- 1). Look at the general appearance of the Gordon setter—a good-sized dog that is built sturdily and is well-muscled. It has a short back with a short tail. The finely chiseled head is rather heavy, giving this breed its noble bearing.
- 2). Make sure the size and proportion is correct. Males are 24 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weight 55 to 80 pounds, while females are 23 to 26 inches at the shoulder and weigh 45 to 70 pounds. The dog as measured from the forechest to the back of the thigh is just about equal to the height at the withers. The Gordon setter has nice bone and substance.
- 3). Look at the deep head. The eyes are fair-sized and should not be too deep-set or bulging. They are dark brown, oval in shape, and should show wiseness. The ears are set low on the head and are large and thin. They are carried close to the head. The muzzle is rather long, but not pointed and leads to the broad nose that has open nostrils and is black in color.
- 4). Check body profile of the Gordon setter. The long, lean neck is ached and should not be throaty. The body is short from the shoulder to the hips. The chest, while not broad, is deep in the front and reaches to the elbows. The tail is short and does not reach below the hocks. It is usually carried horizontally and is thick at the root moving down to a fine point. The shoulders are fine at the points and lie well back. They lead to big-boned forelegs and catlike feet with well-arched toes. The toes have thick pads and deep heel cushions. The rear legs are flat, but muscular. The feet are catlike with well-arched toes and thick pads and deep cushions.
- 5). Feel the soft coat. It can be straight or a bit waved, but not curly. The hair on the hears, under the stomach and on the chest is long, as it is on the back of the four legs and tail. The tail feather has a triangle appearance. The Gordon setter should be black with tan markings of rich chestnut or mahogany. The tan markings should be located as two clear spots over the eyes, and should be less than 3/4 of an inch in diameter, on the side of the muzzle (but not reaching the top of the muzzle), on the throat, two large clear spots on the chest, inside of the hind legs, on the forelegs and around the vent. Some may have a white spot on the chest.
