AKC Official Breed Standard

Sussex Spaniel
Presented with pride by EverOak Labradors & Sussex Spaniels

General Appearance

The Sussex Spaniel was among the first ten breeds recognized and admitted to the Stud Book when the American Kennel Club was formed in 1884, but it has existed as a distinct breed for much longer. As its name implies, it derives its origin from the county of Sussex, England, and it was used there since the eighteenth century as a field dog.

During the late 1800’s the reputation of the Sussex Spaniel as an excellent hunting companion was well known among the estates surrounding Sussex County. Its short legs, massive build, long body, and habit of giving tongue when on scent made the breed ideally suited to penetrating the dense undergrowth and flushing game within range of the gun. Strength, maneuverability, and desire were essential for this purpose. Although it has never gained great popularity in numbers, the Sussex Spaniel continues today essentially unchanged in character and general appearance from those 19th century sporting dogs.

The Sussex Spaniel presents a long and low, rectangular and rather massive appearance coupled with free movements and nice tail action. The breed has a somber and serious expression. The rich golden liver color is unique to the breed.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Size: Height at the withers ranges from 13 to 15 inches. Any deviation from these measurements is a minor fault. Weight ranges between 35 and 45 pounds.

Proportion: The Sussex Spaniel presents a rectangular outline as the breed is longer in body than it is tall.

Substance: Muscular and rather massive.

Head

Correct head and expression are important features of the breed.

Eyes: Hazel, fairly large, soft and languishing, without excessive haw.

Expression: Somber and serious; fairly heavy brows produce a frowning expression.

Ears: Thick, fairly large, lobe-shaped; set moderately low, slightly above the outside corner of the eye.

Skull and Muzzle: Skull moderately long and wide with indentation in the middle and full stop. Brows fairly heavy; occiput full but not pointed; appearance of heaviness without dullness. Muzzle approximately three inches long, broad and square in profile. Skull from stop to occiput longer than muzzle. Nostrils well-developed and liver colored. Lips somewhat pendulous.

Bite: Scissors bite preferred. Any deviation is a minor fault.

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck: Rather short, strong, slightly arched; head not carried much above the back. Minimal throatiness.

Topline and Body: Low and long with level topline. Chest round, deep, and wide. Back and loin long and very muscular; back ribs deep.

Tail: Set low; nice tail action when gaiting but not above the level of the back. May be docked (5–7 inches) or undocked.

Forequarters

Shoulders well laid back and muscular. Upper arm corresponding in length and angle to shoulder blade so legs are set well under the dog. Forelegs very short, strong, heavily boned; may show slight bow. Both straight and slightly bowed constructions are correct. Pasterns very short and heavily boned. Feet large and round with short hair between toes.

Hindquarters

Full, well-rounded, strong, heavily boned. Parallel and set wide apart. Hind legs short from hock to ground, heavily boned, neither shorter than forelegs nor overly bent. Angulation corresponds with forequarters. Hocks turn neither in nor out. Rear feet same as front.

Coat

Abundant, flat or slightly waved; no curl. Legs moderately feathered, clean below hocks. Ears furnished with soft, wavy hair. Neck with well-marked frill. Tail thickly covered with moderately long feather. No trimming acceptable except shaping foot feather or removing hair between pads or between hock and feet. Feather between toes left long enough to cover nails.

Color

Rich golden liver is the only acceptable color and is a certain sign of purity of breed. Dark liver or puce is a major fault. White on chest is a minor fault. White elsewhere is a major fault.

Gait

Round, deep, wide chest combined with short legs and long body produces a rolling gait. Movement deliberate but never clumsy. Gait powerful and true with perfect coordination. Front legs do not paddle, wave, or overlap. Head held low when gaiting. Shown on a loose lead to display natural movement.

Temperament

Despite its somber expression, the breed is friendly, cheerful, and tractable.

Faults

Most important features: color and general appearance.
Secondary importance: head, ears, back and ribs, legs, feet.
Lesser importance: eyes, nose, neck, chest, shoulders, tail, coat.

Major Faults: Color too light or too dark; white on body other than chest; curled coat.
Serious Faults: Narrow head, weak muzzle, topknot, sour or crouching appearance.
Minor Faults: Light eyes, white on chest, deviation from height range, light bone, short or flat-sided body, bite other than scissors.

There are no disqualifications in the Sussex Spaniel standard.

Approved October 10, 2023
Effective January 1, 2024

EverOak Labradors & Sussex Spaniels
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