Not many sporting breeds suffer from the kind of identity crisis that affects the Welsh springer spaniel. Indeed, long-suffering Welshie owners are constantly, patiently explaining to their fellow hunters that no, it's not a Brittany; it's a Welsh springer spaniel.

Ch. Rolyart’s Going My Way SH WD (“Zoey”), a Welsh springer spaniel owned by Cindy Ford and Shelley Traylor, does some chukkar work.

In defense of the identity-challenged hunters, however, it's an honest error. Both breeds are medium-sized sporting dogs. The Welshie is red and white and Brits come in orange (a derivative of red) and white. Even though the American Brittany Club has removed the designation "spaniel" from the Brittany's name, both breeds have a "spanielesque" look to them.

Another reason for the Welsh springer's frequently mistaken identification as a Brit is because the WSS is rarely seen in the field. Only 310 were registered with the American Kennel Club in 2004, while in the same year more than 8,000 Brittanys were registered. So, although it dismays their owners, there's a reason why so many hunters, when observing a WSS in the field, say "Nice Brit!" to the Welshie's hunting partners.

Welsh Springer Ancestry
It is also likely that the Welsh springer and the Brittany originate from a common ancestor--a white hunting dog with red markings brought to Wales by the Gauls in about 250 BC. But on the Continent, the Bretons wanted a dog that gave them considerable warning before it flushed the bird. As a consequence, they began to selectively breed for dogs that stopped and waited for the hunter to get into position instead of charging in on the scent and putting the birds to flight. To the blue-collar hunters in Wales, this was roughly the equivalent of making sure you wore the proper colored ascot with your smoking jacket.

The isolation of Wales was well suited for the Welsh springer to develop as a separate breed. A red and white spaniel did appear in 16th century paintings and it is believed that because of color, conformation and carriage, these were paintings of what became the modern Welsh springer. But the breed's isolation in Wales also gave English springer spaniels a lengthy head start as a popular gun dog long before anyone other than the Welshmen knew of the existence of the Welsh springer.

Hunting The WSS
Randy Capsel, who owns Welshies along with English springers and golden retrievers, said the Welsh springer is a good alternative to other flushing breeds. "I have had a number of owners of field-bred English springers tell me that the dogs had too much 'power' or were too difficult to handle. The Welsh springer is similar in size and ability to the English springer but they are usually a more methodical working dog and do not move with the same kind of speed. For a hunter who doesn't want an overpowering dog and who does want a dog that works at a reasonable pace without giving up the advantage of a medium-sized dog, the Welsh springer is a very good choice.

"The Welsh springer does not have the same flushing style as the English springer. While there are always exceptions, the majority of Welsh springers, once they acquire the bird's scent, will work the trail diligently, alternating between air and ground scenting. Once close to the bird and many times just before the flush, a Welsh springer will hesitate, pausing briefly. This brief pause is normally followed by a hard drive toward the bird to complete the flush.