In England, bulldogs have been traced back to the 13th century. Due to their robust physique, they were utilized for the blood sport of bullbaiting.
The breed was crossed with other terriers. Breeders have since refined the dog's appearance, making it stockier with a flatter, more wrinkled muzzle than its ancestors.
The English had both large canines for deer and small hounds for rabbits in the 1500s. The beagle is a descendant of these small canines.
English breeders favored a larger variety for fox hunting, whereas American breeders created a slightly smaller beagle for rabbit hunting.
Yorkshire terrier originated in the English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Yorkies were employed as vermin killers, particularly in textile mills and coal mines.
King Charles I and King Charles II favored a diminutive black-and-tan spaniel.
The Cavalier was created in the 1920s when breeders attempted to recreate the original version of the little spaniel based on old portraits of the canines in English manors.
The springers were large dogs used by hunters to dislodge or "spring" birds and other game from their hiding places.
English springer spaniel had been officially recognized in England. This breed still possesses a superior foraging ability.
Early English cocker spaniels were born in litters alongside larger springer spaniels.
American breeders created a cocker spaniel with an even smaller cranium and a more prominently dome-shaped skull.