UK Breed Standard
UK Breed Standard (Interim)
General Appearance
Medium sized, of distinguished appearance, robust and well boned without losing elegance.
Characteristics
Lively, intelligent, obedient, sensitive, very affectionate and easily trained. Bred for hunting fur and feather, pointing and retrieving from land and water.
Temperament
Lively, gentle mannered and demonstratively affectionate, fearless and with well developed protective instinct.
Head and Skull
Head lean and noble. Skull moderately wide between ears with median line down forehead and a moderate stop. Skull a little longer than muzzle. Muzzle although tapering, well squared at the end. Nostrils well developed, broad and wide. Jaws strong and powerful. Lips covering jaws completely and neither loose nor pendulous. Nose brown.
Eyes
Neither deep nor prominent, of medium size, a shade darker in color than coat. Slightly oval in shape, eyelids fitting tightly. Yellow or black eye undesirable.
Ears
Moderately low set, proportionately long with a thin skin and hanging down close to cheeks. Rounded "V" shape, not fleshy.
Mouth
Sound and strong white teeth. Jaws strong with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Full dentition desirable.
Neck
Strong, smooth and muscular, moderately long, arched and devoid of dewlap.
Forequarters
Shoulders well laid and muscular, elbows close to body and straight, forearm long, pasterns upright.
Body
Back level, short, well muscled, withers high. Chest moderately broad and deep with prominent breast bone. Distance from withers to lowest part of chest equal to distance from chest to ground. Ribs well sprung and belly with a slight tuck-up beneath loin. Croup well muscled.
Hindquarters
Straight when viewed from rear, thighs well developed with moderate angulation, hocks well let down.
Feet
Round with toes short, arched and tight. Cat-like foot is required, hare foot undesirable. Nails short, strong and a shade darker in color than coat, dew-claws should be removed.
Gait/Movement
Graceful, elegant with a lively trot and ground covering gallop.
Tail
Moderately thick, rather low set, customarily one third docked. When moving carried horizontally.
Coat
Lusterless. Hair on head short and harsh, longer on muzzle, forming beard. Pronounced eyebrows. Longer and finer on ears. Longer over body, fitting closely to neck and trunk. Short harsh hair fitting closely and smoothly to fore-limbs.
Color
Russet gold. Small white marks on chest and feet should not be penalized.
Size
Height: Dogs: 57-64 cms. (22.50-25.00 ins.), Bitches: 53-60 cms. (21-23.50 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 scrotum.
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