The
Early Spaniels (1880 -
1920)
Before
the advent of dog shows
the spaniel family were
bred and kept for their
sporting abilities. The
main concern for owners
was to breed dogs better
suited to the terrain
over which they worked
and the type of work required
of them.
Those
owned by the Sporting
Aristocracy and worked
on their Country Estates
were often named after
their illustrious owners,
such as the Norfolk and
Clumber Spaniel. Others,
like the Sussex Spaniel,
took their name from a
geographical location.
A
further group became known
after the type of work
they did, the Water Spaniel
- used for wild fowling
and the Cocking or Cocker
Spaniel - used for flushing
woodcock for the guns.
All of these varieties
were known collectively
as Field Spaniels - that
is, spaniels used in the
field.
With
the onset of dog shows
the spaniel family began
to divide into their various
varieties. One thing evident,
to a small band of enthusiasts,
was the lack of a large
black spaniel. To create
such a dog, that would
be useful in the field
and a thing of beauty
in the show ring, they
inter-bred the following
varieties to form the
root stock of the new
spaniel.
Black and Tan Cocker Spaniel
- Owned : Dr. Spurgin
Black Cocker Spaniel -
Owned : Mr. Jones
Black & White / Liver
& White Norfolk Spaniel
- Owned : Mr. Footman
Cross Breed - Bebb (Bebb
was registered as a Sussex
Spaniel, purely because
of his liver colour)
(English Water Spaniel
x Black Cocker Spaniel)
- Owned : Mr. Bullock
The new large Black Spaniel,
slightly high on the leg
to enable him to work
well in the field, was
a great success and thus
the Field Spaniel was
born. (Fields were exhibited
in two weight classes
- Fields over 25 lbs and
Fields under 25 lbs. In
1892 the small Field Spaniel
was recognised by The
Kennel Club as the Cocker
Spaniel).
During
the early days of the
breed Mr. Thomas of Newton
Abbot decreed that the
Field Spaniel should be
similar in stature to
the Sussex Spaniel. Thomas,
along with his faithful
followers, cross-bred
extensively with the Sussex
to produce Fields that
were low to the ground
with long bodies. In the
late 1880’s the Field
had become useless as
a working dog and the
writers in the dog press
of the time ridiculed
the breed.
With
the recognition of the
Cocker in 1892, many breeders
swapped allegiance from
the Field and in an effort
to counteract this, Fields
were crossed with Bassett
Hounds. This introduced
new colours into the breed
whilst still retaining
their long low looks but
this fad was short lived
and Field numbers began
to decline.
A
few breeders had continued
their interest in the
black Field producing
dogs of better proportions
with the characteristic
Field heads, but by World
War I the Field was near
to extinction.
The
Rise and Fall (1920 -
1945)
In
the early 1920’s a well
known gundog man wrote
in the press “The Field
Spaniel is dead, he has
taken a knock out and
few will mourn his passing”,
thankfully he was wrong,
since the Cliffe Kennel
still had Fields and through
the interest of the sporting
men of the Midlands they
were set for a revival.
With an infusion of English
Springer Spaniel and Cocker
Spaniel blood the breed
soon produced strong active
dogs that by the end of
the 1920’s had set the
pattern for modern Field
Spaniels.
During
the mid 1930’s Fields,
in their multitude of
colour variations, were
popular as Field Trial
dogs, but never quite
transferred this success
to the show ring. 1938
was to strike an almost
fatal blow for the Field
Spaniel, with the onset
of World War II. Field
numbers during the war
years slumped to an all
time low and in some instances
entire kennels were put
down.
Post
War (1945 - 1970)
The
return of dog shows and
classes for Field Spaniels
at championship shows
in 1948 showed how low
Field numbers were. Only
four bitches can be traced
back to this period and
they form the base of
all modern Fields, Keepsake
of Westwind, Rothley Rival,
Bourbon of Strouds and
Gipsy of Myvod.
It
would not be until 1952
that Fields would begin
to appear in the Stud
Book of the Kennel Club,
a gap of 12 years since
the last registration.
