Spaniel dogs are an extremely popular choice of pet, with their gorgeous droopy ears and beautiful coats – plus they have the personality to boot, being known as extremely intelligent dogs who have great personalities and are very lively.
There are 15 main different types of Spaniel around the world today, some of which are most popular as pets, and others as hunting, flushing or sport dogs.
Below we’ve detailed all of these 15 types of Spaniel for you so that you can learn a bit more about each one!
1. American Cocker Spaniel
As you might have guessed from their name, the American Cocker Spaniels are native to the United States. They were initially bred as watchdogs and for tracking and hunting incentives.
These Spaniels are small to medium sized and make great pets because they’re loyal, lively and eccentric.
Their main feature is their extremely round head with long and very fluffy ears.
2. English Cocker Spaniel
Native to the United Kingdom, English Cocker Spaniels are ancestors of American Cocker Spaniels and have similar attributes.
They’re small to medium in size and are very loyal, happy and active dogs that have a certain charm about their personality. Their beautiful silky rich coat is a defining feature of theirs.
3. English Springer Spaniel
Originally bred in the 19th century and native to the United Kingdom, English Springer Spaniels can be broken down into two different breeds: one possessing a coarse and short coat and the other having a soft coat with large ears.
These Spaniels are known for their springing and strong sense of smell and are frequently utilized as police dogs to sniff things out.
4. American Water Spaniel
First bred in the United States, American Water Spaniels are usually brown with a coat that is both waterproof and dense. Initially bred for swimming and hunting, their feet are padded and their toes are webbed.
They are charming and jolly, whilst also being highly intelligent and strong-headed – they will resist listening to you if they don’t want to do something.
5. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are known to be all-rounders and are native to the United Kingdom. They are normally pets and have a very sweet and playful nature. Because they’re small in size, they’re known as ‘toy spaniels’.
Whilst not being used as hunting or sports dogs, they’re still very active and love a good run.
6. Field Spaniel
In today’s day and age, Field Spaniels are considered show dogs or pets despite originally being used as retrievers and hunting dogs.
They’re wonderful pets due to their sweetness and sensitivity, and are also extremely active so they love long walks. They originally come from the United Kingdom and look similar to Cocker and Springer Spaniels.
7. German Spaniel
German Spaniels originate from Germany and are known as ‘Deutscher Wachtelhund’ in German.
They’re mainly used as hunting dogs due to their stamina, smell and strength – they are built extremely solidly. Their thick coat is usually brown with white spots, which is a distinctive feature of theirs.
8. Russian Spaniel
Originating from the Soviet Union, Russian Spaniels are a fairly new breed of Spaniel and were first bred in the mid 20th century.
They used to be hunters but are now mostly kept as pets in Russia, due to their loyal, calm and friendly behavior. They are small in size but have a strong body, with a coat that is lovely and silky.
9. Boykin Spaniel
Originally bred in the United States to hunt turkeys, the energetic Boykin Spaniels are now commonly used to retrieve and flush things.
They are small dogs but have the appearance of being quite muscular. They have a brown coat with large, fluffy ears. They’re known for being a tiger in the field but sweet at home.
10. Clumber Spaniel
Clumber Spaniels were once one of the British Royal family’s favorite breeds and originate in the United Kingdom.
They were bred to hunt wildfowl and are very active outdoors but chilled out at home. They possess a very big head, often with droopy eyes, and their coat is flat and straight.
11. English Toy Spaniel
King Charles the II famously loved English Toy Spaniels and so they became known as King Charles Spaniels. They originate from the United Kingdom.
They’re small and, unlike other Spaniels, they don’t have much energy so are kept solely as pets. They’re friendly if they’re loyal to you, but if not they can appear quite aloof.
Their coats are silky and come in four different varieties.
12. Irish Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniels originate from Ireland and were originally retrievers. Now they act as great pets for people who love walking and playing with their dogs, as they’re a very active breed.
Their coat is magnificent and contains tight curls and is usually a vibrant red-brown color.
13. Pont Audemer Spaniel
Pont Audemer Spaniels are quite a rare breed of Spaniel which originated from France in the 19th century. They are mostly used for hunting and are uncommon as pets, despite being friendly dogs.
They have a white and brown coat which is a combination of wavy and curly, as are their ears.
14. Blue Picardy Spaniel
Another rare French Spaniel breed, Blue Picardy Spaniels are believed to have originated in the 20th century.
They are mainly used as hunting dogs but can also be kept as pets due to their loving, playful and gentle nature.
They’re quite tall compared to most other Spaniels, with long legs.
15. Brittany Spaniel
Brittany Spaniels were originally bred as gun dogs in France and are extremely clever and energetic, but also easy to train compared to most other Spaniels.
They are now used as hunting and sports dogs, as well as being kept as pets – but they’re very high-energy and as pets probably won’t relax too much at any point during the day.
They have a patterned coat with different color combinations and are medium sized.
Final Thoughts
We hope this guide has been helpful and taught you more about the main 15 types of Spaniel!
Hi, I’m Olivia Kepner and I am a zookeeper here in San Diego. Since I was a young girl I have always been fascinated by animals and species across the globe.
I used to beg my parents to take me to our local zoo every single weekend. Well, I say local – it was more like a two hour drive away. But they took me as much as they could, allowing me to fall in love with the animals again and again.
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