Welsh Springer Spaniel Breed Profile

Head: Mesaticephalic skull-type, moderate in size and in proportion to the rest of the body. The topskull is of moderate length, slightly domed or arched. A slight median furrow may run from the stop toward the occiput. The head is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkles.

Eyes: Moderate in size and oval to almond in shape. Eye color is in accordance with coat and may range from hazel to amber in liver-based dogs or medium to dark brown. The eye rims are tightly fitted without appearing droopy or exposing haw or whites. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.

Ears: Moderate to large in size, set somewhat low on the skull, triangular in shape, broad at the base, and tapering toward the rounded tip. The base is approximately level with the eyes. The ears hang elegantly close to the cheeks. They are never long, overly large, or broken.

Muzzle: The muzzle is strongly developed, broad, and fairly deep throughout, tapering just slightly from the broader base toward the nose. The muzzle bridge is horizontal and straight. The upper and lower jaws are equal in length and have good bone substance. The face is somewhat chiseled below the eyes.

Nose: The nose is well-pigmented and black, or self-colored liver, according to the coat. The nostrils are well-opened.

Neck: Moderately long length allows for proud head carriage and sufficient range of motion. It is strongly muscled with a slight arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.

Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows.

Body: Solid, short-coupled, well-muscled, and of good substance. The body is never excessively racy or refined and is free of any exaggerations. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.

Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads.

Tail: Set low on the croup, thick at the base, and tapering toward the tip. Carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level, level with the topline, or just higher, but never tucked. The tail may be left natural (preferred) or docked short. Natural tails are of a medium length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to the hock joints when held down. The tail may be straight or gently curved. Docked tails are docked to approximately four inches (adult size).

Movement: The movement of the Welsh Springer Spaniel is graceful, effortless, efficient, energetic, and lively. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.

Temperament: The Welsh Springer Spaniel breed’s temperament is not unlike that of other birding dogs. They are affectionate, happy, lively, energetic, friendly, pleasing, and sensitive. Their ability to learn quickly allows them to excel at many tasks and skills, including field trials, obedience, tracking and article search, and even agility. They are renowned for their even temperament, and they get along well with children and other dogs and pets. Like other Spaniels, these dogs demonstrate an exuberant amount of energy that needs to be curbed through training and exercise. Otherwise, they can become quite hard to handle. They are also known to bond so strongly that separation issues can result. These can be curbed by ensuring that pent-up energy is exercised and accommodating the dog to small instances of being separated. Also, ensuring that they have plenty of things to do to prevent boredom can help. These dogs are typically accepting of most people, strangers or not. However, some may develop a sense of protectiveness toward their people or families. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.