In the past, this breed has been referred to as the Rat Tailed Spaniel or Whip Tailed Spaniel. This breed was originally split into three different breeds but along the centuries they were all brought together as one breed standard. One stud, Boatswain, is probably related to all members of the breed today. They were used, primarily, as water retrieving dogs.
This dog operates at an activity level of 11 on a scale of 10, at all times. It can be difficult if not trained properly but is a great goofball at heart. It is more independent than most of the Sporting class, so firm boundaries are a requirement for a good living situation. They do very well with children, but some can be a little skittish at times. They don’t warm up well to strangers.