The Clumber Spaniel 225 
Gordon setter among sporting dogs. People who keep them very naturally 
think a great deal of them, but to the outside public or the man looking for 
a breed to take up they are a good deal of an educated taste. To the ordi- 
nary man they lack attraction and cannot compare with the black field 
spaniel, which in turn loses to the active and taking cocker. For these rea- 
sons we fear the Clumber will never become popular or be taken up by a 
sufficient number of exhibitors to make competition interesting. 
The standard adopted by the American Spaniel Club was one originally 
drafted by Mr. Mercer. As a fellow-committeeman in framing the standard, 
we strongly objected to many of his alterations from the accepted English 
standard. Some of these objections he acquiesced in, but not all. To bring 
the matter before the club Mr. Richardson, the chairman of the committee, 
voted with Mr. Mercer, and the club accepted the standard without dis- 
cussion. This being a peculiarly English breed we held then and hold now 
that with the very few specimens we have in this country, the limited number 
of exhibitors and the very slight knowledge possessed by even spaniel 
men as to breed, the English club’s standard should be adopted without 
question. What would we think if two or three Englishmen took up 
Boston terriers and set about making a standard for the breed differing 
from ours in just the points wherein their dogs differed from our standard ? 
That is what our Spaniel Club did with the Clumber standard, and for 
that reason we give the standard of the English club. We have already 
commented on the recent alteration regarding the suppression of the 
haw, and are pleased to say that our views are in complete harmony with 
those of that recognised spaniel authority in England, Mr. Farrow. So 
much has been said in opposition to this change that it would not be at all 
surprising to have it altered and the prior standard again govern on this 
point. 
The standard is printed in a manner to show the recent alterations, 
the additions being within brackets. The only depletion made was in 
striking out “and showing haw” in the description of the eyes. From the 
defense of the alteration made by the Clumber Club secretary it would appear 
that the alteration was made to fit a condition, and it is claimed, though 
not apparent how, that dogs with the haw showing are still all correct. 
An exaggerated haw is of course as faulty as it is in other dogs showing that 
peculiarity, but the haw has always been a Clumber characteristic and is 
in keeping with the thoughtful look of the dog. 
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