English Cocker Spaniel Conformation
You will also need to refer to the "Breed Standard" for English Cocker Spaniels in New Zealand.
Below are collection of my notes about cocker spaniel conformation, in some cases these are notes or pictures from articles, and there have been included here for your interest only, where known the authors have been referenced.
It's important to understand what your looking for both when buying a puppy and also when grooming your dog for the show ring. While initially your grooming skills may not be quite perfect it certainly helps when you know what your aiming for.
Points of a dog
Here are a few of the most common terms used when talking about conformation:
Withers: Top of the shoulders behind the neck.
Loin: Back of the dog between the ribs and the hips.
Croup: Top of the dogs rump between the loin and the tail.
Stifle: Located on the rear leg - this is the dogs knee.
Forearm: Part of the foreleg between the elbow and the pastern.
Upper Arm: The top part of the front leg.
Pastern: Part of the leg below the front knee or below the hock of the rear leg.
Elbow: Knobby part of the top of the front leg at the rear.
Brisket: The dogs chest.
Ribcage: The bones covering a dogs lungs.
Shoulder: Joint at the upper part of the foreleg.
Ear Set: Theposition of and the way the ear lays.
Occiput: Raised bone at the rear of the skull.
Stop: Indented part of the skull between the eyes.
Foreface: The head in front of the eyes.
Forefoot: Front feet.
Hind foot: Rear feet.
Dewclaw: Small claw found above the other toes on the inner paw often removed.
Muzzle: Front part of the jaws.
Flews: Hanging part of the top lips.
Hock: Bones jont on the rear leg that connect the upper thigh bone to the pastern.
Hips: Joints at the uppermost part the hind legs.
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Conformation
The under the NZKZ Breed Standard are pictures and notes in green these are mine and from elsewhere and they helped me learn more about the breed.. I'll keep updating this as I learn more and with better pictures as time permits.
General Appearance:
The Cocker Spaniel should be well balanced and compact and should measure about the same from the withers to the ground as from the withers to the root of the tail.
Like many breeds he should represent an approximate square, remember though this square does not include the neck and head.
Below are collection of my notes about cocker spaniel conformation, in some cases these are notes or pictures from articles, and there have been included here for your interest only, where known the authors have been referenced.
It's important to understand what your looking for both when buying a puppy and also when grooming your dog for the show ring. While initially your grooming skills may not be quite perfect it certainly helps when you know what your aiming for.
Points of a dog
Here are a few of the most common terms used when talking about conformation:
Withers: Top of the shoulders behind the neck.
Loin: Back of the dog between the ribs and the hips.
Croup: Top of the dogs rump between the loin and the tail.
Stifle: Located on the rear leg - this is the dogs knee.
Forearm: Part of the foreleg between the elbow and the pastern.
Upper Arm: The top part of the front leg.
Pastern: Part of the leg below the front knee or below the hock of the rear leg.
Elbow: Knobby part of the top of the front leg at the rear.
Brisket: The dogs chest.
Ribcage: The bones covering a dogs lungs.
Shoulder: Joint at the upper part of the foreleg.
Ear Set: Theposition of and the way the ear lays.
Occiput: Raised bone at the rear of the skull.
Stop: Indented part of the skull between the eyes.
Foreface: The head in front of the eyes.
Forefoot: Front feet.
Hind foot: Rear feet.
Dewclaw: Small claw found above the other toes on the inner paw often removed.
Muzzle: Front part of the jaws.
Flews: Hanging part of the top lips.
Hock: Bones jont on the rear leg that connect the upper thigh bone to the pastern.
Hips: Joints at the uppermost part the hind legs.
____________________________________________________________________
Conformation
The under the NZKZ Breed Standard are pictures and notes in green these are mine and from elsewhere and they helped me learn more about the breed.. I'll keep updating this as I learn more and with better pictures as time permits.
General Appearance:
The Cocker Spaniel should be well balanced and compact and should measure about the same from the withers to the ground as from the withers to the root of the tail.
Like many breeds he should represent an approximate square, remember though this square does not include the neck and head.
Head and Skull:
There should be a good square muzzle with a distinct stop which should be mid-way between the tip of the nose and the occiput. The skull should be well-developed, cleanly chiseled, neither too fine nor too coarse. The cheek bones should not be prominent. The nose should be sufficiently wide to allow for the acute scenting power of this breed.
Viewed from the front there should not be too much difference between the width of the muzzle and the width of the skull. The muzzle should be approximately equal to the length of skull.
There should be a good square muzzle with a distinct stop which should be mid-way between the tip of the nose and the occiput. The skull should be well-developed, cleanly chiseled, neither too fine nor too coarse. The cheek bones should not be prominent. The nose should be sufficiently wide to allow for the acute scenting power of this breed.
