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Sussex Spaniel breeders

The Sussex Spaniel is a gundog from south-east England, named after the county where it was developed.

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Advertise your Sussex Spaniel puppies, litters and stud dogs

Do you breed Sussex Spaniels? With so few litters born each year, buyers often wait a long time to find a breeder. List your kennel on caninebreeder.co.uk so they can find you, advertise Sussex Spaniel puppies for sale as soon as a litter is planned or born, and promote your Sussex Spaniel stud dog to other breeders. Your listing can set out the hip scoring and eye testing you do and your RKC registration, which helps serious buyers and bitch owners compare breeders fairly.

No breeders are listed here yet, so the first profiles get the page to themselves.

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Is it free to advertise here?

Yes. A breeder profile and your litter and stud dog adverts are free. Premium profiles, featured placement and sponsored articles are optional paid extras; see pricing.

Do I need a licence to advertise puppies?

In England you need a dog breeding licence from your council if you breed three or more litters in 12 months or breed and sell dogs as a business, and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own schemes. Licensed breeders show their licence number and issuing council on every advert. Puppies must be at least eight weeks old before they go to new homes.

Is my listing already here?

We add licensed breeders from councils' public registers. Search for your kennel name; if it is listed you can claim it and edit everything.

About the Sussex Spaniel

The Sussex Spaniel is a gundog from south-east England, named after the county where it was developed. The Royal Kennel Club (RKC) names Mr A E Fuller of Rosehill Park, near Hastings, as a founding figure: he bred spaniels able to work the dense cover of his local countryside, and the Sussex Spaniel Association (SSA) adds that the dogs had to cope with heavy clay ground. The result is a low, powerfully built dog with a thick, protective skin. It is the only spaniel the RKC describes as giving tongue (making itself heard) while working, which helps a handler track it in thick cover.

The breed has come close to disappearing more than once. The SSA records that only a handful of dogs were left after the Second World War, and today's Sussex descend from that small base plus a Kennel Club-approved outcross to a Clumber Spaniel in the 1960s. It is a vulnerable native breed: the RKC registered just 15 Sussex Spaniels in 2025.

Size and coat. The breed standard gives an ideal height of 38 to 41 cm (15 to 16 in) at the withers and a weight of about 23 kg. The only accepted colour is rich golden liver, with the hair shading to gold at the tips. The coat is abundant and flat, with a weather-resistant undercoat, moderate feathering on the fore and hind legs and soft, wavy hair on the ears.

Grooming. The RKC suggests grooming more than once a week; the SSA, noting that the fine coat tangles easily, recommends brushing and combing daily if possible. Mats tend to form in the armpits and behind the ears, and the long ears pick up mud, so they need washing, drying and regular checks. Nails should be kept short, and the breed sheds.

Exercise. The RKC lists more than two hours of exercise a day and suggests the breed suits the country and a large garden. The SSA says most Sussex can still hunt, and encourages owners to try working them.

Temperament. The standard calls for a kindly disposition, with aggression unacceptable. The SSA describes the breed as loyal and full of character, with a sense of humour and a tendency to push its luck if allowed. The club also notes that Sussex mature slowly, and the RKC gives a typical lifespan of over 10 years.

Sussex Spaniel health tests

The RKC's pre-breeding advice for the Sussex Spaniel puts genetic diversity first. Every Sussex traces back to a small post-war group, so avoiding closely related matings is the breed's Good Practice recommendation. The SSA reports that fewer puppies are being born and litters are getting smaller, and its Sussex Genetics Project, run with the Roslin Institute and the RKC, is DNA testing UK-resident dogs to build an evidence-based plan for managing the gene pool.

As Best Practice, the RKC recommends an eye examination and hip scoring under the schemes listed below. The SSA strongly recommends hip scoring all breeding stock and gives the breed's average hip score as 41; the RKC and BVA advise breeding from dogs scoring around or below the breed median, so compare a parent's score with the Sussex figure rather than with other breeds. The club also flags ear problems, skin allergies and, in a small number of dogs, bloat.

The RKC places the breed in Breed Watch Category 1 (no breed-specific points of concern for show judges) and applies no extra breed-specific breeding restrictions.

  • Prioritising genetic diversity (RKC Good Practice): check the litter's coefficient of inbreeding against the breed average
  • Eye testing using the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme (RKC Best Practice)
  • Hip testing (for hip dysplasia) using the BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme (RKC Best Practice); dogs must be at least 12 months old
  • Breed Watch: Category 1
  • The RKC does not currently offer a breed-specific DNA testing package for the Sussex Spaniel

Choosing a Sussex Spaniel breeder

Sussex litters are few and far between, and breeders often keep their own lists of interested homes, so a good breeder will usually want to meet you first, often at a club show or event. Expect questions about your home, garden, working hours and experience with spaniels. A good breeder hip scores and eye tests the parents under the BVA schemes, checks the coefficient of inbreeding for the planned mating, registers the litter with the RKC and can explain how the pairing helps the breed's small gene pool. They will be open about the practical side of the breed, such as ear care, matting and slow maturity, and should be happy to stay in touch as the dog grows up. If you are tempted by a puppy from abroad, read the SSA's guide to importing a puppy first.

  • Can I see both parents' hip scores and eye certificates, and how do the hip scores compare with the breed median?
  • What is the coefficient of inbreeding for this litter, and what is the current breed average?
  • Will the puppy be RKC registered, and will any endorsements be placed on the registration?
  • Can I meet the mother, and what are both parents like at home and in the field?
  • What grooming, ear care and exercise routine do you recommend while the puppy is growing?

Sussex Spaniel questions

Why is it so hard to find a Sussex Spaniel puppy?

The Sussex is a vulnerable native breed with very small numbers: the RKC registered 15 in 2025 and 24 in 2024. The Sussex Spaniel Association reports smaller litters and breeding difficulties, and says waits of two years or more for a UK puppy are common. Contacting breeders and the club early, and meeting people at club events, improves your chances.

How much grooming does a Sussex Spaniel need?

The coat is fine and tangles easily, so the SSA recommends regular brushing and combing, ideally daily. Watch the armpits and behind the ears, where mats form, clean the long ears when they get muddy and keep nails short. The RKC notes that the breed sheds.

How much exercise does a Sussex Spaniel need?

The RKC lists more than two hours a day for an adult and suggests the breed suits the country and a large garden. The SSA advises keeping puppy exercise moderate while they are growing fastest, up to about six months old.

Which health tests should a Sussex Spaniel's parents have?

The RKC recommends an eye examination under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme and hip scoring under the BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme, and lists prioritising genetic diversity as Good Practice, which in practice means checking the litter's coefficient of inbreeding. You can look up results for RKC-registered dogs on the RKC Health Test Results Finder.

More for Sussex Spaniel owners and breeders

Official sources