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The Sussex Spaniel is a breed of dog developed in England. It very similer in appearance to the Field Spaniel and Clumber Spaniel. It is used as a Gundog, and in Dog Shows.
In 1795, Mr. Fuller of Rosehill park, Hastings in East Sussex, England began breeding dogs for a special purpose-Gun dogs to work in districts where the terrain was rough and the undergrowth very dense- which meant that a spaniel was needed which could give tongue or to alert the hunter on his quarry. This was a trait not desirable in any other spaniel. So Mr. Fuller decided to cross various dogs like the now extinct liver and white norfolk, the Field Spaniel and possibly some early springer spaniels.
The Sussex Spaniel was one of the first breeds admitted into the stud book by the American Kennel Club in 1884. As the name implies, the breed originated in Sussex, England in the 18th century where it was used as a hunting dog. Because of its short legs and narrow body the breed could easily maneuver through the undergrowth, which made it the ideal hunting companion.
The breed lost what little popularity it had in the 1940's. In 1947, only 10 sussex spaniels were registered in the English Kennel Club.Today this breed is more common in the United States than even in England.
Appearance: The breed is muscular and heavily built.
Its body is long. It has a kind, gentle, and sometimes
slightly sad expression. The Sussex Spaniel was among the first ten breeds to be 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.
Coat and colour: The only acceptable colour is
golden liver, and the eyes are hazel. The coat is thick,
either straight or slightly wavy, and does not curl. The nose
and eye-rims must be of the same colour as the coat. The body coat is abundant, flat or slightly waved, with no tendency to curl. The legs are moderately well-feathered, but clean below the hocks. The ears are furnished with soft, wavy hair. The neck has a well-marked frill in the coat. The tail is thickly covered with moderately long feather. No trimming is acceptable except to shape foot feather, or to remove feather between the pads or between the hock and the feet. The feather between the toes must be left in sufficient length to cover the nails.
Size: The Sussex Spaniel is short and should be no
taller than 13 to 15 inches at the withers. The acceptable
weight range is between 35 and 45 pounds.
History: The Sussex Spaniel was one of the first
breeds admitted into the stud book by the American Kennel Club
in 1884. As the name implies, the breed originated in Sussex,
England in the 18th century where it was used as a hunting
dog. Because of its short legs and narrow body the breed could
easily maneuver through the undergrowth, which made it the
ideal hunting companion.
Temperament: The breed is friendly and makes an
excellent companion. The Sussex Spaniel is steady and calm around the house. They are not very outgoing or demonstrative compared to other spaniels. It reaches the enthusiasm of a warrior in its work. On the hunt-field it barks continuously, moving with a characteristic swinging gait. It is adapted to hunting and retrieving small game, especially in wooded areas. This dog sometimes bays when it is hunting. The Sussex Spaniel is the only Spaniel that does this. They may also howl a lot when they are left alone. It is also a good companion dog.
This breed loves everyone and they are sweet, gentle and devoted. These are very sociable dogs, which usually get along well with cats and are excellent with children. Most get along with other dogs, but some can be aggressive with unfamiliar dogs. It tends to be less playful and demonstrative than other Spaniels, with a low energy level. The Sussex Spaniel is a quick learner but has a mind of its own. It is therefore important to be consistent with them. It needs firm and patient training. This breed likes to bark. You may want to teach them when they are young that one bark, for instance when the doorbell rings, is sufficient. Novice owners should be willing and able to assert their dominance. It can be snappish if annoyed.
Faults: The standard ranks features of the breed into three categories. The most important features of the breed are color and general appearance. The features of secondary importance are the head, ears, back and back ribs, legs, and feet. The features of lesser importance are the eyes, nose, neck, chest and shoulders, tail, and coat. Faults also fall into three categories. Major faults are color that is too light or too dark, white on any part of the body other than the chest, and a curled coat. Serious faults are a narrow head, weak muzzle, the presence of a topknot, and a general appearance that is sour and crouching. Minor faults are light eyes, white on chest, the deviation from proper height ranges, lightness of bone, shortness of body or a body that is flat-sided, and a bite other than scissors. There are no disqualifications in the Sussex Spaniel standard.
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