Coat
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Ch.Fezziwig Vice Versa DOB 1967
"Profuse, but not so excessive as to give the impression that the dog is overly fat and of a good hard texture; not straight but shaggy and free from curl. Quality and texture of coat to be considered above mere profuseness. Softness and flatness to be considered a fault. The undercoat is a waterproof pile when not removed from grooming and season. Ears coated moderately. The whole skull well covered with hair. The forelegs well coated all around. The hams densely coated with a thick long jacket in excess of any other part. Neither the natural outline nor the natural texture of the coat may be changed by any artificial means except that the feet and rear may be trimmed for cleanliness."
Keep in mind that the above description is of a mature OES, which should have a hard textured outer coat with a soft wooly undercoat and a clear blue color. The coat should look shaggy and never sculptured or overly trimmed.
Ch.Victor Cavendish 1897
The above dogs clearly show the "shaggy" coat with lovely break and texture. Keep in mind, when looking at these pictures that dogs being shown today carry much more coat due to better grooming skills and equipment. The picture on the right shows Ch.Elkington Squire with an outline of what would be the dog's outline today carrying more coat and groomed in the style of today. One can also see how his proportions "appear" to be different ,although they actually are not. This is why it is essential that one understands what is actually beneath the coat.
Baby puppy coat is soft and silky, but one can see at birth which puppies will have better break and texture by the deep waves about the neck, head, ears and down the back. The puppies that have straight coats will generally not have good break & texture as adults.
These are a 3 year old and 4 year old with fully mature coats. The coat is a clear crisp blue and one can see the texture and there is no "straightness" to the coat.