Breed Standard
CHARACTERISTICS Intrepid and untiring, very hardy, adaptable to any terrain including water. A sociable all purpose gundog.
TEMPERAMENT Faithful, intelligent, patient and affectionate.
HEAD & SKULL Head long, skull flat, sides gently sloping and very slightly rounded. The width of the skull should never exceed half the length of the head, preferably less. Equal in length from very well developed occiput to step as from gently sloping stop to tip of nose. Upper profiles of muzzle and skull divergent. Medial furrow pronounced. Nose large, spongy in appearance, protruding over rather thin lips.
EYES Large, well open and well spaced apart. The eyes are roundish, neither protruding nor deep set. The lids are close fitting. The colour of the iris is ochre, darker or lighter according to coat colour.
EARS Set on level with corner of eye. Long but not more than two inches below the jawline, pendulous, forward edge touching cheek. Triangular in shape, slightly rounded at tip, covered with thick short hair, longer and denser at edges.
MOUTH Jaws powerful with a perfect regular scissor bite i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Lips rather thin.
NECK Strong muscular, fairly short, merging smoothly into shoulder. Slight divided dewlap.
FOREQUARTERS Shoulders strong, well muscled and well laid back. Points of shoulder well set apart. Forelegs straight, bone oval, strong well defined tendons. Pasterns slightly sloping when viewed from side, elbows neither turning in nor out.
BODY Length equal to height at withers, chest broad, open, well let down. Brisket reaching at least to level of elbows. Front of sternum comes well forward below point of shoulders. Ribs open, well sprung. Topline a very slight slope from raised withers to well muscled loins, straight rise from loin to broad and muscular croup, croup sloping. Lower line of belly ascends to maximum of two inches towards the flank.
HINDQUARTERS Thighs broad, muscular and strong, surface of hocks very wide. Metatarsals vertical on extension of buttock line. Tendons clearly visible.
FEET Front, compact and round. Hind feet slightly oval. Toes arched covered with short thick hair especially between toes. Nails strong, arched. Pads hard. Pigmented according to coat colours. Never black. Dew claws optional.
GAIT/MOVEMENT Free moving, an ample fast trot when hunting, galloping occasionally.
TAIL Thick at base, set on as a continuation of croup line, carried horizontally or down, without a fringe. It should be docked to a length of 6-10 inches.
COAT Length of coat 1.6 to 2.4 inches on the body, shorter on the nasal bridge, head, ears, front of limbs and on the feet. On the back part of the limbs it is like a brush, but not long enough to constitute a fringe. Long straight hairs garnish the eyebrow arches and the lips forming thick eyebrows, moustache and beard. Skin is thick and leathery, the hair is straight, tough, thick, rather close fitting to the body and with shortage of undercoat.
COLOUR Pure white, white with orange markings, white peppered with orange, white with brown markings and brown roan. The tone most favoured of the browns is the Monks Habit. Colours not permitted are Tricolour, brown with red highlights (bay) and black in any combination.
SIZE Height to the withers: Males 60-70 cms (23.6-27.6); Females 58-65 cms (22.8-25.6). Length of the body equal to the height at the withers, with a tolerance of 1-2cms at most.
WEIGHT Males 32-37 kgs (70.6-81.6 lbs); Females 28-30 kgs (61.7-66.2 lbs).
FAULTS Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree. NOTE: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.