In 1957 it was decided
to out-cross to English
Springer Spaniels to improve
blood lines and although
the English Springer Whaddon
Chase Duke was used, all
of the progeny were sold.
In 1958 Mr. Jack Tannant
managed to find a bitch
from the Springer union
and registered and used
her under the name Sherelake
of Rhiwlas.
Two
major litters were born
in the late 1960’s, the
A litter of Elmbury and
the J litter of Mittina.
Many of these dogs appear
several times over in
the extended pedigrees
of modern Fields and have
helped to improve the
quality of the breed.
The
70’s Revival (1970 - 1990)
The
1970’s began a decade
of improvement to the
Field Spaniel in stature
and type. Coloured varieties
have waned in popularity
and liver became the dominant
colour. Owners were starting
to use their dogs for
working as well as showing
and the dual purpose Field
came of age. Through careful
selection of stock, given
the small gene pool to
work from, breeders began
to enhance the breed in
all aspects.
The
1980’s has seen the rise
in popularity of the breed
and the appointment of
a Working Secretary to
the Field Spaniel Society
to cater for the Field
Trials enthusiasts.
With
Challenge Certificates
(CC) available at many
Championship shows several
dogs have become Show
Champions (Sh.Ch.) by
gaining three CC’s under
three different judges.
For those dedicated few
it has been possible to
promote their dogs to
Full Champions (Ch.) by
attaining a further qualification
of a Certificate of Merit
(COM) at a working test.
The
Roaring 90’s and Beyond
(1990 – Present Day)
In
the 1990’s the show scene
for the Field Spaniel
was very strong with at
least 17 Show Champions
produced in that decade
and several other dogs
receiving challenge certificates
on their way to becoming
Show Champions.
The
late Clive Rowlands from
the Rhiwlas Kennel took
on the task of Working
Secretary to promote the
breed in the field. The
culmination of all these
efforts was to push the
Field Spaniel to success
in working tests and provide
the breed with 7 Full
Champions.
In
1998 the Field Spaniel
Society celebrated its
75th anniversary with
the breed strong in numbers,
both in the show ring
and on the working side.
Due to the efforts of
many breeders the Field
Spaniel has developed
into a robust and healthy
breed. Although there
have been very few health
problems breeders have
made a conscious effort
to test for hip dysplasia
(HD) and eye tests for
multifocal retinal dysplasia
(MRD).
Today
unfortunately Field Spaniel
numbers are back in decline
and puppy registrations
are low. This has prompted
The Kennel Club to place
the Field Spaniel on the
vulnerable breeds register.
Contributions
to the above text from
The History and Management
of the Field Spaniel by
Peggy Grayson
Personal
View of the Field Spaniel
The
Field Spaniel is an unusually
docile dog with a well-balanced
and steady temperament.
They make fine pets or
companion dogs and if
trained properly excellent
workers in the field.
Fields
thrive on human contact
and become totally devoted
to their owners but can
become quite noisy and
insistent when seeking
attention. They will also
strike up instant friendships
with anyone prepared to
share food with them and
are past masters of that
‘I haven’t been fed in
weeks’ look!
It
is often said that Field
Spaniels are ideally suited
to rural living and are
not happy in urban surroundings
since they require plenty
of exercise. In the main
this is true but like
all dogs any exercise
is good exercise whether
it is across open fields
or on urban pavements.
Two walks a day and the
odd skirmish in the garden
can often be all that
is required to keep your
dog content and healthy
rather than that enforced
two hour route march that
becomes a chore rather
than an enjoyable event.
Exercise is not just for
muscle and bone it is
also for the brain since
new sights, sounds, smells
and experiences are all
absorbed to give your
dog a more rounded personality
and encourage confidence.
Take heed, Field’s love
water and are quite accomplished
swimmers and need little
encouragement to partake
in one of their favourite
past-times. Mud and puddles
can also be a great adventure
and you would be amazed
how wet a Field can make
itself in a puddle the
size of a dustbin lid.
As
working dogs they are
very robust by nature
with a keen nose and a
good deal of intelligence.
