Sussex Spaniel Profile

history

The Sussex Spaniel was developed at an estate called Rosehill in Sussex County, England, probably during the mid-nineteenth century. Two men are credited with shaping the Sussex Spaniel into the dog it is today.

The first was Moses Woolland, who after obtaining his first Sussex Spaniels in 1882 went out and successfully bred both show and field lines. His dogs were not exactly like the Sussex of today, but they were very similar.

The second is Campbell Newington, who began breeding in 1887. Newington's dogs were also similar to the Sussex Spaniel as it is today, and together both men began breeding dogs that were consistent in type and quality. The first breed standard was written during this time.

For a time, the breed thrived, but after Woolland's death Newington was alone in his efforts to keep the Sussex Spaniel from becoming forgotten. In 1909, however, J. E. Kerr became interested in the breed and began producing litters of his own. Without the efforts of these two men, the Sussex Spaniel would have disappeared completely.

After World War I, the Sussex Spaniel saw a further decline in numbers and popularity. Newington whelped his last litter in 1921 and it seemed that the Sussex Spaniel might pass into extinction, but the breed hung on by its dewclaws. The privations of World War II was another stumbling block, when breeding almost ceased in England. The breed's survival is mostly credited to the efforts of Joy Freer, who spent 60 years breeding and perfecting her lines.

The first Sussex Spaniel arrived in the United States shortly before the Great Depression and more followed a few years later, just prior to World War II, but they were unsuccessful in attracting the attention of the public.

In 1969, three Sussex Spaniels were imported to the United States and after that another 11 found their way to America. They remain rare, but through an understanding of the value of these gentle and cheerful spaniels, the breed has gained a bit of a respite from the threat of endangerment. Today, the Sussex Spaniel ranks 154th among the 157 breeds and varieties recognized by the American Kennel Club.

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