The spaniel dog breed makes a wonderful family pet, or a dedicated hunting partner!

Spaniels are part of the sporting dog group and are particularly well known for their ability to flush game, especially birds. Unlike pointers and setters that stop on point when they locate game, spaniels roust the birds into the air where they can be taken by the hunters.

Spaniel hunting dogs in England date back the late 1300’s; in those early days the birds that a spaniel flushed could be taken with trained birds of prey like hawks and falcons or captured in nets.

The typical American hunter today kills birds with a firearm and some spaniels are also suited to be retrieving dogs as well, fetching the downed birds.

As a group of individual breeds, spaniels are always described in favorable terms like loving, faithful, friendly, eager to please, courageous, intelligent and responsive. All of these traits translate to a wonderful companion dog for the family.

Hunting spaniels are further divided into two groups known as land spaniels and water spaniels. As the names imply, land spaniels hunt well on land while water spaniels are also great swimmers and excel at retrieving birds from the water like other retriever breeds.

Spaniels as a group exhibit a range of sizes and weight. For example, a Brittany spaniel is ideally 17½ to 20½ inches at the shoulder with a weight between 30 and 40 pounds while an American cocker spaniel is just 14 to 15 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 24 and 28 pounds.

Anyone who wants to acquire a spaniel needs to research each breed individually before deciding on the breed best suited for their needs. For example, the cocker spaniel has over the decades become prized as a family pet. As a result, after breeding for family traits was emphasized, the average cocker spaniel has lost its innate hunting capabilities.

Meanwhile, the springer spaniel remains true to the old land hunting breed from hundreds of years ago and still can make an excellent hunting dog.

But select your hunting spaniel with care because certain breeders of spaniels emphasize show ring characteristics while other breeders emphasize hunting instincts. Any of the spaniel breeds that have been bred for hunting will require more exercise and attention than those bred as family companion dogs.

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