English Springer Spaniel

An excellent family companion and hunter, the English Springer Spaniel is a member of the sporting group. This breed never seems to run out of cheerful personality and can literally run and play for hours without getting tired.

Care must be taken that this dog does not get trapped inside of the house for too long at a time, for restlessness and frustration can set in quickly. It is most happy when roaming the land and playing with its owners. With an overly-friendly personality towards humans and other pets, the English Springer Spaniel makes the perfect family dog.

A Brief History Of The English Springer Spaniel

As spaniel dogs became increasingly popular and specialized, the larger-sized land spaniels became proficient at flushing out game. Before guns became the hunter’s killing tool, the land spaniel would flush out its prey and the hunter would have nets ready to trap the animal. Also used were Greyhounds to further chase the animal should it escape the net trap.

The first mention of springers came about the late 1500s and sometime during the 1800s we can trace specifically-bred springer dogs which began to show up. One of the most popular known dogs came from the Duke of Norfolk, whose breed of dogs have heavily influenced the English Springer Spaniel that we see today.

The spaniels bred by the Duke of Norfolk were so popular at the time that the name of the breed was called Norfolk Spaniels. It wasn’t until the year 1900 that the name was changed to Springer Spaniel.

The history of this breed became further complicated by the fact that the smaller version of the dog, the Cocker Spaniel, and the larger Springer, were both the same breed but with different size variations. It wasn’t until 1902 did the Springer become recognized as a distinct breed by the English Kennel Club.

Health Concerns

There are several health concerns that run common with the English Springer Spaniel. Major issues include CHD, otitis externa, and elbow dysplasia. Minor issues include PRA, phosphofructokinase deficiency,  and retinal dysplasia. Occasionally reported are seizures, rage syndrome, patellar luxation, and gastric torsion. Veterinarians suggest that they get tested for eye, knee, hip and elbow problems, as well as DNA for phosphofructokinase deficiency. Healthy English Springer Spaniels have an average life span of up to fourteen years, with the average being twelve to thirteen.

Upkeep Requirements For The English Springer Spaniel

As mentioned in the beginning of this breed profile, the English Springer Spaniel cannot live happily without a lot of daily exercise. Therefore, owning one means that small apartment living is out of the question. It thrives on hunting so living on plenty of land for the dog to roam free is the ideal living situation.

As with most sporting dogs, the English Springer Spaniel can spend most of its time outside but prefers to sleep indoors at night with the rest of the family. Grooming requirements consist of weekly heavy brushing and clipping of the feet and ears about every two to three months.