The English Water Spaniel Club looks after the interests of this breed, and the Kennel Club provides a class for them.
A narrow head, small eyes, large nose, straight neck, strong back, rather narrow, deep chest, long strong legs, large feet, a six-inch dock, with a coat of ringlets or curls (no top-knot), and good general appearance, are the chief points.
Black, liver, liver and white, black and white, black and liver, are the accepted colours, but pied is most admired.
In addition to this breed of Spaniel, the Kennel Club also provides classes for English Springers and Welsh Springers.
1. The name of the Society shall be "The Sporting Spaniel Society," its objects being to encourage the working qualities of Spaniels in every possible way, the breeding of them upon working lines, and the judging of them at shows from a working standpoint. All varieties of Sporting Spaniels, English and Irish Water, Norfolk, Clumber, Sussex, Black Springer, and Cocker Spaniels, and any other varieties of Spaniels used with the gun, shall be fostered and encouraged by this Society. It shall, if possible, hold a series of working Trials.
2. The Society shall consist of an unlimited number of members, whose names and addresses shall be kept by the Secretary in a book, which book shall be kept open to the inspection of members at reasonable times. Any respectable person favourable to the objects of the Society is eligible for admission as a member. Each candidate for admission must be proposed by one member and seconded by another member. The election of members shall be vested solely in the Committee and shall be by ballot, three members to form a quorum, and two black balls to exclude.
3. The annual subscription for each member shall be one guinea, payable on 1st January in each year. Anyone failing to pay his subscription by 31st January shall have notice given him by the Secretary, and if his subscription be still unpaid on 31st March, his rights of membership shall cease until he has paid his subscription. By non-payment of his subscription, a member renders himself liable to be struck off the list of members. No new member shall be entitled to enjoy the privileges of members until he has paid his subscription. This rule will be strictly enforced. Life membership may be acquired upon payment in a lump sum of ten guineas. The payment of the first subscription of any member elected after the 30th June in any year will cover the period up to the 31st December next after the following 31st December.