What Is the Difference Between an Irish Red & White Setter & a Welsh Springer Spaniel?

Antiquity

• The WSS is by far the older of the two breeds. According to the American Kennel Club, the WSS may date as far back as 7000 B.C., although the Agassian hunting dog from which the springer is thought to be directly descended was not developed until approximately 250 B.C. Even should one doubt the likelihood of the breed surviving for that length of time, red-and-white springer spaniels appear in European artwork and literature going back as far as the 14th century By contrast, the IRWS was not recognizably its own breed until the end of the 17th century. Due to its near extinction, however, the IRWS was not sufficiently established in its home country to have its own breed club until 1944, making it a very young breed despite its history.

History

• The histories of these two breeds differ in ways other than mere antiquity. During the 18th century, the wealthy elite favored the Welsh springer spaniel as a gun dog. This favor was lost in the 19th century, when the English springer spaniel became the preferred field dog throughout the United Kingdom. However, the Welsh springer experienced renewed popularity in the conformation show ring during the 19th century, where it was first exhibited as the ̶0;Welsh cocker spaniel." Although the breed remained popular throughout the World Wars in the UK, no Welsh springer spaniels were registered in the AKC between 1926 and 1948. By contrast, the Irish red and white setter was relatively unknown outside of its native country. While the solid-red Irish setter was created from Irish red and white stock, its rise in popularity during the 19th century resulted in a serious decline in Irish red and white setters. At one time, the breed was thought to be extinct, until the Rev. Noble Huston began efforts to re-establish the breed in the UK. The Irish red and white did not become established in the United States until the 1960s and was not fully recognized by the AKC until 2009.

Hunting Style

• Both the Welsh springer and the Irish red and white are used for hunting birds. Both breeds work independently and search or ̶0;quarter̶1; the field enthusiastically and at a moderate pace. However, the Welsh springer is a flushing spaniel, meaning that it frightens the birds it finds into the air for the hunter to shoot. The Irish red and white sets or points at the birds it finds, standing or crouching rigidly in place until the hunter has found the birds and flushes them to shoot. Both breeds retrieve the downed game after it has been shot. Unlike the Irish red and white, the Welsh springer may also be used as a water dog.

Appearance

• Both the Welsh springer and the Irish red and white have white coats decorated with red patches. That is essentially where the resemblance between the two breeds ends. The coat of the Welsh springer is straight and of moderate length, with moderate feathering on the legs. It stands between 17 inches and 19 inches at the shoulder and has a body slightly longer than its shoulder height. The AKC breed standard indicates that the tail is usually docked and is usually carried on a horizontal plane. The coat of the Irish red and white is short compared to that of the springer, although the feathering on the legs and tail is also fairly profuse. It is a taller dog than the Welsh springer, standing 22.5 inches to 26 inches at the shoulder, and its body is never any shorter from the shoulder to the base of the tail than its shoulder height. The Irish red and white̵7;s tail is of moderate length, never docked, and is never carried any higher than the line of its back.