They make fine dogs for
people interested in rough
shooting who enjoy that
companion relationship
with their dogs. Training
Field’s requires patience
as a virtue since they
are more difficult to
train than the traditional
working dogs such as the
Cocker or Springer. Although
not as flighty and eager
as some breeds they can
be quite head strong to
the point of distraction,
but as with any gundog
firm but fair not boot
and stick will win the
day.
At
home they make good companions
and like nothing better
than to share your living
space. If allowed Fields
can be avid lap dogs,
but mature males weighing
in at 55 lbs are not everyone’s
ideal for sharing the
sofa and can have a habit
of making like a sack
of spuds! They may also
be kept as kennel dogs
and can adapt to this
style of living quite
happily although they
may become noisy if kept
in isolation and prefer
the company of other dogs
as stable mates.
Grooming
should be daily ensuring
feathering on the legs,
chest and ears are knot
free. Unlike many of the
other spaniel breeds Field’s
do not grow excessive
coats and trimming is
minimal to keep them clean
and tidy. The feet will
need attention from time
to time and should be
clipped into a neat shape
and excessive hair around
the pads removed. Ears
should be inspected on
a weekly basis and cleaned
out with damp cotton wool
to prevent excessive wax
build up.
Renaissance
of the Working Field
by Pamela Rowlands
The
First Encounter
The
first I knew of Field
Spaniels working was back
in the 1970’s when we
purchased two Field Spaniels
from Mr. Jack Tannant.
He used to rough shoot
regularly with his Fields
over the lovely countryside
between Wales and Shropshire.
It
seems that not much was
known of the Field Spaniel
working, but during 1900
- 1940 it is understood
from Field Trial records
that it was a dog to be
reckoned with, holding
it’s own against other
breeds of spaniel.
Though
not very strong numerically,
the kennels in those days
were keen to breed a strong
all purpose spaniel for
hunting fur and feather
and I have heard they
were very good at hunting
and retrieving the Coypu
in the Fen country.
The
Character
The
Field Spaniel is a powerful,
noble and upstanding dog
of good temperament that
responds to kindness and
firmness; his aim is to
please with a few hiccups
in between!
The
Field takes a long time
to develop - puppyhood
extends usually well into
its second year - but
working expectancy is
long. His ability to scent
game is second to none
and his stamina makes
him ideal when working
heavy cover or rough terrain.
It
has been written that
the Field is a `Jack of
all trades’, well this
may be true, but I also
think it is a dog for
all seasons!
They
are great lovers of the
Human race - almost to
the point of being a nuisance
- but will be the model
of contentment if they
can share their life with
you.
The
Resurgence
During
the 1980’s it was noted
by the Field Spaniel Society
that some members were
not only showing the Field
Spaniel but were also
working them. With this
revival of the Field,
the Society appointed
a Working Secretary, a
position that had not
existed since the 1930’s.
In
1987 a working test was
staged, with 19 dogs entered,
but sadly, only one retrieve
was made all day. I am
glad to say that by 1993
the standard of working
had greatly improved:
there were more full champions
in the Field Spaniel breed
than any other breed of
spaniel.
Today
through the efforts of
the dedicated few, Field
Spaniels now work on many
varied shoots, from springing
for Hawks to Deer Stalking
through to the more conventional
pheasant shoots. The Field
is also worked in Scandinavia
as a beaters dog and as
a tracker.
In
the North of Sweden there
are at least two Fields
which track the Elk and
Golden Deer. Owned by
game wardens, these dog
work for days on end in
the culling season and
are, I understand, very
good at their job.
Training
If
you are interested in
training your Field to
work on a shoot or run
in working tests or field
trials, I suggest you
attend the gundog training
days run each year by
the Field Spaniel Society.
Many
gundog Societies hold
training classes for gundogs
during Spring and Summer.
I know that most cater
primarily for the English
Springer and Cocker Spaniel,
but I am quite sure if
you are really serious
about training your Field
Spaniel you will be welcomed.
I
can promise you two things;
both you and he will be
fitter than you were before
you started, and will
enjoy a stronger bond
of trust and loyalty than
you thought possible.
