English Springer Spaniel: Reserve Best in Show at the Sporting Spaniel Society in Sydney, Australia under Judge Jamie Hubbard. (Photo by Cabal Captures Canines)
breed to the (English) Cocker, whose tail was an extension of the spine and carried high. The minor or less familiar Spaniel breeds are trying to retain type and cor- rect form, but fads and American pre- sentation is working against them too. Couple this with our quick-to-advance judges scheme and we are all doomed! Most Sporting dog breeder-judges I talk to agree that the current strength of the Sporting group is in Spaniels, rar- er Spaniels in particular. We have some of the greatest examples in the world of these lessor know breeds. I imagine that outside of North America American Water Spaniels are not winning groups or Best in Show awards. This is a tribute to those breeders who are active in that breed today. This breed is thriving and unchanged in type, unaffected by fad and unapologetic in presentation. Now is the time to stop and take inventory to see that you are not going down the path of selling out correct breed traits to pander to the lowest common denominator for a win.
I recently watched the Field Span- iel National with a record entry. There were many very correct dogs and win- ners. My concern was the presentation and style of trim they have been put in. The sculpting of feathering and the shaving of heads and necks was alarm- ing. These are just the beginning of a trend which can change this breed for- ever. While there is no doubt the breed is rising in quality, I would caution those breeders to retain their causal breed presentation. They, too, are at risk of flattening the croup and spiking the tails by handlers during presenta- tion. This breed is unique in bone and head, rib and proportions. It is impor- tant to not expect them to be something they are not. Reward on breed specific traits, oval ribbing and a flatter bone type. Require divergent head planes in your winners. American-bred English Springers are a big topic and one that I will just brush on in this article. To judge Eng- lish Springers today in our country, you must start by acknowledging the
American type and the American style of presentation of this breed. The US breeders have made great efforts to cre- ate a specific look and overcome some temperament and health issues to make this breed one of America’s leading dog breeds. There are several larger kennels in this breed today that have created a look and a style identifiable as their own vision of the breed and I respect that. Where this discussion gets difficult is the realization that the rest of the world, including the country of origin, has no dogs that look like the ones we are producing. This is a phenomenon that we don’t really see in other Sport- ing Spaniel breeds. This isn’t just about the markings; this is about the feel of the breed to the hand. There have been changes in the constructions (i.e. pro- portions; front and rear assembly) and muscling (flat vs. round) of the dogs today. Sadly, today they are so different that around the globe they are referred to as “American type”. Our exhibits are generally lower on leg with a forward set front and long
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