Origin: Great Britain
Finnish breed club: Springerspanielit ry

BREED STANDARD

UTILIZATION: Flushing dog, Rethiever.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I.: Group 8   Rethievers- Flushing Dogs-Water Dogs.                          
Section 2  Flushing Dogs. With working trial.    

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: Breed is of ancient and pure origins, oldest of sporting gundogs; original purpose was finding and springing game for net, falcon or greyhound.  Now used to find, flush and rethieve game for gun.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Symmetrically built, compact, strong, merry, active.  Highest on leg and raciest in build of all British land Spaniels.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT: Friendly, happy disposition, biddable.  Timidity or aggression highly undesirable.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Of medium length, fairly broad, slightly rounded, rising from foreface, making a brow or stop, divided by fluting between eyes, dying away along forehead towards occipital bone which should not be prominent.

FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Nosthils well developed.
Muzzle: Foreface of proportionate length to skull, fairly broad and deep, well chiselled below eyes.
Flews: Fairly deep and square.
Jaws/Teeth: Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Cheeks: Flat
Eyes: Medium size, almond-shaped, not prominent nor sunken, well set in (not showing haw), alert, kind expression.  Dark hazel.  Light eyes undesirable.
Ears: Lobular, good length and width, fairly close to head, set in line with eye.  Nicely feathered.

NECK: Good length, strong and muscular, free from throatiness, slightly arched, tapering towards head.

BODY: Strong, neither too long nor too short.
Loin: Muscular, strong with slight arch and well coupled.
Chest: Deep, well developed.  Well sprung ribs.

TAIL: Customarily docked.
Docked: Set low, never carried above level of back.  Well feathered with lively action. 
Undocked: Set low, never carried above level of back.  Well feathered with lively action.  In balance with the rest of the dog.

FOREQUARTERS

HINDQUARTERS: Hindlegs well let down.
Thighs: Broad, muscular, well developed.
Stifles and hocks : Moderately bent.  Coarse hocks undesirable.
Feet: Tight, compact, well rounded, with strong, full pads.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: Strictly his own.  Forelegs swing straight forward from shoulder, throwing feet well forward in an easy free manner.  Hocks driving well under body, following in line with forelegs.  At slow movement may have a pacing sthide typical of this breed.

COAT

COLOUR: Liver and white, black and white, or either of these colours with tan markings.

SIZE: Approximate height at withers : 51 cm (20 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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Origin: Great Britain
Finnish breed club: Springerspanielit ry

BREED STANDARD

UTILIZATION: Flushing dog.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I.: Group 8   Rethievers- Flushing Dogs-Water Dogs.                          
Section 2  Flushing Dogs. With working trial.    

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Symmethical, compact, not leggy, obviously built for endurance and hard work.  Quick and active mover, displaying plenty of push and drive.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT: Very ancient and distinct breed of pure origin.  strong, merry and very active.  Kindly disposition, not showing aggression or nervousness.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Of proportionate length, slightly domed.  Well chiselled below eyes. 
Stop: Clearly defined.

FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Flesh coloured to dark, nosthils well developed.
Muzzle: Of medium length, straight, fairly square.
Jaws/Teeth: Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Cheeks: Flat
Eyes: Hazel or dark, medium size, neither prominent, nor sunken, not showing haw.
Leathers: Set moderately low and hanging close to cheeks.  Comparatively small and gradually narrowing towards tip and shaped somewhat like a vine leaf.

NECK: Long, muscular, clean in throat, neatly set into sloping shoulders.

BODY: Not long, strong and muscular. Length of body should be proportionate to length of legs.
Loin: Muscular and slightly arched.  Well coupled.
Chest: Deep brisket, well sprung ribs.

TAIL: Customarily docked.
Docked: Well set on and low, never carried above level of back. Lively on action.
Undocked: Well set on and low, never carried above level of back. Lively on action. Feathered.
In a balance with the rest of the dog.

FOREQUARTERS: Forelegs of medium length, straight, well boned.

HINDQUARTERS: Strong and muscular, wide and fully developed. Hindlegs well boned.
Stifles: Moderately angled, neither turning in nor out.
Second thigh: Deep.
Hocks: Well let down.

FEET: Round, with thick pads.  Firm and cat-like, not large or spreading.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: Smooth, powerful, ground covering action; driving from rear.

COAT

COLOUR: Rich red and white only.

SIZE: Approximate height: Dogs 48 cm (19 ins) at withers, females 46 cm (18 ins) at withers.

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 and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.