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Gordon Setter

General Appearance:

A good-sized, sturdily built dog, well muscled, with plenty of bone and substance, but active, upstanding and stylish, appearing capable of doing a full day’s work in the field. Strong, rather short back, well-sprung ribs and short tail, a fairly heavy head, finely chiseled, intelligent, noble and dignified expression, showing no signs of shyness; clear colours and straight of slightly waved coat. A dog that suggests strength and stamina rather than extreme speed. Symmetry and quality are most essential. A dog well balanced in all points is preferable to one with outstanding good qualities and defects.

Size:

Shoulder height for males, 24-27 inches (61-69 cm);
for females,23-26 inches (58-66 cm).
Weight: Males, 55-75 lb. (25-34 kg);
Females, 45-65 lb. (20-29 kg).

As a guide, the greater heights and weights are to be preferred provided that character and quality are also combined. Dogs over and under these heights and weights are to be discouraged.

Coat and Colour:

Coat should be soft and shining, resembling silk, straight or slightly waved - the latter preferred - but not curly, with long hair on ears, under stomach, on chest, and on back of the fore and hind legs to the feet. Deep, shining coal-black with tan markings, either of rich chestnut or mahogany red colour. The tan should be shining and not dull, yellowish or straw colour and not mixed with black hairs. Black penciling allowed on toes. The borderlines between black and tan colours should be clearly defined. There should not be any tan colours mixed in the black.

 
Tan markings:

(a) Two clear spots over the eyes not over 3/4 inch (2 cm) in diameter.
(b) On the sides of the muzzle, the tan should not reach above the base of nose, resembling a stripe around the end of the muzzle from one side to the other.
(c) On the throat.
(d) Two large, clear spots on chest.
(e) On the inside of the hind legs and inside of thighs showing down the front of the stifle and broadening out to the outside of the hind legs from the hock to the toes. It must, however, not completely eliminate the black on the back of hind legs.
(f) On the forelegs from the knees or a little above downward to the toes.
(g) Around the vent A white spot on the chest is allowed, but the smaller the better.

 
Head:

Deep rather than broad, with plenty of brain room, nicely rounded good-sized skull, broadest between the ears. The head should have a clearly indicated stop. Below and above the eyes should be lean and the cheek as narrow as the leanness of the head allows. The muzzle fairly long with almost parallel lines and not pointed either as seen from above or from the side. The flews not pendulous but with clearly indicated lips. The nose big, broad with open nostrils and of black colour. Eyes of fair size, neither too deep set nor too bulging, dark brown, bright and wise. Ears set low on the head, fairly large and thin.

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Neck:

Long, lean, arched to the head and without throatiness.

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Gait:

A smooth free movement with high head carriage.

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