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Guidelines for Responsible Breeders of English
Springer Spaniels
AKC English Springer Spaniel Breed Standard
Because everyone seems to have
access to the internet, many individuals seeking a puppy can now find
information on ethical breeders and exactly what that entails. People
are making more informed choices and are given information on what to look
in a breeder, when you are trying to find that all important companion to
add to your family and home. Details on what health testing should be
done on both the sire and dam. Details as to what the breed is all
about and what characteristics that breed should exhibit. Information
on what a particular breed requires in terms of exercise and temperament.
Breeders should keep educating themselves on genetics, health, pedigree
combinations.
An ethical breeder wants to
provide a buyer with all the information on the puppies parents. They
want to assure that the puppy they brought into the world goes to a good
home and will have hard questions that they will ask prospective owners.
It's not that they think they are better than you, it's that they want the
best for the puppy.
Before any of our females are
even considered for breeding, we require that they have finished their AKC
Championship. They must have OFA hip ratings of at least good
and elbow ratings of at least normal. Each will have CERF exams.
Each will have been DNA tested for PRA status. But, more important
they must have an outstanding temperament and personality. What use
are all of those tests and an AKC Championship, if the female is not sane,
healthy and trustworthy? We also keep track of the siblings to our
dogs and if there is anything questionable that have been going on with
them, then it is probable that we will spay or neuter our dog and place them
in a pet home, rather than risk breeding them and having an unfavorable
outcome. None of our dogs are bred before the age of three and the
sires have been older than that.
All puppies are raised inside
of our home. We encourage anyone that is interested in our puppies to
come and see them after they have reached the age of 3 weeks. Of all
the puppies Daz-End English Springer Spaniels have sold, all have been
placed in "Pet Homes". This means normal, everyday homes. Some
have children, some have spouses, some just to a single individual.
All these puppies are to be considered companions. We require that all
animals live within the house as a member of the family. Never should
they be an outside dog, nor tied out on a chain or rope. We ask if you
have a fenced backyard. It's not a requirement, but dogs like to run
around, off lease and a fenced in area assures that the dog won't run off.
We try to cover every question you might have and I will tell you of any
expectations that I require in order to have one of our puppies. All
puppies are sold on an AKC Limited Registration. They are not to be
registered with any other registry without our written permission.
Limited Registration means that this dog can never be used for breeding
purposes. We require that dogs be neutered at around the first
birthday, unless we are notified of issues going on that might warrant an
earlier time for castration. I ask this for the males because it's my
belief that neutering any earlier causes the dogs to be long and lanky.
Waiting for just a little longer allows the hormones to have the males
develop more like their parents. I would advise anyone with a female
to have her spayed at about 8 or 9 months. Most females come into
season between 9 and 11 months. Rather than risking any possible
accidental breeding, or dealing with a female in season (it lasts for 3
weeks and is somewhat messy) having it done at 8 months is probably the best
time in my opinion. Most of our puppies go to their new homes between
9 and 12 weeks of age. Each puppy is checked by our veterinarian.
They will have been started on their puppy vaccinations and will have had 1
or 2 shots, worming for parasites and examinations. They will also
have their eyes examined at 6-8 weeks of age, with a written report from an
ACVO vet. Depending on the stud dog's genetic PRA status, I will have
all puppies DNA tested for PRA and will have written results for each of the
puppies.
Thanks to the internet, I find that buyers are
becoming more informed about the importance of purchasing from an ethical
breeder. When looking for that life long companion, keep in mind that
you are spending a little extra for a healthy, happy dog. Ethical
breeders do lots of research before deciding on a combination. They
also question their new prospective owners, making sure they have done their
homework. We want you to be happy with your new Springer Spaniel.
When you go in search of your new puppy, ask about health checks that any
informed and ethical breeder should do..
Eye certifications by and ACVO veterinarian on all puppies
Did both parents have yearly eye cerfs?
Did both parents have an OFA hip rating of good, or better?
Did both parents have an OFA elbow rating of normal?
Are both parents Champions?
