Breed History / Description
The golden-Iiver coated Sussex is the rarest of the land spaniels with a rich history. A founding pillar of the breed was Mr A E Fuller of Rosehill Park, near Hastings in Sussex and he developed a spaniel for working in the dense cover of his local terrain and so the Sussex is low to ground and powerfully built with a thick protective skin to get through the densest of undergrowth. He is the only spaniel to give tongue whilst working (some say that there might have been an input of hound blood) and this helps his handler keep track of his whereabouts when not visible.
When Mr Fuller died in 1847, his dogs were sold and the breed became scarce. Fortunately, despite several periods of threatened extinction, the breed has made progress both in type and numbers in recent years.
Characteristics
Natural working ability, gives tongue at work in thick cover.
Temperament
Kindly disposition, aggression highly undesirable.
Club, K., 2018. The Kennel Club's Breed Standards. 5th ed. London SW1V 2SA: Ebury Press.