Sporting Group
Naturally active and alert, Sporting dogs make likeable, well-rounded companions.
History
The history of the spaniels is a long one, according to the American Kennel Club of Ontario, and the breed was initially brought to England from Spain in the 1570s. In the early development of the spaniel breeds, two different sizes of spaniels pups were found in their litters. Long before the invention of reliable hunting rifles, bird hunters used spaniels in tandem with nets, bows and sometimes falcons to catch a variety of waterfowl and woodland birds. The larger spaniels were used to flush out game while hunting by springing on their prey, resulting in the development of the English Springer Spaniel breed. Meanwhile the smaller spaniels were used to hunt small, low flying birds called woodcocks, giving rise to the English Cocker Spaniel’s name. It’s thought that English Cocker Spaniels were one of the first dogs brought to North America on the Mayflower.
