Dog Breeds 101: English Springer Spaniel

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Named after the way it “springs” at the prey to flush it to the hunter, the English Springer Spaniel is a dog that has been a long favorite of sportsmen and hunters. This dog is an excellent hunting companion and also makes a good family pet. English Springer Spaniels are known to be very intelligent, enthusiastic and always eager to please their masters. They are affectionate with people they know and do well with children. If socialized properly, they are good with other family pets but might still see birds as their prey. [1]

The breed was considered to be the ideal hunting companion during the Renaissance period. Lots of spaniel breeds developed out of this breed including the Clumber, Sussex, Welsh Springer, Field, Irish Water and Cocker Spaniels. At some point, Springer spaniels were considered to be the same breed with the Cocker until in 1902, when the United Kennel Club of England created separate breed standards for the two. The Springer’s talent includes hunting, tracking, retrieving, competitive obedience and performing tricks. There are two distinct types of the English Springer Spaniel: the field-bred and the show-bred. [2]

The English Springer Spaniel is medium-sized and has a long coat (with feathering on the legs and tail) which usually comes in the colors black, liver with white markings and white with black or liver markings. Normally, it only sheds in the summer and spring months. It is well proportioned and has a gentle expression. At first glance, the Springer looks very similar to the Cocker but the latter is considerable smaller compared to the former. The breed has an average life span of 10 to 15 years and can be prone to obesity. Owners of these dogs need to be careful about their food consumption so they won’t develop weight-related health problems. [3]