Field Spaniel

Eager and hardworking, with a good scenting ability, the Field Spaniel is an enthusiastic retriever with great endurance and noble attitude. He is an active and energetic dog who can live anywhere as long as he gets lots of daily exercise.
 

Information you should know before owning a Field Spaniel

The Field Spaniel needs to be a useful member of the family and may be trained to work as a hunter, obedience dog or in tracking.

The Field Spaniel combines energy and the enthusiasm for hunting with the affectionate personality of a companion dog.

The Field Spaniel, probably to greater extent than any variety within the great spaniel group, has gone through many exaggerations in type in order to arrive at the breed we have today. Phineas Bullock of England is credited with perpetuating a dog of tremendous body length and lowness to the ground, together with phenomenal bone which culminated for a time in a grotesque caricature of a spaniel. Although the breed was improved, considerable difficulty was encountered in establishing the modern Field Spaniel in the US due to the necessity for introducing Springer and Cocker crosses in order to eliminate the exaggerations. The breed was introduced to America in the 1880’s but did not become a distinct breed from Cockers until the 20th century, when it was decided that anything above 25 pounds qualified as a Field Spaniel (the larger of the two types of land spaniel). Over time, the Field Spaniel has obviously developed other variances in type that separate it as a distinct breed, including its uniform dark color and level-headed personality.

Is this a vulnerable breed? Yes, No	Yes
What size is this dog? Small, Medium, Large	Medium
How much excercise is required? 30 mins a day, 1 hour a day, Over 2 hours a day	Over 2 hours a day
How long is this dog's coat? Short, Medium, Long	Medium
How much grooming is required? Once a week, More than once a week, Every day	More than once a week
Does this dog shed? Does shed, Does not shed	Does shed
What area is this dog best suited to? Town, Country, Either	Country
What size house is required for this breed? Flat/Apartment, Small House, Large House	Small House
What size of garden is required? Small Garden, Large Garden, No Garden	Large garden

	General Appearance Well balanced, noble, upstanding sporting Spaniel built for activity and endurance.
	Characteristics Ideal for rough shooting or companion for the country dweller. Not suitable for city.
	Temperament Unusually docile, active, sensitive, independent.
	Eyes Wide open but almond-shaped with tight lids showing no haw. Grave and gentle in expression. Dark hazel in colour.
	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 Long, strong and muscular enabling dog to retrieve his game without undue fatigue.
	Forequarters Shoulders long and sloping and well laid back. Legs of moderate length. Straight, flat bone.
	Body Chest deep and well developed. Ribs moderately well sprung. Length of rib cage is 2two-thirds of the body length. Back and loin strong, level and muscular.
	Hindquarters Strong, muscular; stifles moderately bent. Hocks well let down.
	Feet Tight, round with strong pads and not too small.
	Tail Customarily docked. Docked: Docked by one third. Set on low. Never carried above level of back. Nicely feathered, with lively action. Undocked: Set low. Never carried above level of back. Nicely feathered with lively action. Reaches approximately to the hocks. Of moderate length in balance with the rest of the dog.
	Gait / Movement Well balanced, noble, upstanding sporting Spaniel built for activity and endurance.
	Coat Long, flat, glossy and silky in texture. Never curly, short or wiry. Dense and weatherproof. Abundant feathering on chest, under body and behind legs, but clean from hock to ground.
	Colour Black, liver or roan. Any one of these with tan markings. In self-coloured dogs white or roan on chest permissable. Clear black/white or liver/white unacceptable.
	Size Height: approximately 46 cms (18 ins) at the shoulders. Weight: between 18-25 kgs (40-55 lbs).