Welsh Springer Spaniel Information & Dog Breed Facts

It is thought by many people that most spaniels are descendants of the original ancient hunting spaniel of the Iberian Peninsula and that their name is derived from the word ‘Spaniard’. The Welsh Springer Spaniel can be traced backed to the 18^th century in Wales, but go back much further in the United Kingdom, at least to the 16^th century. Their coat only comes in a single color of white with red markings and they have been common in the mixed pool of hounds and gundogs in Europe for the same time. Their origin is unknown but according to experts, it is most likely that they were already present during the early Middle Ages in Western Europe. The actual date cannot be traced, however, dogs resembling the breed with its distinctive red and white coat are frequently depicted in old pictures and prints. John Caius, writing in 1570 said: “Spaniels whose skins are white if marked with any spotted they commonly red”. It is thought that these Spaniels made their way into the Welsh valleys where local sportsmen and hunters managed to conserve them in a pure state.

Moreover, during the 18^th century, they were popular with nobility and gentry and prized for their enthusiastic hunting skills. They were designed to spring up to push their prey to allow them to be trapped in a net or captured by a falcon before the use of guns became common. They also have great scenting abilities, and their webbed feet mean they are strong swimmers that can also retrieve from the water. They are wary of strangers at first and can have a reserved nature but they are very loyal to their owners. They are rarer than the more widely known English Springer Spaniel with which they are sometimes confused.

During the 19^th century, there were several different varieties of ‘Cocker Spaniel’, including the ‘English’, the ‘Welsh’ and the ‘Devonshire’ as the term was used to describe the size of the dog rather than the breed. However, the Welsh Springer Spaniel’s popularity increased when Mr. A. T. Williams of Ynis-y-Grewn won the team stake at the ‘Sporting Spaniel Club Trials’. The trials were held on Mr. Williams’ own estate and it was thought that when his team defeated eight well-known teams it was because of the home advantage. This was disproved when dogs from the same kennel went on to win in successive years around the UK. His confirmation show champion dog ‘Ch. Corrin’ was the first Welsh Springer Spaniel to be photographed. After the breed had gained popularity, in 1902 they were recognized by The Kennel Club under the new name of ‘Welsh Springer Spaniel’. Until then the breed was actually shown alongside the English Springer Spaniel. The Welsh Springer Spaniel was transported to America in the late 19^th century and finally gained recognition by the American Kennel Club in 1906. Unfortunately, World War I caused huge problems for the breed in the UK, just like for any other breed. When the war was over there were no dogs whose parents had registered pedigrees. The breed restarted with the remaining unregistered dogs and the breeders in the 1920s and 1930s developed these dogs into the type of Welsh Springer Spaniel that remains today.

Furthermore, the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club (UK) was formed in 1923 and registrations slowly increased between the wars. However, all records held by the breed club were destroyed in an air raid during World War II. Following the World Wars, it was thought that no Welsh Springer remained in the USA. The breed was reintroduced and the descendants of those dogs make up the breed today in both the USA & Canada. In 2000, The Kennel Club only registered 424 Welsh Springer Spaniels, compared with 12,599 English Springer Spaniels, and 13,455 Cocker Spaniels. Numbers remained steady with 420 Welsh Springer Spaniels being registered in 2004, but numbers of the English Springer Spaniels increased. The breed, however, continues to remain slightly more popular than some other breeds of Spaniel including the Clumber Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Sussex Spaniel, and Irish Water Spaniel.