He floats

Larsen trots around the ring in Leesburg, Va. (10/26/2008).


One of Larsen's conformation handlers gave him the compliment that "he floats around the ring".  To me, that conjures visions of the great heavyweight boxer, Muhammad Ali ("floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee"), which, of course, puts this dog in fine company.

With regard to movement, the practice for Welshies is:

MOVEMENT: Easy, efficient movement with drive from the rear.

COMMON FAULTS [BY JUDGES REGARDING] MOVEMENT: Rewarding frenetic trotting or lots of leg movement with no ground covering drive. This breed does not single track. There should be, however, convergence as speed increases with easy, effortless movement.  "The Welsh Springer Spaniel Breed Standard" (underscore added)

At 50+ lbs, Larsen is a little large as Welsh Springers go and at modest speed he seems to have a shoulder roll that I, as an uninformed owner, like, and which I do not always see on Welsh springers when they trot.  His gait is not at all mincing ("frenetic trotting"), but instead reminds me of that rolling, purposeful gait you will see on an athlete when he walks.  The slight roll may have to do with a tendency toward, but imperfect, single tracking.