UNDERSTANDING THE PROPERTIES OF THE ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL HEAD AND EXPRESSION
“VIEWED IN PROFILE, THE BROW APPEARS NOT APPRECIABLY HIGHER THAN THE BACK-SKULL.
While this breed does not have parallel head planes when viewed from the side, downfaced dogs are incorrect. Above top, we have an illustration of a dog whose back- skull drops off steeply, causing him to be “downfaced.” (Note the exces- sively divergent head planes.) The English Cocker, being a jack-of-all-trades hunting compan- ion, is required to retrieve game from water. Therefore, he must be able to carry the game and not be looking up into the sun while keep- ing his nostrils clear of water. The overall distinctive make and shape of the English Cocker’s head provides not just the beauty and appeal of the breed, but also the necessary structure that allows for functionality, from the arch of the skull, the strong muzzle and jaw, to the eye set, shape, and expression.
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