You're buying the wrong spaniel: There's more to life than just cockers and springers

Ask anyone to name a spaniel breed and the likely answer will be cocker or springer. Out in the field, it’s unusual to have a day without both bounding into hedgerows, ears flying enthusiastically. With the cocker also the pet of choice for many well-known figures, it’s no surprise that it is the UK’s second most popular dog breed. The springer is right on its tail in fourth — but what of their lesser-known relatives, namely the Clumber, Sussex, Welsh springer and field spaniels?

They may be often overshadowed, but they are equally deserving of the limelight. Despite being in the spotlight after one named Bruin won Best in Show at Cruft’s earlier this year, the Clumber — developed by the 2nd Duke of Newcastle at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire — ‘has been a minority breed since the 1760s, when only nobility owned them,’ Nathan Hawkins of Hawkcourt Gundogs reports.

‘Last year, there were only about 150 registered puppies, so even seeing one is unusual, let alone one working.’ In 2014, Hawkins decided to branch out from English springer spaniels. Focusing on the minority breeds, he felt that the Clumber ‘stood head and shoulders above all’. ‘I went to watch someone’s (famously naughty) Clumber out shooting,’ he recalls. ‘It was really tackling the bracken and I knew immediately that I wanted one.’

The breed met Hawkins’s hope of a new challenge. ‘They are trainable, definitely; they just aren’t straightforward. My current one, Fuss, was advancing well until I asked her to retrieve anything bigger than a partridge.’ Renowned dog trainer Ben Randall isn’t surprised: ‘With minor spaniel breeds, they can be more challenging to train than the working cocker or English springer. Often, they are not as naturally sharp, biddable or athletic. Their smaller gene pools are a big factor: with more popular working breeds, there have been generations of selection for trainability, hunting ability, retrieving, pace, athleticism and biddability.’ However, every dog has its day and Fuss had hers.

‘We were on a shoot where she had retrieved several woodcock before a hen pheasant was downed,’ Hawkins remembers. ‘Fuss marked the fall and, when I sent her, she was spot on. When she picked the bird, it was covering her eyes. My heart was in my mouth. She made her way through bracken and brambles without dropping it, but, some 30ft from me, she ran into a tree. Thankfully, she listened to my call and got the bird right into my hands. She showed incredible heart.’

For fashion designer Jeremy Hackett, it wasn’t so much that he chose his spaniel breed, but rather that it chose him. In 1998, when his office was near Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, he made an impromptu visit there. ‘I had no intention of getting anything, but I spotted a forlorn-looking dog — a Sussex spaniel, which I had never heard of,’ he explains. ‘She had been badly treated and several people had returned her because she was too difficult. After a couple of days reflecting, I asked to take her on trial. I collected her on my way to Badminton and put her on the front seat of my Range Rover. She behaved impeccably; it was as if she had finally arrived.’

With his two most recent Sussexes, Muffin and Harry, Hackett remembers ‘strolling along Jermyn Street when a lady walked towards me looking quizzical’. ‘I expected her to say: “Are you Jeremy Hackett?”, but she pointed at the dogs and asked, “Are they Muffin and Harry?”’ he laughs. ‘Muffin died last year, so Harry is now Hackett brand ambassador and top dog — and doesn’t he know it. I realise Sussexes were bred as gundogs, but Harry would run a mile if he heard a shotgun go off.’

The one thing Zoe McAndrews of Prytaneion Sussex Spaniels and her partner knew was that they wanted a gundog breed, they simply couldn’t agree which one. ‘We did a quiz, which suggested the Sussex spaniel would be a good match,’ McAndrews reveals. ‘We’d never heard of them, so we went to a show to find out more. They were so charismatic and unlike any other breed. An 18-month-old puppy decided to sit on me when its owner tried to tell us the bad points about them. Let’s just say the rest is history.’

The breed itself was nearly consigned to the history books, too. Despite evidence of it in the UK from the early 1800s, by the Second World War, there was only a handful left and it was due solely to the devotion of one breeder, Joy Freer, that the Sussex survived at all. McAndrews acquired her first, Hestia, and was smitten immediately: ‘I’ll never forget when, as a youngster, she launched herself off a rowing boat. She’s never been one for water and the memory of my partner trying to help her back in without joining her for a swim still causes hilarity.’

Another two Sussexes, Eric and one of Hestia’s litter, Kalli, make up the family. Although Hestia has claimed Best In Show in competitions, ‘Eric isn’t one for the show world. Give him a rabbit dummy and he’ll bring it back all day long; he has an excellent nose and loves to pick up, which not all Sussexes do. They are stubborn and clever enough to act stupid,’ McAndrews explains. ‘I remember a training class where we had done something three times and Hestia looked at me as if to say: “Why are we doing this again?” If you are used to working with other gundogs, a Sussex may feel different, so it’s important to figure out how it works and what motivates it.’ Randall agrees: ‘Be realistic and patient; try to bring out the best in what is in front of you rather than forcing the dog into something it’s not.’

This is something that Peri Burchmore of Lenamore Gundogs has discovered with her Welsh springer spaniels. ‘Building confidence and engagement is more successful than repetitive drilling,’ she believes. ‘I incorporate games into everyday life, rather than relying solely on formal training sessions. When a dog is enjoying itself, learning happens more naturally. It’s important that Welshies are given the time they need as they mature more slowly than other spaniels. They are not difficult, simply different.’

The Welsh springer is still relatively uncommon, despite being one of Britain’s oldest land spaniels and retaining its original character, ‘which is part of its charm and worth protecting,’ Burchmore urges. She has owned, bred, shown and worked them for more than 12 years. ‘I’ve always admired dogs that combine intelligence, kindness, beauty and purpose. Welshies embody it all. Invest time in training and they’re incredibly rewarding,’ she notes. ‘They possess a wonderful sense of humour, but are sensitive and notice everything: your tone of voice, emotions, consistency. They have an innate desire to work, but are equally happy curled up on the sofa for a lazy day.’ ‘

Lazy’ isn’t a word often employed when describing the field spaniel — originally a term for any spaniel over 25lb, but then bred from a combination of Sussex, English water and cocker spaniels. Its keen nose and indefatigable willingness to push into cover should have made it popular in the sporting world. However, it was shunned for the exaggerated features bred into it, which affected its working ability. In 1923, the Field Spaniel Society formed to aid its revival, but the breed became so rare that fewer than 10 registrations were made before 1950. With new blood from the English springer, interest rose, although it still records the fewest spaniel registrations year on year.

Wendy Bebb-Sutton, chair of the Field Spaniel Society, first encountered the breed more than 30 years ago at a show, where she was intrigued by its aristocratic look. As well as making a success of showing fields, she has put one to another use. ‘We had a school therapy dog and she had such a positive impact on children that, when she died, I hoped our field spaniel might fill the void,’ Bebb-Sutton reflects. ‘He has spent more than five years as a well-loved therapy dog and he is never happier than when in his school setting.’

As a breed that has capacity for many other forms of employment — agility, scent work, flyball or simply as a pet — its rarity is hard to justify. ‘These are important breeds and they have a place in our sporting history,’ Randall concludes. ‘With the right owner, the right expectations and a trainer who understands their limitations as well as their strengths, the best can be lovely, useful shooting dogs and companions.’ Despite their precarious numbers, these minor breeds are still being kept out of the shadows thanks to breeders and enthusiasts determined not to let such shining examples of our gundogs fade away.

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This feature originally appeared in the October 28, 2026, issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.