Welsh Springer Spaniel breed standards compared
Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.
Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.
Size
| Measure | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height at the withers, male | 48 cm | 45.7–48.3 cm | 45.7–48.3 cm | 48 cm | 48.3 cm |
| Height at the withers, female | 46 cm | 43.2–45.7 cm | 43.2–45.7 cm | 46 cm | 45.8 cm |
| Weight | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | 15.8–20.5 kg |
| Height to length | No ruling | under 1 | under 1 | No ruling | No ruling |
| Skull to muzzle | No ruling | 1 | 1 | No ruling | No ruling |
Conformation
| Form | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BiteScissors bite | Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”) | Standard (“A scissors bite is preferred”) | Standard (“meet in a scissors bite”) | Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”) | No ruling |
| BiteUndershot | No ruling | Fault (“An undershot jaw is to be severely penalized”) | Fault (“Serious Fault: Undershot bite”) | No ruling | Fault (“Jaws strong, neither undershot nor overshot”) |
| BiteOvershot | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Fault (“Jaws strong, neither undershot nor overshot”) |
| DentitionFull dentition | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Ear carriageDrop (pendant) | Standard (“hanging close to cheeks”) | Standard (“hang close to the cheeks”) | Standard (“hang close to the cheek”) | Standard (“hanging close to cheeks”) | Standard (“hanging close to the cheeks”) |
| Eye shapeOval | No ruling | Standard (“Eyes should be oval in shape”) | Standard (“The medium-sized, oval-shaped eyes”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| ToplineLevel | No ruling | Standard (“Topline is level”) | Standard (“The topline is level”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Muzzle shapeSquare | Standard (“Muzzle: Of medium length, straight, fairly square”) | Standard (“It is straight, fairly square”) | Standard (“The straight, fairly square muzzle”) | Standard (“Muzzle of medium length, straight, fairly square”) | Standard (“Muzzle: Medium length, straight, fairly square”) |
| Tail setLow | Standard (“Well set on and low, never carried above level of back”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Well set on and low, never carried above level of back”) | Standard (“Well set on and low”) |
| Tail carriageLevel | Standard (“never carried above level of back”) | Standard (“Carriage is nearly horizontal”) | Standard (“the carriage being nearly horizontal”) | Standard (“never carried above level of back”) | Standard (“never carried above the level of the back”) |
| Tail carriageLow (hanging) | Alternate (“never carried above level of back”) | No ruling | No ruling | Alternate (“never carried above level of back”) | Alternate (“never carried above the level of the back”) |
| Tail carriageRaised (gay) | No ruling | Alternate (“slightly elevated when the dog is excited”) | Alternate (“slightly elevated when the dog is excited”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| FeetCat foot | Standard (“Round, with thick pads. Firm and cat-like”) | Standard (“Feet should be round, tight and well arched”) | Standard (“The round, tight, well-arched feet have thick pads”) | Standard (“Round, with thick pads. Firm and cat-like”) | Standard (“Round with thick pads, firm and cat-like”) |
| Neck lengthLong | Standard (“Long, muscular, clean in throat”) | Standard (“The neck is long and slightly arched”) | Standard (“The long, slightly-arched, clean neck”) | Standard (“Long, muscular, clean in throat”) | Standard (“Long and muscular, clean in throat”) |
| DewlapNone (clean throat) | Standard (“clean in throat”) | Standard (“clean in throat”) | No ruling | Standard (“clean in throat”) | Standard (“clean in throat”) |
| ChestDeep | Standard (“Chest: Deep brisket, well sprung ribs”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Deep brisket, well-sprung ribs”) | Standard (“strong and muscular with deep brisket”) |
| HocksWell let down | Standard (“Hock: Well let down”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“hocks well let down”) | Standard (“Hocks well let down”) |
Markings
| Marking | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ticking | No ruling | Alternate (“any white area may be flecked with red ticking”) | Alternate (“Red ticking in any of the white areas is acceptable.”) | No ruling | No ruling |
Cropping, docking and other procedures
| Procedure | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | CKC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tail docking | Alternate (“Previously customarily docked ... Undocked: Feathered”) | Standard (“The tail is generally docked”) | Alternate (“It is generally docked, but a natural tail is not a fault”) | Alternate (“Previously customarily docked. Docked ... Undocked”) | No ruling |
| Dewclaw removal | No ruling | Standard (“Dewclaws are generally removed ... Rear dewclaws are removed”) | Standard (“Dewclaws are usually removed ... Rear dewclaws are removed”) | No ruling | No ruling |
The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.
Welsh Springer Spaniel colors and patterns
What each club's breed standard says about every Welsh Springer Spaniel color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.
Breed standards describe the Welsh Springer Spaniel in White and Red. Standard patterns: Bicolor and Roan.
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | Standard (“Rich red and white only”) | Standard (“Red & White”) | Standard (“rich red and white”) | Standard (“Rich red and white only”) | Standard (“Rich red and white only”) |
| Red | Standard (“Rich red and white only”) | Standard (“Red & White”) | Standard (“rich red and white”) | Standard (“Rich red and white only”) | Standard (“Rich red and white only”) |
| Patterns | |||||
| Bicolor | Standard (“Rich red and white only”) | Standard (“Red & White”) | Standard (“Any color pattern is permitted”) | Standard (“Rich red and white only”) | Standard (“Rich red and white only”) |
| Roan | No ruling | Standard (“any white area may be flecked with red ticking”) | Standard (“Red ticking in any of the white areas is acceptable”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | No ruling | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Dark brown | Standard (“Hazel or dark”) | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“Hazel or dark”) | Standard (“Hazel or dark”) |
| Light brown | No ruling | Standard (“lighter shades of brown are acceptable”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Hazel | Standard (“Hazel or dark”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Hazel or dark”) | Standard (“Hazel or dark”) |
| Yellow | No ruling | Fault (“Yellow or mean-looking eyes are to be heavily penalized”) | Fault (“Yellow, or mean-looking eyes”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | No ruling | Standard (“black or any shade of brown”) | Standard (“black or any shade of brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Liver | No ruling | Standard (“black or any shade of brown”) | Standard (“black or any shade of brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Pink | Standard (“Flesh coloured to dark”) | Fault (“A pink nose is to be severely penalized”) | No ruling | Standard (“flesh coloured to dark”) | Standard (“Flesh coloured to dark”) |
| Dudley | No ruling | No ruling | Fault (“Dudley nose”) | No ruling | No ruling |
What the rulings mean
- Standard
- Described by the club's breed standard.
- Fault
- Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Color changes
How a Welsh Springer Spaniel's colors can change over its life.
Whitechanges toRoan
Coat · With age · from 2 weeks
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back
Sources
Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.