This post is based on a transcript of an interview in Polish with Ireneusz Wasilewski, the head of Club of Polish Hunting Spaniels at the Polish National Hunting Association (PZŁ).
The Polish Hunting Spaniel is both an old and new breed. It is new because it was only officially recognized by the Polish Kennel Club in 2016, with preliminary registers established in January 2017. This means the breed is young in terms of formal registration and pedigrees, although the roots of this breed extend much further back, with significant contributions from Dr. Andrzej Krzywiński and Andrzej Śliwiński at the Wild Animal Park in Kadzidłowo.
The Historical Origins
The Spaniel's history in Poland dates back to the 18th century or possibly even earlier. During this time, Polish landowners began importing sighthounds and hounds from Western Europe. Along with these dogs came proto-spaniels, the ancestors of today's more refined spaniel breeds. These early spaniels were typically kept in salons rather than used for hunting, as Poland's hunting tradition was focused on big game, not birds.
Sighthounds were employed to hunt hares, foxes, and sometimes wolves, while Polish Hounds and Gończy were used to corner and hold larger animals like bears, boars, deer, and even European bison and lynxes. As Polish hunters eventually developed an interest in bird hunting, targeting pheasants and capercaillie, the Spaniel was already prepared to adapt to these needs.
It is important to recognize that the origins of the Polish Spaniel cannot be attributed to crossbreeding with other spaniels but rather as a continuation of the proto-spaniels, which evolved into various spaniel breeds from France, England, and Spain. These breeds arrived in Poland, intermingled, and eventually led to the formation of the Polish Spaniel.
Spread and Recognition
The Polish Spaniel was found across vast areas of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, including present-day Belarus and Ukraine. The breed also spread with engineers who worked on the Trans-Siberian Railway, a project largely undertaken by Poles, bringing the Spaniel deep into Russia. Today, there is also an unrecognized Russian Spaniel breed that differs from the Polish version and has a longer path to official recognition by the FCI.
The Polish Spaniel benefitted from being bred and tested within Poland, primarily by Dr. Krzywiński, who used them for hunting birds and breeding. These dogs are known to be excellent mothers, capable of raising orphaned wild animals, including wolves and lynxes. Some of these Spaniels even coexisted with wolves and were involved in raising game produced by Dr. Krzywicki to establish breeding and hunting grounds in Poland.
Currently, about 20 notable breeders are working with this breed, with Dr. Krzywiński being the most prominent. Although he has reduced the number of matings due to age and health, he remains active in the field. Other serious breeders are dedicated to introducing the breed to the FCI. Today, there are around 350 adult specimens*, most of which are of a consistent type, with slight variations in size, coat, and colour. Behaviourally, they are very uniform, being friendly, affectionate, and well-suited to both home life and outdoor activities. (*at the time of recording of the video)
Behaviour and Adaptability
Polish Spaniels do not wander off like typical hunting dogs. They usually stay within 20 to 40 meters of their handler, returning or reporting any discovery of game, waiting for further commands. They perform well year-round, excelling in wetlands, heavy terrain, dry fields, and water. Most Polish Spaniels love water and will eagerly jump in, regardless of the season, even swimming in winter. They are also unfazed by rain and mud, though this can be inconvenient when they return indoors dirty.
The breed has caught the interest of hunters in e.g. Denmark, who value them for their ability to detect and point out birds in the field while also being aesthetically pleasing for shows. Polish Hunting Spaniels have already gained recognition there, with hunters praising them for their superior performance compared to other spaniels, including working spaniels and cocker spaniels. They are more resilient, hardworking, and indifferent to bad weather.
Grooming and Care
Due to feedback from hunters who prefer not to deal with the grooming demands of long-haired dogs, breeders aim to develop Polish Spaniels with coats that protect the parts of the body prone to injury, like the limbs. Unfortunately, the breed's ears are drooping and heavily covered in hair, and their tails also have longer hair. The coat is not particularly prone to matting, but care must be taken to prevent the ears from matting, which can be managed by trimming them once or twice a year.
Show dogs are allowed to have longer hair on their limbs, ears, and tails. There are two types of head hair: with or without tufts, which can be long, short, dense, or sparse. Both types are desirable, depending on individual preference. The Polish Spaniel Club gathers the most spaniels of any Polish breed, and at the last show in Pruszków (2022), over 100 specimens were present, compared to fewer Polish Lowland Sheepdogs and Podhale Sheepdogs. Polish Spaniels are becoming increasingly popular, and all litters have found homes without difficulty, quickly attracting new owners and enthusiasts.
Conclusion
The Polish Hunting Spaniel has a rich history rooted in Poland’s hunting traditions, and despite being a newly recognized breed, it has quickly gained popularity both in Poland and abroad. With consistent breeding efforts, this resilient and versatile breed is now poised to become a beloved companion for hunters and families alike.
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