Description: The Sussex Spaniel has a short body but is a large, strong dog. The skull is wide, broad and heavy-looking. The snout is square in shape and is only three inches long. The nose is always liver-colored. He has big eyes and they are hazel. With low set ears that are large and hang down, it is covered in soft, wavy fur. This dog has a slightly arched neck. The chest is deep. The legs are especially short. The tail is docked, in countries that still allow docking, to 5-7 inches. Height is 15-16 inches and weight is 40-44 pounds. The coat can be wavy or flat and comes in a beautiful golden liver color. They have feathers on their necks, tails, feet, and legs. Life expectancy is about 12-15 years.
History: The Sussex Spaniel is still quite rare and was developed in the 19th century in Sussex, England. This dog was bred to be a small game hunter as well as a companion dog. In 1795, Mr. Fuller, living in Hastings in East Sussex, bred hunting dogs to work on harsh, overgrown terrain. He wanted a Spaniel that could have all the hunting skills that Spaniels have but would also stand up to harsh conditions. Crossing the Field Spaniel and the Norfolk Spaniel and perhaps some of the early Springer Spaniels is how the Sussex Spaniel was obtained. This breed was bred for barking abilities that were not common at the time. These dogs bark during the hunt. This was proudly in the top ten of the AKC studbook in 1884. During and after World War II the breed was saved by Mrs. Joy Freer and all Sussex Spaniels are now in her line. This line was reduced to just 10 on the UK register. In 2004, the KCGB identified the breed as a vulnerable native breed. In 2008, there were only 56 registered puppies in the UK. In 2009, a Sussex Spaniel named “Stump” won the Westminster Kennel Club Best in Show award at the grand age of 10. This dog is most popular in the United States. Talents include tracking, retrieving, observing, and hunting.