The history of all three Spaniels is thought to stem from the interest in specializing dog breeds during the Renaissance in Europe. Spaniels all trace their roots to the Norfolk and a smaller Spaniel which is believed to now be referred to as the Cocker Spaniel. The three breeds of working Spaniels referred to in this article were all then selectively bred to bring out the wanted traits of their breeds.

First the English tends to be a strong sturdy dog with a water-repellent coat. The most common colors are liver and white and black and white but, as in all Spaniels, their color can range from solid color to nearly all white. The body of the English is stout by nature with the males typically reaching 21 inches tall and weighing 55 pounds and the females being only slightly smaller. This Spaniel shows itself as being a very quick learner and it enjoys the company of humans as well as other dogs. This Breed of Spaniel will have a shorter snout with a squarer head and the ears will be very long. The eyes will be wider set and deep and dark in color.

Second, the Welch. This Spaniel is the least common of all three of these breeds. This breed is a hard working Spaniel once it is trained (this breed is known as being more stubborn than the other working Spaniels) and has amazing endurance. Red and White is the most common color pattern in the Welsh, but as runs true to the Spaniel breeds and all combinations of coat colors are acceptable. The Dog tends to be smaller than its English cousin with the males being no taller than 19 inches tall and tend to not weigh more than 40 pounds; with this Spaniel the female tends to be the same size. The body of the Welsh also tends to be leaner. The eyes are medium hazel in color and the ears shorter and closer to the head.

Last, but not least, is the Brittany. This breed is sometimes referred to as strictly a Springer Spaniel. Even though the breed is referred to as the Brittany its roots were developed in France from English and Welsh bred Spaniels. The Brittany is known for its graceful movement in the field, its ease of training and devotion. This Spaniel has a high energy level. This breed usually has a white based coat with orange, red, black, brown or liver spots. The males tend to max out at 21 inches in height with the females being an inch shorter. They tend to weigh 45 pounds. This Spaniel also has a leaner head and shorter ears and its eyes tend to be a dark hazel in color. The Stamina of this breed goes beyond what most owners can imagine.

ALL of the Spaniel breeds mentioned here have shorter “docked” tails and breeders tend to remove the front dew claws. All love to work in the field and will willingly retrieve in water. They all make great versatile family pets that can be taken into the field and worked on upland game and returned home to relax on the couch, but do not forget to offer them a good amount of attention and exercise every day or they could put all that pent up energy to non-constructive uses. They all need regular grooming with emphasis given on keeping their ears clean and dry to avoid ear infections and the coat brushed free of tangles. Some owners take the dogs to professional groomers and keep their coats clipped. They also tend to be good “watch” dogs, barking when someone approaches but there is very little fear that they will turn into a “guard” dog with their friendly manors. All of the Spaniel breeds are great with children.

Article info from Breed web pages and UKC, Pictures from UKC

By Luanne Bragg

TalkHunting Pro Staffer, Luanne "Beaglepup" Bragg, started hunting (going hunting) with her Grandfather in the fall of 1965.  He loved to squirrel hunt and would carry her into the woods and sit her on a rock and let her hold his prizes.  He took Luanne on her first Pheasant and Rabbit hunts when she was 7.  Shortly after that he had a massive stroke and was never able to return to the woods again.  When Luanne was 9 her Father, who was about to retire from the Marine Corps after 20 years active duty, and Uncle decided that since she could shoot she could remove the ground hogs and crows from the farm fields.  Luanne spent the next few years watching all the wildlife and removing varmints from the farm.  She took herself deer hunting for the first time when she was 15 and took her first deer at 17.  There was a long time between Luanne's first deer and her next deer due to college and work and general life.  She did a lot of small game hunting with her ex-husband starting in 1985 and killed her next deer in 1988.  She has not missed a deer or turkey season since.  When not hunting she is fishing or working in her garden (when not WORKING...).

Luanne has raised, trained and field trialed Beagles in the UKC and ARHA formats for 20 years and has produced several Field and Show Champions and Grand Field and Show Champions.  There is usually at least one litter of puppies born on her place every year.

She holds a Real Estate License in Virginia and owns a Dog Boarding Kennel.  Luanne belongs to the National Association of Realtors, Central Virginia Beaglers Association, NRA, NWTF and Buckmasters.  She was born in East Liverpool, Ohio,  and started showing Appaloosa horses in 1969 and was the Pennsylvania Appaloosa Queen in 1980 and runner up to the National Queen Title the same year. When she gets the chance she still enjoys a long trail ride.  She graduated from Kent State University in Kent Ohio in 1982 with a degree in Applied Science. Luanne relocated from Ohio to Virginia in 1984.