Parti-Color Variety—Primary color ninety percent (90%) or more.

Tan points—(1) Tan markings in excess of ten percent (10%); (2) Absence

COMMENTARY ON THE STANDARD

Now that you've read the Standard, let's apply it in our mind and try to visualize the ideal Cocker Spaniel. The most important thing to remember is that the overall dog must be completely balanced. No one part should stand out more than the rest. Keep in mind that the original purpose of this breed was to flush and retrieve upland game, and that he is the smallest of all Sporting dogs. He should be a sturdy, compact dog, yet stand well-up at the shoulders. This allows him to be capable of considerable speed combined with great endurance. Above all he must be a sound dog that is merry and shows a great enthusiasm to work. Remember that a dog that is well balanced in all parts is more desirable than a dog that exhibits some excellent points and some faults.

Head

The head is a very important part of the Cocker Spaniel. It should be well proportioned with the eyes being the focal point. Those beautiful Spaniel eyes are the first thing that you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night. They should be set in the head so that they look straight at you. The eyeballs are round and full, but the shape of the eye rims will give the eye a slightly almond-shaped appearance. The darker in color the better. The skull is round but not exaggerated. A clean skull with correctly set ears made of fine cartilage will add to that lovely expression. The muzzle is broad and deep, with square, even jaws. This is a very important part of the head as the purpose of the dog is to retrieve game birds, not parakeets. The strength of the under jaw is what gives the breadth to the muzzle and also helps the dog to have stronger teeth.

The Standard says that the neck must be sufficiently long to allow the nose to reach the ground easily. Again, this goes to the purpose of the dog, which is to reach down with ease and retrieve the bird. The neck should arch slightly, which denotes strength and enables the head to be carried in a straightforward position. The width of the neck must gradually increase so that it fits perfectly into the shoulder allowing it to appear as one. The layback of the shoulder so that it forms a 90-degree angle with the upper arm permits the dog to move his forelegs in an easy manner and increases the forward reach. Shoulders should be observed from different angles—from the side and also from above, looking down at the dog. Shoulders which are too straight up and down do not allow for proper length of neck and will constrict movement. The shoulders should also be felt with the fingers. If they are too wide or too close the dog will not move easily, but, rather, show a constricted or spraddled gait that would not only make retrieving difficult but very tiring as well..

Body

The body should be in balance with the forequarters and the hindquarters. This connection is accomplished by a deep chest with well-sprung ribs and a hard, straight back that slightly slopes towards the hindquarters. The hips should be wide, well rounded and muscular so that the dog can have that great endurance muscled rear and/or a low tail set can usually be picked up as the dog moves and will signal immediately that this dog is unsound. The tail in a Cocker Spaniel is also very important as it denotes temperament. It should always be happy and wagging, showing his merry temperament and willingness to work.

Coat

The coat is certainly one of the things that most people find so beautiful and attractive about the Cocker Spaniel. However, nowhere in the current Stan­dard nor in any that went before is there a call for the amount of coat seen in show animals today. A beautiful coat, but it is hardly something that aids this little dog in his purpose—retrieving. About the only retrieving that would be done with the show dog of today is the owner retrieving the dog from the nearest bush should he be turned loose in the field. The Standard, however, is very specific about the texture of the coat. It should be silky and flat, although slightly wavy is acceptable, permitting easy care. The Standard states that excessive coat or curly coat shall be severely penalized. As with so many things judging is comparative—compared to what you've got. Today we see entire rings full of Cocker Spaniels with what would have been considered excessive coat twenty years ago. Until judges begin to once again judge this breed as the "moderately coated'' dog that the Standard calls for, we will continue to see exhibitors present these heavily coated dogs over and over and continue to win with them.

Trimming to enhance a dog's true lines should be done to appear as natural as possible. An old breeder, years ago, once told me that the difference between a correct coat and an improper one was a matter of feeling it. The correct, silky coat with correct density was cool to the touch, whereas an improper coat was warm to the touch, much like wool, which so easily absorbs moisture. I wholeheartedly endorse trimming to show off a dog's lines. There should always be daylight visible underneath the body as one looks across at the dog. The absence of this daylight gives the appearance of a long, low dog instead of a compact, sporty little dog. Too often the American Cocker begins to resemble Sporting Group ample fuel for their fire..

The part of the Standard dealing with color is very self-explanatory. This part has had the most change since the original Standard, which simply allowed all Spaniel colors much like the English Cocker Spaniel Standard still does.

In my fifty years experience I have never felt that the height disqualification was ever really needed. When a dog gets too big, he becomes noticeably unbal­anced and eliminates himself from competition.

There have been few changes in the Standard within my lifetime; however, those that were made had a significant impact on the breed. The first major change occurred during the 1940s. Originally the Cocker Spaniel was simply divided into two colors, solids and parti-colors, which included anything with tan points. At that time the English Cocker was put into a separate variety called English-type and the winner of that variety competed with the solid color winner and the parti-color winner for Best of Breed and the right to compete at Group level.

When the American Kennel Club granted English Cocker Spaniels separate breed status and allowed all three American Cocker varieties to compete in the Sporting Group, it did much to encourage the breeders. Previously the solid black Cocker Spaniel was the dog of choice, and it had become practically impossible for any other color to reach Best of Breed. The classes at shows were becoming so large that they were unwieldly and this change gave the other colors a chance to be recognized. The black and tan has always been a color that could never quite find its rightful place in the show ring. First the black and tan was shown in the parti-color variety because it was, in fact, two colors. The parti-color breeders were quite relieved to see their dogs moved to the ASCOB variety; however, parti-colors certainly weren't "any solid color other than black." Finally, they were placed where they belonged all along in the black variety where they are shown today. There is some concern that because they are in the black variety breeders and judges alike are overlooking the fact that many of them do not have a complete and correct set of tan markings. The Standard, as one can see, is very explicit in its requirements of the tan markings, and it would behoove breeders and judges alike to adhere to the Standard.

Finally, most important is the gait, which is well described in the current Standard. The Cocker Spaniel, though the smallest of the Sporting dogs, should possess a typical Sporting dog gait. He should drive with a strong, powerful rear and be properly constructed in the front end so that he can reach forward, without constriction, at full stride to counterbalance the driving force from the rear. Above all, his gait should be coordinated, smooth and effortless. While the dog must cover ground, never mistake speed for correct gait. Once you have the thrill of seeing and feeling the correct gait in motion it will never be forgotten. The overall balance in silhouette, coupled with this breathtaking movement, is what makes the American Cocker Spaniel second to none in beauty.

I have seen the Cocker Spaniel and the Standard itself evolve through major changes during the past fifty years. Many breeders and many dogs have influenced these changes. Because the Cocker Spaniel is such a popular breed, resulting in a constant influx of new breeders, it now becomes more important than ever that the Standard, as set forth by the American Spaniel Club, is followed. As the originator of the breed in America, we have an even greater responsibility to the breed as it gains popularity worldwide. Where the Cocker Spaniel will be in the new century rests in the hands of the breeders and their ability not only to produce a fine dog of proper type, but to recognize the correct specimen when they see it.