Are both parents at least 3 years old?
Information on Ethical Breeding
10 Rules of Ethical
Breeding
Breeders Definitions~How to untangle all that doggy talk
Learn about English Springer Spaniels
English Springer Spaniel Rescue
Real Hard Core Facts About
Honest Breeders
My Rant On
Local Puppy Mills
As a member of
the English Springer Field Trial Association, I abide by the recommended
Breeder Guidelines.
English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association
AKC Parent Club of the breed
Guidelines for Responsible Breeders of English Springer Spaniels
Responsible
breeders:
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Strive in each and every breeding to
achieve the highest quality possible relative to the breed
standard for conformation; excellence in hunting for field;
trainability for obedience, tracking, and the field; and temperament to
maintain our breed's characteristics.
-
Use only
physically sound, mature dogs of stable temperament for breeding. These
characteristics are rarely, if ever, determined before the age of two
years for either males or females. A minimum breeding age of three years
is strongly recommended for breeders to determine with greater certainty
that the parents are of good health and sound temperament.
-
Continue
to educate themselves about genetic diseases pertinent to the breed,
including, but not limited, to hip and elbow dysplasia, eye diseases,
seizure disorders, allergies, heart disorders, and PFK, and information
about their modes of inheritance. Use genetic tests as suggested by the
needs of their individual dog(s) and close relatives thereof.
Documentation of hip, elbow and eye screening should be available to
prospective puppy buyers. A letter of evaluation from a board-certified
veterinary radiologist is acceptable documentation for results of
radiographic evaluations of hips and elbows; however, to provide a
database for the breed, breeders are encouraged to radiograph hips and
elbows and use the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or PennHip
evaluations for screening. Eyes should be evaluated by a board-certified
diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO),
and reporting of results to the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF)
is recommended.
-
Apply the same
high standards to bitches accepted for breeding to their stud dogs as they
apply to their own breeding stock.
-
Match
each puppy's personality as carefully as possible with a compatible
buyer/family. Temperament testing of a litter before puppies are offered
for sale is encouraged.
-
Have each
puppy examined by a veterinarian for general health and examined by a
veterinary ophthalmologist for congenital or genetic eye disease before
placement. Each puppy should be vaccinated and wormed by or in
consultation with a veterinarian. Proper documentation indicating normal
health and eyes for the age of the puppy, or specifying any health or eye
problems found at examination, should be furnished to puppy buyers.
-
Encourage
buyers of companion puppies to spay/neuter. Methods should include written
spay/neuter contracts, limited registration, and/or spay/neuter rebates.
-
Endeavor to
gain personal knowledge of the temperament and health of every dog they
breed, or to which they breed to gather information about which to base
future breeding decisions. They share this information fully and honestly
with other breeders and with prospective buyers.
-
Sell breeding
prospects to knowledgeable, ethical, and experienced persons or are
willing to help educate and guide novices. They should at any time accept
the return of any dog/bitch their breeding program produces, and they
should always help when relocation is needed.
-
Do not engage
in misleading or untrue advertising, and do not use ESSFTA membership as a
marketing tool.
-
Do
not sell, supply, donate, or surrender any dog for which they are
responsible to a pet shop, raffle, catalog house, wholesale dealer or
laboratory. They should have reasonable assurance that each person
receiving a dog will provide a home with appropriate shelter, restraint,
control, and responsible dietary and veterinary care.
-
Unless the
Springer is otherwise being trained for a specific discipline they should
encourage owners to take their puppies to puppy and obedience classes. The
achievement of an AKC STAR Puppy Certificate and/or a Canine Good Citizen
Certificate is encouraged. 13. Participate and/or cooperate in research
studies into heritable defects affecting the English Springer Spaniel.
My Thoughts
I will not breed a
dog or bitch under the age of three. Temperament is paramount and must
be impeccable and must have passed health clearances (ie. CERF (Canine
Eye Registration Foundation), Hip & Elbow clearances through OFA (Orthopedic
Foundation for Animals) I do not test for PFK because that is known
to be moreso on the field bred English Springer Spaniels, rather than the
bench bred (show lines). If I use a sire that is not PRA clear, all
puppies are genetically tested and results are supplied to the new puppy
owner, as well as an ACVO eye examination at between 6-8 weeks of age.
