The Welsh Springer Spaniel, as with all springers, was bred for the purpose of locating, springing and retrieving game. It is generally believed that the breed has been in existence since at least the fourteenth century and some think they may possibly be traced back to the earliest levels of domestication by man.
The Welsh Springer Spaniel was brought to Wales from Brittany, which lends credence to the belief that the Welsh Springer Spaniel and the Brittany Spaniel share the same ancestry. The traits for this breed were refined during the Renaissance and are the standards that are held to today.
The breed was originally referred to as the Welsh Spaniel or the Welsh Cocker. When its popularity reached America in 1902, the breed took on the current name of Welsh Springer Spaniel. American Kennel Club recognition followed in 1906.
