The Welsh Springer Spaniel is a little smaller and lighter than their cousin the English Springer Spaniel. A red and white beauty, this dog is a good hunter but tends to wander is not constantly trained.

History

Spaniels and cockers are an ancient group of breeds probably used as gun dogs as early as the 14th century. Over time and with careful breeding, the spaniels and cockers were divided into separate breeds. Eventually the spaniels were divided into land and water spaniels. As the turn of the century approached, the spaniel became more refined and slowly developed and split into the Welsh Springer Spaniel and the English Springer Spaniel. The Welsh springer hails from Wales, as the name suggests. As a specific breed, their history can be traced back as far as the 1700s. In the early 1900s, the British Kennel Club recognized the Welsh springer as a separate breed, a red and white springer. As an avid gun dog, the primary purpose of the springer spaniels was to "spring" the quarry from their hiding places. By springing the game, it made hunting easier and more productive for the hunter. The Welsh Springer Spaniels are considered good hunting dogs that retrieve well in undergrowth and marshland. They work well on land as well as water. The Welsh Springer Spaniel was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1906 as a member of the sporting group.

Appearance and Size

The build of the Welsh Springer Spaniel should be slightly off square, meaning that the length of the dog should be slightly greater than the height at the withers. However, some dogs may be square, and this is not penalised in the show ring as long as the height is never greater than the length. In some countries the tail is generally docked and the dew claws are removed. Eyes should be brown in colour; yellow eyes do sometimes occur but are not acceptable for the show ring. Ears are pendulous and lightly feathered. Nostrils are well developed and are black or any shade of brown; a pink nose is to be severely penalised in the AKC standard for the show ring, in Britain it is a recognised (and probably the original) type. A scissors bite is preferred. Size of the Welsh Springer Spaniel is typically a eight at wither for a male of 18–19 inch (46–48 cm) and Female of 17–18 inch (43–46 cm). Weights range from 35–45 lb (16–20 kg). The coat is naturally straight, flat, and soft to the touch; it should never be wiry or wavy. It is weatherproof and gives protection from all kinds of thorn and brush. The back of the legs, chest, and underside of the body are feathered, and the ears and tail are lightly feathered. The only colour is rich red-and-white. Any pattern is acceptable and any white area may be flecked with red ticking.

Personality

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is intelligent, active and energetic. A faithful and loyal companion, they do not do well as a guard dog but will alert the family when strangers approach. When compared to the English Springer Spaniel, the Welsh springer is a little more reserved around strangers. Due to their need for activity, Welsh Springer Spaniels make excellent companions for active children.

Wikipedia and GNU

The content of this entry is from the Wikipedia article "Welsh Springer Spaniel" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.