I do not co-own any dogs outside my home. The four puppies I have sold
have been done so on a limited registration and all have been neutered at
about 1 year of age. All puppies will have started the proper
immunizations as well as worming through my veterinarian and copies provided
as well. All puppy buyers are encouraged to attend a puppy
socialization class as well as a formal beginning obedience class at around
5-6 months of age.
Please note, there
are breeders out there that breed their young dogs. This
is not ok. Maybe they personally don't breed the dogs
in their home prior to the age of three, but they may co-own dogs that are
being bred earlier than the age of three. Do not accept statements
such as "I know my lines", etc. Temperaments are
not fully developed before the age of three.
All puppies are cute and sweet, it does not mean that
at the age of 3 they will be. This is part of the reason that
the Parent Club (ESSFTA) has breeder guidelines. Furthermore, Epilepsy
is in our breed. Currently, there is no test available to tell if your
dog has it or will produce it, but it is generally stated that if your dog
does have it, that it will surface by three years of age. Now, it can
surface later in life, so even that philosophy is not foolproof. But I
generally look for a stud dog much older than 3 years of age. I like
to see what that stud dog has previously produced as well. While I do
provide a health guarantee, please keep in mind, dog are not mechanical
items that can always be repaired with a replacement part. They are
living creatures and as much as I'd like to say that I guarantee everything,
it's just not humanly possible. I can only promise that I will do
everything in my power to do what I can and what is reasonable.
English Springer
Spaniel Breed Standard
General Appearance
The English Springer Spaniel is a medium-sized sporting dog, with a compact
body and a docked tail. His coat is moderately long, with feathering on his
legs, ears, chest and brisket. His pendulous ears, soft gentle expression,
sturdy build and friendly wagging tail proclaim him unmistakably a member of
the ancient family of Spaniels. He is above all a well-proportioned dog,
free from exaggeration, nicely balanced in every part. His carriage is proud
and upstanding, body deep, legs strong and muscular, with enough length to
carry him with ease. Taken as a whole, the English Springer Spaniel suggests
power, endurance and agility. He looks the part of a dog that can go, and
keep going, under difficult hunting conditions. At his best, he is endowed
with style, symmetry, balance and enthusiasm, and is every inch a sporting
dog of distinct spaniel character, combining beauty and utility.
Size, Proportion,
Substance
The Springer is built to cover rough ground with agility and reasonable
speed. His structure suggests the capacity for endurance. He is to be kept
to medium size. Ideal height at the shoulder for dogs is 20 inches; for
bitches, it is 19 inches. Those more than one inch under or over the breed
ideal are to be faulted. A 20 inch dog, well-proportioned and in good
condition, will weigh approximately 50 pounds; a 19 inch bitch will weigh
approximately 40 pounds. The length of the body (measured from point of
shoulder to point of buttocks) is slightly greater than the height at the
withers. The dog too long in body, especially when long in the loin, tires
easily and lacks the compact outline characteristic of the breed. A dog too
short in body for the length of his legs, a condition which destroys balance
and restricts gait, is equally undesirable. A Springer with correct
substance appears well-knit and sturdy with good bone, however, he is never
coarse or ponderous.
