Most likely, this word translates as 'Spanish'.
There are several theories about the origin of this breed of dog. Some believe that long-eared spaniels were brought to the territory of modern Britain by Julius Caesar in 55 BC. Others think that the roots of this breed trace back to hunting dogs bred by Celtic tribes.
However, even the origin of the breed's name remains a mystery. It is possible that the word 'spaniel' originated from the Scythian term spaka, which, according to Herodotus, the ancient Scythians used to refer to dogs. This word combined with the Turkic kopak gave us the term 'dog'.
Nevertheless, the most common version is that the breed's name is related to Spain, where these dogs became known from the 15th century. Spanish knights, renowned throughout Europe for their passion for falconry, always had with them droopy-eared, long-haired dogs that were called Spanish — espanol.
In the 16th century, in the work 'English Dogs' by royal physician John Caius, five groups of spaniels were described, with the author indicating Spain as their homeland. However, the main credit for their breeding, improvement of appearance, and creation of various varieties undoubtedly belongs to England, where the first hunting dog show took place in 1859, and in 1885, a spaniel club was founded by enthusiasts of this breed.
