The Sussex Spaniel

Appearance

Long, Low, Level, Golden Liver and Large in bone accurately describes the Sussex . He is the only breed with his unique golden liver colour and is rectangular in shape. He has an abundant coat without being excessive and with a height of 15-16 inches he is a similar size to a Cocker spaniel but much heavier boned.

History

One of the 10 original breeds recognized by the AKC in the 1880’s and just survived WW2 with 5 individuals – all current Sussex are descended from these.The breed was originally bred to work the difficult heavy clay terrain of Kent and Sussex. He shares common ancestry with both Cockers and Field spaniels. Often known as the old gentleman’s gundog as he is methodical in his work and does not range too far- but has a brilliant nose. The breed is still used regularly overseas especially on beating lines in the UK. Still not numerically strong anywhere they are on the Endangered Breeds register in the UK and less than 200 are bred in the world yearly.

Temperament

A typical spaniel temperament in that they want to be with you – they are happier as a pack animal and need company – either canine or human otherwise you could have a problem with separation anxiety.They are extremely devoted to their family although they tend to choose one special person. They need to know their place in the pack as they are a strong willed breed and so obedience training is a must. They get on well with other animals and people but like all dogs need supervision with young children .

Care / Grooming

The coat is easy care and does not require clipping. A good brush to remove the dead hair and check the ears and trim around the feet (and check for grass seeds in season) is all that is basically required to keep your Sussex looking good. Some Sussex grow topknots that require a bit of plucking but a lot do not.

Health

The Sussex is generally a hardy breed and most only see the vet for their yearly vaccination. Hereditary problems to ask your responsible breeder about include Hip Dysplasia, Heart Murmers and Epilepsy. Eyes in the breed are generally good.

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