 Head
The head is impressive without being heavy. Its beauty lies in a combination
of strength and refinement. It is important that its size and proportion be
in balance with the rest of the dog. Viewed in profile, the head appears
approximately the same length as the neck and blends with the body in
substance. The stop, eyebrows and chiseling of the bony structure around the
eye sockets contribute to the Springer’s beautiful and characteristic
expression, which is alert, kindly and trusting. The eyes, more than any
other feature, are the essence of the Springer’s appeal. Correct size,
shape, placement and color influence expression and attractiveness. The eyes
are of medium size and oval in shape, set rather well-apart and fairly deep
in their sockets. The color of the iris harmonizes with the color of the
coat, preferably dark hazel in the liver and white dogs and black or deep
brown in the black and white dogs. Eyerims are fully pigmented and match the
coat in color. Lids are tight with little or no haw showing. Eyes that are
small, round or protruding, as well as eyes that are yellow or brassy in
color, are highly undesirable. Ears are long and fairly wide, hanging close
to the cheeks with no tendency to stand up or out. The ear leather is thin
and approximately long enough to reach the tip of the nose. Correct ear set
is on a level with the eye and not too far back on the skull. The skull is
medium-length and fairly broad, flat on top and slightly rounded at the
sides and back. The occiput bone is inconspicuous. As the skull rises from
the foreface, it makes a stop, divided by a groove, or fluting, between the
eyes. The groove disappears as it reaches the middle of the forehead. The
amount of stop is moderate. It must not be a pronounced feature; rather it
is a subtle rise where the muzzle joins the upper head. It is emphasized by
the groove and by the position and shape of the eyebrows, which are
well-developed. The muzzle is approximately the same length as the skull and
one half the width of the skull. Viewed in profile, the toplines of the
skull and muzzle lie in approximately parallel planes. The nasal bone is
straight, with no inclination downward toward the tip of the nose, the
latter giving an undesirable downfaced look. Neither is the nasal bone
concave, resulting in a "dish-faced" profile; nor convex, giving the dog a
Roman nose. The cheeks are flat, and the face is well-chiseled under the
eyes. Jaws are of sufficient length to allow the dog to carry game easily:
fairly square, lean and strong. The upper lips come down full and rather
square to cover the line of the lower jaw, however, the lips are never
pendulous or exaggerated. The nose is fully-pigmented, liver or black in
color, depending on the color of the coat. The nostrils are well-opened and
broad. Teeth are strong, clean, of good size and ideally meet in a close
scissors bite. An even bite or one or two incisors slightly out of line are
minor faults. Undershot, overshot and wry jaws are serious faults and are to
be severely penalized.
 Neck,
Topline, Body
The neck is moderately long, muscular, clean and slightly arched at the
crest. It blends gradually and smoothly into sloping shoulders. The portion
of the topline from withers to tail is firm and slopes very gently. The body
is short-coupled, strong and compact. The chest is deep, reaching the level
of the elbows, with well-developed forechest; however, it is not so wide or
round as to interfere with the action of the front legs. Ribs are fairly
long, springing gradually to the middle of the body, then tapering as they
approach the end of the ribbed section. The underline stays level with the
elbows to a slight upcurve at the flank. The back is straight, strong and
essentially level. Loins are strong, short and slightly arched. Hips are
nicely-rounded, blending smoothly into the hind legs. The croup slopes
gently to the set of the tail, and tail-set follows the natural line of the
croup. The tail is carried horizontally or slightly elevated and displays a
characteristic lively, merry action, particularly when the dog is on game. A
clamped tail (indicating timidity or undependable temperament) is to be
faulted, as is a tail carried at a right angle to the backline in Terrier
fashion.
 Forequarters
Efficient movement in front calls for proper forequarter assembly. The
shoulder blades are flat and fairly close together at the tips, molding
smoothly into the contour of the body. Ideally, when measured from the top
of the withers to the point of the shoulder to the elbow, the shoulder blade
and upper arm are of apparent equal length, forming an angle of nearly 90
degrees; this sets the front legs well under the body and places the elbows
directly beneath the tips of the shoulder blades. Elbows lie close to the
body. Forelegs are straight with the same degree of size continuing to the
foot. Bone is strong, slightly flattened, not too round or too heavy.
Pasterns are short, strong and slightly sloping, with no suggestion of
weakness. Dewclaws are usually removed. Feet are round or slightly oval.
They are compact and well-arched, of medium size with thick pads, and
well-feathered between the toes.
Hindquarters
The Springer should be worked and shown in hard, muscular condition with
well-developed hips and thighs. His whole rear assembly suggests strength
and driving power. Thighs are broad and muscular. Stifle joints are strong.
