck--Long, strong, muscular,
slightly arched, clean, and well set into shoulders. Topline--The
neck slopes smoothly into the withers; the back is level, well muscled,
firm and strong; the croup is short and gently rounded. Body--The
prosternum is prominent and well fleshed. The depth of chest is roughly
equal to the length of the front leg from elbow to ground. The rib cage
is long and extending into a short loin. Ribs are oval, well sprung and
curve gently into a firm loin. Loin--Short,
strong, and deep, with little or no tuck up. Tail--Set
on low, in line with the croup, just below the level of the back with a
natural downward inclination. Docked tails preferred, natural tails are
allowed. The tail whether docked or natural length should be in balance
with the overall dog.
Forequarters
Shoulders blades are oblique and sloping. The upper arm is closed-set;
elbows are directly below the withers, and turn neither in nor out.
Bone is flat. Forelegs are straight and well boned to the feet.
Pasterns are moderately sloping but strong. Dewclaws may be removed.
Feed face forward and are large, rounded, and webbed, with strong, well
arched relatively tight toes and thick pads.
Hindquarters
Strong and driving; stifles and hocks only moderately bent. Hocks well
let down; pasterns relatively short, strong and parallel when viewed
from the rear. Hips moderately broad and muscular; upper tigh broad and
powerful; second thigh well muscled. Bone corresponds to that of the
forelegs. No dewclaws.
Coat
Single; moderately long; flat or slightly wavy; silky; and glossy;
dense and water-repellent. Moderate setter-like feathering adorns the
chest, underbody, backs of the legs, buttocks, and may also be present
on the second thigh and underside of the tail. Pasterns have clean
outlines to the ground. There is short, soft hair between the toes.
Overabundance of coat, or cottony texture, impractical for field work
should be penalized. Trimming is limited to that which enhances the
natural appearance of the dog. Amount of coat or absence of coat should
not be faulted as much as structural faults.
Color
Black, liver, golden liver or shades thereof, in any intensity (dark or
light); either self-colored or bi-colored. Bi-colored dogs must be
roaned and/or ticked in white areas. Tan points are acceptable on the
aforementioned colors and are the same as any normally tan pointed
breed. White is allowed on the throat, chest, and/or brisket, and may
be clear, ticked, or roaned on a self color dog.
Gait
The head is carried alertly, neither so high nor so low as to
impede motion or stride. There is good forward reach that begins in the
shoulder, coupled with strong drive from the rear, giving the
characteristic effortless, long, low majestic stride. When viewed from
front and/or rear elbows and hocks move parallel. The legs move
straight, with slight converence at increased speed. When moving, the
tail is carried inclined slightly downward or level with the back, and
with a wagging motion. Tail carried above the back is incorrect. Side
movement is straight and clean, without energy wasting motions.
Over-reaching and single tracking are incorrect. The Field Spaniel
should be show at its own natural speed in an endurance trot,
preferably on a loose lead, in order to evaluate its movement.
Temperament
Unusually docile, sensitive, funloving, independent and intelligent,
with a great affinity for human companionship. They may be somewhat
reserved in initial meetings. Any display of shyness, fear, or
agression is to be severely penalized.
Approved September 14, 1998
Effective October 30, 1998
Note:MFU
