I had spaniels, cocker, and springers. I added the terrier blood to give more hunting range, and better ability to follow the line, also voice.
Im my eyes spaniels are close-range dogs, though Ive seen some wilder specimens that might pass for beagles lol but usually they tend to work very close (as hunting dogs go).
downsouth, I used mine for everything like you do, and I found them willing and able for most stuff, my cocker even got keen on going to ground and I dug him (up at quarry) a couple of times, and stuck in the pipe a handful of times!! Foxes were his demise in the end. sad