What a cutie! I love that sweet spaniel expression in the second pic. Is he field or bench bred? I can't quite tell from the pics.
Most dogs around here seem to be retriever mixes, purebred labs, GSDs, and some huskies, plus a bunch of little dogs of various breeds and mixes. So purebred dogs of any other breed aren't super common, but people seem to at least get in the ballpark. I do get brittany sometimes, especially because of the color, but by their tone of voice they seem to realize it's not right, but the closest guess they have. "Is that a brittany? Or a springer? Or ... "
Welshies definitely aren't common, but there are a couple breeders in New Jersey and one in western Connecticut, so within 3 hours there are a handful. I would bet that there are a good number of ESS breeders.
Watson is my first spaniel (first non-schnauzer, actually) and he just has the best temperament. Welsh can tend towards being reserved and even timid, but he is such a social butterfly.