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A Spaniel is a type of gun dog. It is assumed spaniels
originated from Spain as the word spaniel may be derived
from Hispania (Spain). Spaniels were especially bred
to flush game out of dense brush. By the late 1600’s
spaniels had become specialized into water and land
breeds. The extinct English Water Spaniel was used
to retrieve water fowl shot down with arrows. Land
spaniels were setting spaniels—those that crept forward
and pointed their game allowing hunters to ensnare
them with nets, and springing spaniels—those that
sprang pheasants and partridges for hunting with falcons,
and rabbits for hunting with greyhounds.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is one of the largest
toy breeds. Historically it was a lap dog, and modern
day adults can fill a lap easily. Nonetheless, it
is small for a spaniel, with fully grown adults comparable
in size to adolescents of other larger spaniel breeds.
The American Cocker Spaniel breed standard defines
the ideal dog of the breed as having an outgoing,
friendly temperament. They tend to be soft dogs who
do not do well with rough or harsh training. The English
Cocker Spaniel can be stubborn, but can be easily
trained and make a good medium-sized family pet. The
breed does not like being alone, and will bond strongly
to an individual person in a family.
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