Spaniels and Water Dogs Information

Dogs as they were

In the early nineteenth century, several decades prior to the formation of England's Kennel Club, a great many dogs were classified as individual breeds. In some cases the names are obscure and it has not always possible even to locate a drawing which fits the written description but fortunately W. H. Lizars' Naturalist's Library, published in 1840, gives a wonderful insight into examples of breeds as they were at that time. Many of these are breeds still familiar to us today, but some have been developed and divided into several different breeds. Others, in their appearance, only vaguely resemble breeds with which we are familiar now.

Classification has changed substantially over time, as dogs in what was described as the 'Hound' section include breeds called the King Charles, Setter, Spaniel, Springer, Cocker, Pointer and the Water-dog or Poodle. It would therefore appear that at that time the term 'Hound' could be interpreted as 'Sporting Dog' as, to add to the complexity, although some true hound breeds were included, many sight hounds were also classified separately as 'Greyhounds'.

Of course there were other notable writers on the subject of dogs whose works were published in the nineteenth century (most of them later), but so as to give readers as clear as possible an indication of views in the first half of that century the following descriptions, some with their accompanying originally colored drawings, are taken specifically from the Naturalists Library, as to incorporate descriptions of breeds given by other authors would serve to complicate the issue.

Spaniels and water-dogs

Little was said about the King Charles Spaniel except that it was a beautiful breed, usually black and white and presumed to be the parent of the Cocker which was shorter in the back than the King Charles.

As far as Cockers were concerned, the colors of Blenheim, Marlborough and Pyrame were given in the book, but in black spaniels, the color was meant to be relieved by the presence of' fire spots' above the eyes, with the same sort of marking on the chest and feet.