For functional efficiency, the angulation of the hindquarter is never
greater than that of the forequarter, and not appreciably less. The hock
joints are somewhat rounded, not small and sharp in contour. Rear pasterns
are short (about 1/3 the distance from the hip joint to the foot) and
strong, with good bone. When viewed from behind, the rear pasterns are
parallel. Dewclaws are usually removed. The feet are the same as in front,
except that they are smaller and often more compact.
Coat
The Springer has an outer coat and an undercoat. On the body, the outer coat
is of medium length, flat or wavy, and is easily distinguishable from the
undercoat, which is short, soft and dense. The quantity of undercoat is
affected by climate and season. When in combination, outer coat and
undercoat serve to make the dog substantially waterproof, weatherproof and
thornproof. On ears, chest, legs and belly the Springer is nicely furnished
with a fringe of feathering of moderate length and heaviness. On the head,
front of the forelegs, and below the hock joints on the front of the hind
legs, the hair is short and fine. The coat has the clean, glossy, "live"
appearance indicative of good health. It is legitimate to trim about the
head, ears, neck and feet, to remove dead undercoat, and to thin and shorten
excess feathering as required to enhance a smart, functional appearance. The
tail may be trimmed, or well fringed with wavy feathering. Above all, the
appearance should be natural. Overtrimming, especially the body coat, or any
chopped, barbered or artificial effect is to be penalized in the show ring,
as is excessive feathering that destroys the clean outline desirable in a
sporting dog. Correct quality and condition of coat is to take precedence
over quantity of coat.
Color
All the following combinations of colors and markings are equally
acceptable:(1) Black or liver with white markings or predominantly white
with black or liver markings; (2) Blue or liver roan; (3) Tricolor: black
and white or liver and white with tan markings, usually found on eyebrows,
cheeks, inside of ears and under the tail. Any white portion of the coat may
be flecked with ticking. Off colors such as lemon, red or orange are not to
place.
 Gait
The final test of the Springer’s conformation and soundness is proper
movement. Balance is a prerequisite to good movement. The front and rear
assemblies must be equivalent in angulation and muscular development for the
gait to be smooth and effortless. Shoulders which are well laid-back to
permit a long stride are just as essential as the excellent rear quarters
that provide driving power. Seen from the side, the Springer exhibits a
long, ground-covering stride and carries a firm back, with no tendency to
dip, roach or roll from side to side. From the front, the legs swing forward
in a free and easy manner. Elbows have free action from the shoulders, and
the legs show no tendency to cross or interfere. From behind, the rear legs
reach well under the body, following on a line with the forelegs. As speed
increases, there is a natural tendency for the legs to converge toward a
center line of travel. Movement faults include high-stepping, wasted motion;
short, choppy stride; crabbing; and moving with the feet wide, the latter
giving roll or swing to the body.
Temperament
The typical Springer is friendly, eager to please, quick to learn and
willing to obey. Such traits are conducive to tractability, which is
essential for appropriate handler control in the field. In the show ring, he
should exhibit poise and attentiveness and permit himself to be examined by
the judge without resentment or cringing. Aggression toward people and
aggression toward other dogs is not in keeping with sporting dog character
and purpose and is not acceptable. Excessive timidity, with due allowance
for puppies and novice exhibits, is to be equally penalized.
Summary
In evaluating the English Springer Spaniel, the overall picture is a primary
consideration. One should look for type, which includes general
appearance and outline, and also for soundness, which includes
movement and temperament. Inasmuch as the dog with a smooth easy gait must
be reasonably sound and well-balanced, he is to be highly regarded, however,
not to the extent of forgiving him for not looking like an English Springer
Spaniel. An atypical dog, too short or long in leg length or foreign in head
or expression, may move well, but he is not to be preferred over a good
all-round specimen that has a minor fault in movement. It must be remembered
that the English Springer Spaniel is first and foremost a sporting dog of
the Spaniel family, and he must look, behave and move
in character.
Approval Date: February 12, 1994
Effective Date: March 31, 1994
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