Types of Spaniel Dog Breeds that are Good for Pet Lovers

While there are many dog breeds that may seem enticing for someone either researching about dogs or intending to get one as a pet, spaniel breeds can be another thing entirely. Spaniel breeds are some of the most varied types of dog breeds, ranging from playfully toy type breeds to intimidating giants, spaniels have a reason for their attractive elements.

If you are the type of person to prefer spaniels, then this article will exactly be dealing with your query of top 15 spaniel breeds along with what sort of personality they have. By knowing the temperament of a spaniel, one can know the way to safely train them and make sure that they socialize well with strangers.

These breeds are generally known to be efficient working dogs that can also seek attention and love when needed, therefore it is advised to make sure to give exercises and some fun play time to the spaniel breeds.

The Top 15 Spaniel Dog Breeds

Simply keep reading below to know all about the top 15 spaniel breeds and pick your favorite one out of them all:

1. Papillon

Breed Overview:

• Group: Toy
• Height: 8-11 inches
• Weight: 5-10 pounds
• Coat and Color: Medium-length silky coat. Colors may include: White & Lemon, White & Sable or White & Black, etc.
• Life Span: 14-16 years
• Origin: France

Known for their ears that are slightly shaped up like butterfly wings, the Papillon may slightly be small, but they sure are some of the most energetic and adorable spaniel dogs to have! Always looking to please their owners and making sure to always be fun comedians.

If you are looking for a pleasant dog breed, then the Papillon truly should be on your list to get!

Read More: Dog Breeds Like Pitbulls

2. English Springer Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 19-20 inches
• Weight: 40-50 pounds
• Coat and Color: Medium-sized double coat. Colors Include Black & White, Black White & Tan, Liver & White, etc.
• Life Span: 12-14 years
• Origin: England

Originally bred for hunting game birds, these hard-working gundogs are some of the most agile and down-to-earth spaniel dog breeds. While always strict and working during the hunting period, these dogs can outright change their personalities once inside an environment with family.

The English Springer Spaniels are highly intelligent and therefore are always willing to please, this means that these affordable dog breeds are very easy to train.

3. American Water Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 15-18 inches
• Weight: 25-45 pounds
• Coat and Color: Curly double coat that is slightly thick. Colors include: Chocolate, Brown, and Liver.
• Life Span: 10-14 years
• Origin: United States

With their almost blanket-like coat that makes them look heavy, the American Water Spaniels live up to their name by having a waterproof coat which makes them an effective hunter when it comes to catching games like waterfowl.

A good watchdog and always eager to please, these dogs are highly responsive to training and will follow your teaching along with often barking at strangers to alert you of a potential intruder.

4. Cocker Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 13.5-15.5 inches
• Weight: 20-30 pounds
• Coat and Color: Double coat that is long and silky. Colors include: Red & White, Silver, Black and Brown etc…
• Life Span: 10-14 years
• Origin: England

Originally bred as hunting dogs, Cocker Spaniels are some of the best spaniel breeds so far. With an athletic body and an intelligent personality to boot, these dog breeds are efficient enough to be move in an agile way while making sure to make moves in precise steps.

The cocker spaniels in general are eager to please, this means that they are generally easy to train and will easily follow your commands. You will also have to make sure to give them regular exercises to maintain body shape and mental fitness.

5. Boykin Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 14-18 inches
• Weight: 25-40 pounds
• Coat and Color: Medium-length wavy double coat. Color is generally Liver.
• Life Span: 10-15 years
• Origin: United States, South Carolina

A dog expert at catching games, the Boykin Spaniels are highly intelligent dog breeds that are distinctly recognizable due to their long and droopy ears.

As they are bred to work in a watery environments, these dogs are expert swimmers and can easily retrieve any game such as waterfowl from a lake easily. These dogs are generally eager to please and will easily train without causing trouble.

6. Field Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 17-18 inches
• Weight: 35-50 pounds, females can weigh less than 15 pounds compared to males
• Coat and Color: Smoot and wavy medium-sized coat. Colors may include: Black, Liver, Golden Liver etc.
• Life Span: 12-13 years
• Origin: England

While normally aloof and playful when in a family, the Field Spaniels can be fearsome and outright terrifying when on the field hunting for certain games. These fellows are some of the best family dogs and absolutely make one of the best friends of children as they generally are not aggressive to anyone.

Generally active and looking for activities, the Field Spaniels are most effective when being trained and given tasks to do, something that makes them happy.

7. Sussex Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 13-15 inches
• Weight: 35-45 pounds
• Coat and Color: Thick double coat that is medium-sized and Golden Liver in color.
• Life Span: 13-15 years
• Origin: Sussex, Southern England

Often recognized due to their rich golden liver color and coat that looks silky, Sussex Spaniels are slightly somber and tempered in nature in body language, but are always looking for fun otherwise. A slightly exotic breed of spaniels as compared to other spaniel breeds, these dogs are generally affectionate and can fit well in a family when given the chance.

As Sussex spaniel have a slow growth rate, it is recommended to give them exercises only once they are an year old, once they are there, you can start giving them the typical exercise routine as any other dogs.

8. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Toy
• Height: 12-13 inches
• Weight: 13-18 pounds
• Coat and Color: Silky and Wavy medium-length coat. Colors generally are Ruby, Black & Tan, Black & White, or Blenheim
• Life Span: 12-15 years
• Origin: United Kingdom

True to their name, these spaniel breeds are known for their regal behavior and looks along with being adorable overall. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are extremely athletic and always looking for something to do.

If you are the type to not be busy, then giving your king some good amounts of fun activities and general exercises will be the best way to keep yourself in their good graces while making them happy!

9. Clumber Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 17-20 inches
• Weight: 55-85 pounds
• Coat and Color: Medium-length wavy and silky coat that is white in color.
• Life Span: 10-12 years
• Origin: England

 

Considered to be one of the biggest spaniel breeds, the Clumber spaniels might be aloof when not at work, but they are the perfect workers once given a task. Slightly suspicious of strangers and active once given something to do, these spaniel breeds may often idle around.

Do note that clumber spaniels are known for their frequent drooling and shedding of fur, hence one may have to focus more on cleaning around their houses with a clumber spaniel.

10. Welsh Springer Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 17-19 inches
• Weight: 35-55 pounds
• Coat and Color: Medium sized topcoat and undercoat that is Red & White in color.
• Life Span: 12-15 years
• Origin: Wales

Smaller than the English Springer Spaniel yet effective at being agile, the Welsh Springer Spaniels are some of the most precise spaniel dog breeds. Especially so since their waterproof and weatherproof coat shows their ability to survive harshest of climates and emerge unscathed.

If you are looking for a happy yet strong and energetic dog, then this dog breed of spaniel origin may just be the answer to your search!

11. Nederlandse Kooikerhondje

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 15-16 inches
• Weight: 20-30 pounds
• Coat and Color: Double coat that is medium-sized and wavy with White & Red coloring.
• Life Span: 12-15 years
• Origin: Netherlands

Being of Dutch origins, the Kooikerhondje is one of the most perseverant of spaniel dog breeds and rightfully deserve to be called a true sport. Cautious yet energetic and always ready to move, Kooikerhondje are always eager to please and will train happily as long as you train them up!

These dogs can be effective as watchdogs as they will bark at any person who they may consider to be a stranger to alert the owner.

12. Blue Picardy Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Sporting
• Height: 22-24 inches
• Weight: 55-70 pounds
• Coat and Color: Medium-length coat that is slightly thick with distinctive combination of Black, Blue and Pied colorings.
• Life Span: 9-13 years
• Origin: France

Slightly rarer as compared to other spaniel breeds, the blue Picardy Spaniel get its name from Picardy spaniels as they have descended from them mainly. These dogs are generally most effective for hunting and are able to retrieve any game from any location without much trouble.

The blue Picardy can have a calm temperament and generally remain quiet most of the time. They also are affectionate enough to play around even in families.

13. German Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Foundation Stock Service (Not recognized by AKC)
• Height: 18-21 inches
• Weight: 40-55 pounds
• Coat and Color: Medium-length wavy double coat with Red and Brown shades.
• Life Span: 12-14 years
• Origin: Germany

Also known as Deutscher Wachtelhund, the German Spaniels are some of the most best scent tracking capabilities that may be up to par with even scent hounds such as Basset Hound or Blood hound. They are still mostly used for hunting to this day and are not in public use as much as they should be.

Therefore, these dogs generally may not be up to family gatherings as they are generally owned for being used as gundogs or for hunting.

14. Sprocker Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Working (Subject to change as it is not yet recognized by AKC)
• Height: 14-20 inches
• Weight: 30-45 pounds
• Coat and Color: Medium-long wavy coat, Colors are: Black, Brown, White or Fawn along with shades of mixture of these etc.
• Life Span: 10-13 years
• Origin: Spain

A cross breed of English Springer Spaniel and Cocker Spaniel, the Sprocker Spaniel is probably one of the newest yet oldest spaniel breeds so far. Having the best worlds of both its parents, Sprockers generally love working and are effective as gundogs.

In general, a Sprocker can be very friendly in a family environment while also being terrifying once it goes into hunting games such as waterfowl.

15. English Toy Spaniel

Breed Overview:

• Group: Toy
• Height: 9-10 inches
• Weight: 8-14 pounds
• Coat and Color: Silky and double coat that is medium in size. Colors may include: Red, Black & Tan, Black White & Tan or Red & White
• Life Span: 10-12 years
• Origin: England, Great Britain

Bred for being partners and friends of the royalty, the English Toy Spaniels are some of the most cuddle-worthy spaniel dog breeds as they are cheerful and bubbly little fellows. These dog breeds might slightly be picky with people and may only become obedient to those it considers to deserve such honor.

Therefore, they may slightly be protective of their possessions along with being wary to strangers and slightly harder to train.

Conclusion

While these 15 spaniel dog breeds may be special in their ways, it is ultimately a fact that spaniels may need some well-deserved care and love as some are small in nature, some are sensitive and some might even be outright aggressive. The key to handling these dogs is making sure to patiently train them and make them learn how to be social to others.

One thing to do note is to make sure to get these spaniel breeds from a well-known spaniel breeder as spaniels are often known to have slight health problems and therefore it is generally recommended to get such breeds from a responsible breeder.