Viewed from the front there should not be too much difference between the width of the muzzle and the width of the skull. The muzzle should be approximately equal to the length of skull.
Mouth:
Jaws should be strong and teeth should have a scissor bite.
Scissor Bite: when the top set of teeth very slightly overlaps the bottom - hence fitting together like blades on a pair of scissors.
Jaws should be strong and teeth should have a scissor bite.
Scissor Bite: when the top set of teeth very slightly overlaps the bottom - hence fitting together like blades on a pair of scissors.
Fore quarters:
The shoulders should be sloping and fine, the chest well developed and the brisket deep, The legs must be well boned, feathered and straight.
The proper front assembly has an equal length of shoulder (highest point of scapula or “withers” (A) to point of shoulder (B)) and upper arm (point of shoulder (B) to elbow (C)). The point of the shoulder (B) is mid-way between the withers (A) and the elbow (C). The elbow is located directly beneath the withers, and is mid-way between the withers and the ground.
We talk about proper “layback of shoulder” (B to A), but if the layback is not combined with the correct angle and equal length of “return of upper arm” (B to C), it is not a good shoulder, no matter how well laid back it is. It is also not a good shoulder if the elbow is not directly beneath the withers.This dog exhibits the textbook ideal 90 degree shoulder, formed by the shoulder and upper arm.
From English Cocker Spaniel Club of America
You can assess shoulder using your hand as a guide. Open your fingers and thumb out straight. Ensuring that your thumb is at right angles to your fingers (this creates a 90 degree angle) Lay the palm of your open hand on the dogs shoulder blade with your index finger against the slight centre ridge that runs up the shoulder blade - you should now be able to determine your dogs lay of shoulder.
The shoulders should be sloping and fine, the chest well developed and the brisket deep, The legs must be well boned, feathered and straight.
The proper front assembly has an equal length of shoulder (highest point of scapula or “withers” (A) to point of shoulder (B)) and upper arm (point of shoulder (B) to elbow (C)). The point of the shoulder (B) is mid-way between the withers (A) and the elbow (C). The elbow is located directly beneath the withers, and is mid-way between the withers and the ground.
We talk about proper “layback of shoulder” (B to A), but if the layback is not combined with the correct angle and equal length of “return of upper arm” (B to C), it is not a good shoulder, no matter how well laid back it is. It is also not a good shoulder if the elbow is not directly beneath the withers.This dog exhibits the textbook ideal 90 degree shoulder, formed by the shoulder and upper arm.
From English Cocker Spaniel Club of America
You can assess shoulder using your hand as a guide. Open your fingers and thumb out straight. Ensuring that your thumb is at right angles to your fingers (this creates a 90 degree angle) Lay the palm of your open hand on the dogs shoulder blade with your index finger against the slight centre ridge that runs up the shoulder blade - you should now be able to determine your dogs lay of shoulder.
Body:
Body should be immensely strong and compact for the size and weight of the dog. The ribs should be well sprung behind the shoulder blades, the loin short, wide and strong, with a firm top line gently sloping downwards to the tail.
The ribs are the widest part of a cocker spaniel
Body should be immensely strong and compact for the size and weight of the dog. The ribs should be well sprung behind the shoulder blades, the loin short, wide and strong, with a firm top line gently sloping downwards to the tail.
The ribs are the widest part of a cocker spaniel
Hindquarters:
Hindquarters should be wide, well rounded and very muscular. The legs must be well boned, feathered above the hock with a good bend of stifles and short below the hock allowing for plenty of drive.
You'll notice in the picture to the right that I've drawn a perpendicular line in to emphasize the correct rear assembly i.e. The front of the toe should be in line with the pelvic bone, when the hock and pastern are in the vertical position.
Hindquarters should be wide, well rounded and very muscular. The legs must be well boned, feathered above the hock with a good bend of stifles and short below the hock allowing for plenty of drive.
You'll notice in the picture to the right that I've drawn a perpendicular line in to emphasize the correct rear assembly i.e. The front of the toe should be in line with the pelvic bone, when the hock and pastern are in the vertical position.
Feet:
Feet should be firm, thickly padded and catlike.
Feet should be firm, thickly padded and catlike.
Movement:
There should be true through action both fore and aft with great drive covering the ground well.
To fulfill the function they were breed for movement is vitally important and I would think it intrinsic with a dogs overall confirmation, and therefore of great importance. Yet interestingly if you view photo's of cockers on the move you'll find many whose action is not consistent with the above.
There should be true through action both fore and aft with great drive covering the ground well.
To fulfill the function they were breed for movement is vitally important and I would think it intrinsic with a dogs overall confirmation, and therefore of great importance. Yet interestingly if you view photo's of cockers on the move you'll find many whose action is not consistent with the above.
