Coming somewhere in size between the English springer spaniel and the cocker spaniel, the Welsh springer spaniel is generally red and white in colour with a variant being a tri-coloured dog with some black present.

Indeed, red and white spaniels were mentioned in Welsh gundog history and were once referred to as ‘Welsh cockers.’  In 1902 they were recognised as a separate breed by the Kennel Club.  The Welsh springer spaniel is a very attractive and strong breed of working gundog that was bred for working the Welsh hills.  Like the English springer, Welsh springers are tail docked just after birth to prevent later tail damage in thick cover. At one time called the Welsh Starter, it was used to spring game, originally for sportsmen using falcons, in much the same way as the English springer was. The traditional red and white colour of the Welsh Springer was once also found in English dogs, but by the early 20th century any such dogs were considered to have died out.

The actual date of origin of the Welsh Springer Spaniel cannot be traced, however dogs resembling the breed with its distinctive red and white coat are frequently depicted in old pictures and prints. This type of dog was known as the Land Spaniel, and is considered to be similar to the modern Welsh Springer. John Caius, writing in 1570 said "Spaniels whose skynnes are white and if marked with any spottes they are commonly red". It is thought that these Spaniels may have made their way into the Welsh valleys where local sportsman managed to conserve them in a pure state.

Welsh springers have not found the favour of their English cousins in the world of field trials.  They have a tendency to hunt a line forward instead of quartering like the English springer and the cocker.  They can be trained to quarter but their natural hunting instinct is for hunting forward.