Welsh Springer Spaniel

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is an eager and quick learner, extremely affectionate, and devoted. He is smaller than the English Springer, but stronger than the Cocker Spaniel. All Welshies are distinguished by their beautiful coats -- always red with white.

Welsh Springer Spaniel breed facts

The history of the Welsh Springer Spaniel begins as far back as 7000 B.C.

Information you should know before owning a Welsh Springer Spaniel

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is a very energetic sporting dog who needs daily vigorous exercise.

The Welsh Springer Spaniel makes an excellent pet for children, although puppies may have too much energy and strength for very young children. They make wonderful house dogs and can live in city apartments as long as they are given lots of attention and exercise.

The history of the Welsh Springer begins as far back as 7000 BC, when the first hunting dogs were employed by man. The likely ancestors of most of today’s domestic hunting dogs, these canines accompanied man on his hunting sojourns on the coastlines of Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland during the Mesolithic Age. By approximately 250 BC, the ancestors of the Welsh Springer had developed into the Agassian hunting dog, belonging to the wild tribes of Roman-occupied Briton. During the Renaissance, the "Land Spaniel," a Welsh Springer-type dog with red and white markings, was used for retrieving, and tapestries of the time depict a dog very similar to the Welsh.

After rising to great popularity in the 1700s and becoming a favorite hunting dog of the noble class, the breed lost its niche in the 1800s, replaced by the English Springer and other spaniels. However, a trend in selective breeding, spurred on by the newly popularized Darwinian theory, eventually brought back the breed to Victorian England, and the breed competed in the same class with the English Springer, the only difference at that time being color.

Imported to America in the late 1800s, the breed gained popularity and was recognized by the AKC in 1906. After rough times following the World Wars, it was believed that no Welsh Springers existed in the US, but importing revived the breed, and the Welsh Springer parent club was found in 1961.

Is this a vulnerable breed? Yes, No	No
What size is this dog? Small, Medium, Large	Medium
How much excercise is required? 30 mins a day, 1 hour a day, Over 2 hours a day	Over 2 hours a day
How long is this dog's coat? Short, Medium, Long	Medium
How much grooming is required? Once a week, More than once a week, Every day	More than once a week
Does this dog shed? Does shed, Does not shed	Does shed
What area is this dog best suited to? Town, Country, Either	Either
What size house is required for this breed? Flat/Apartment, Small House, Large House	Small House
What size of garden is required? Small Garden, Large Garden, No Garden	Large garden

	General Appearance Symmetrical, compact, not leggy, obviously built for endurance and hard work. Quick and active mover, displaying plenty of push and drive.
	Characteristics Very ancient and distinct breed of pure origin. Strong, merry and very active.
	Temperament Kindly disposition, not showing aggression or nervousness.
	Eyes Hazel or dark, medium size, not prominent, or sunken, or showing haw.
	Mouth Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
	Neck Long, muscular, clean in throat, neatly set into sloping shoulders.
	Forequarters Forelegs of medium length, straight, well boned.
	Body Not long. Strong and muscular. Deep brisket, well sprung ribs. Length of body should be proportionate to length of leg. Loin muscular and slightly arched. Well coupled.
	Hindquarters Strong and muscular, wide and fully developed with deep second thighs. Hindlegs well boned, hocks well let down, stifles moderately angled, neither turning in nor out.
	Feet Round, with thick pads. Firm and cat-like, not large or spreading.
	Tail Customarily docked. Docked: Well set on and low, never carried above level of back. Lively in action. Undocked: Well set on and low, never carried above level of back. Lively in action. Feathered. In balance with the rest of the dog.
	Gait / Movement Symmetrical, compact, not leggy, obviously built for endurance and hard work. Quick and active mover, displaying plenty of push and drive.
	Coat Straight or flat, silky texture, dense, never wiry or wavy. Curly coat highly undesirable. Forelegs and hindlegs above hocks moderately feathered, ears and tail lightly feathered.
	Colour Rich red and white only.
	Size Approximate height: dogs: 48 cms (19 ins) at withers; bitches: 46 cms (18 ins) at withers.