Cocker Griffon

The Cocker Spaniel is a compact, sturdy sporting dog that presents a well-balanced and athletic appearance designed for both beauty and function. Standing between 13.5 and 15.5 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 20 and 30 pounds, this breed falls at the smaller end of the sporting group while maintaining substantial bone structure and muscling throughout its frame. The body is slightly longer than tall, with a deep chest that extends to the elbows and well-sprung ribs that provide ample lung capacity for sustained fieldwork. The topline slopes gently downward from the withers to the hindquarters, creating the breed's characteristic silhouette that distinguishes it from its English counterpart. The breed's most distinctive feature is its luxurious silky coat, which can be flat or slightly wavy but never curly. The coat comes in a wide variety of colors including solid black, ASCOB (Any Solid Color Other Than Black) which encompasses shades from lightest cream to darkest red, and parti-colors featuring two or more solid colors with one being white. Feathering adorns the ears, chest, abdomen, and legs, requiring regular grooming to maintain its beautiful appearance and prevent matting. The head is refined with a rounded skull, pronounced stop, and a broad, deep muzzle that houses strong jaws capable of retrieving game birds without damage. The Cocker Spaniel's long, low-set ears are perhaps its most recognizable trait, covered in long, silky hair that frames the face elegantly and reaches well below the nose when pulled forward. The eyes are round, full, and dark brown in color, conveying an intelligent, alert, and soft expression that has won countless admirers throughout the breed's history. The tail, typically docked in countries where permitted, is carried in line with the topline and wags constantly with enthusiasm, earning this breed its well-deserved reputation as the merry cocker. Overall proportions emphasize balance and functionality, with the breed capable of considerable speed and endurance in the field while maintaining the refined appearance of a beloved family companion.

The Brussels Griffon presents a unique appearance that captivates admirers with its almost human-like expression and sturdy toy breed conformation. Standing between 7 and 10 inches at the shoulder and weighing 8 to 12 pounds, this compact breed carries substantial bone and muscle for its size, projecting an impression of sturdiness rather than delicacy. The body is thickset and square in proportion, meaning the length from shoulder to buttocks approximately equals the height at the withers, supported by straight, well-boned legs that enable the breed's characteristic purposeful trotting gait. The head represents the Brussels Griffon's most distinctive feature, large in proportion to the body and covered with wiry hair on rough-coated individuals that forms an impressive beard, whiskers, and fringe around the face. The skull is large and round, with a domed forehead and a very short, pushed-back muzzle that gives the breed its brachycephalic classification. The nose is extremely short with large, wide-open nostrils, set deeply between the eyes which creates the breed's trademark pushed-in face. Large, prominent, wide-set eyes are dark in color and possess an almost human quality of expression that has earned comparisons to Ewoks from the Star Wars films. Two coat types exist within the breed, each with its own distinct appearance and grooming requirements. The rough coat is wiry, dense, and harsh in texture, with longer hair on the head forming the characteristic beard and fringe that frames the face. The smooth coat is short, straight, glossy, and tight to the body without the elaborate facial furnishings. Both coat types appear in red, a reddish-brown with some black at whiskers and chin, beige featuring a mix of black and reddish-brown with black mask and whiskers, black and tan, and solid black. The tail is set high and carried upward, typically docked to about one-third its length where permitted.