All About
English Springer Spaniel

In recent years there has been indiscriminate breeding of English Springer Spaniels. This practice had caused some very uneven temperaments, serious aggression and rage issues in dogs that is unfortunately not evident until the dog is about two years old. Some believe these rage episodes are due to brain seizures, but the cause is still unknown. It is very important to adopt an English Springer from a reputable breeder, and if adopting from a rescue, adopt a Springer older than four years of age. Do as much research as you can on the bloodline and background of an English Springer before bringing one home.

Separation Anxiety is a common trait in English Springer Spaniels. They love human companionship and hate to be left alone for long periods of time. This problem is almost always made worse if a Springer isn't getting enough exercise every day. Let your Springer run before you leave the house, and give him plenty of interesting things to occupy his time while you are gone. People who work long hours should not consider this breed. Springers will show their displeasure with being left alone by chewing destructively and barking obsessively.

Feed the Springer a high-quality dog food appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior) and activity level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones and foods with overly high fat content. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet.

Weekly brushing will help to remove dirt and loose hair and keep the Springer’s coat healthy, shining, and free of mats. Any tangles can be worked out with a slicker brush or metal dog comb. The Springer can be trimmed by the owner or taken to a professional groomer for clipping and neatening-up of the coat, particularly the feet, the areas around the head and neck, and under the tail. As with all breeds, the nails should be trimmed regularly, as overly long nails can be painful to the dog and cause problems walking and running.

English Springer Spaniels are loving, devoted dogs who can live comfortably in most homes as long as they get plenty of daily exercise.The amount of exercise your adult Springer needs depends; Field Springers need more than Show Springers. If you have a fenced yard or acreage where he can play, your Springer will enjoy being outdoors with you while you garden or read or grill dinner. He'll run around on his own, then check in with you every few minutes, just as he might do in the field with a hunter. One or two daily mile-long walks will also help him work off all that Springer energy. Springers also like to swim, and if you have a pool or access to a lake, it's a great way for them to get exercise.Puppies have different exercise needs.* 9 weeks to 4 months of age: Puppy kindergarten once or twice a week is a great way to get exercise, training, and socialization, plus 15 to 20 minutes of playtime in the yard, morning and evening. Throw a ball for them to fetch.* 4 to 6 months of age: Weekly obedience classes and daily half-mile walks will meet their needs, plus playtime in the yard.* 6 months to a year of age: Play fetch with a ball or Frisbee for up to 40 minutes during cool mornings or evenings, and not in the heat of the day. Continue to limit walks to a half mile.* one year plus: Your Springer pup can begin to jog with you, but keep the distance to less than a mile and give him frequent breaks along the way. As he continues to mature, you can increase the distance and time you run. These graduated levels of exercise will protect his developing bones and joints.

Major concerns: otitis externa, CHD, PRA, elbow dysplasia
Minor concerns: ectropion, entropion
Occasionally seen: phosphofructokinase deficiency, skin fragility, gastric torsion, rage syndrome
Suggested tests: hip, elbow, eye, DNA for phosphofructokinase deficiency
Life span: 10-14 years

Spaniel-type dogs are thought to have originated in Spain — hence their name — many centuries ago and were probably taken to other parts of the world by the Romans or via trading ships. Spaniels were mentioned in Welsh law as early as 300 A.D. That's more than 1,700 years ago!Spaniels that look similar to today's English Springer Spaniel are depicted in 16th and 17th century artwork. Before guns were invented, the spaniel was used to flush gamebirds or small animals by springing at them and driving them into the open so they could be captured by hunting hawks, coursing hounds, or nets flung over them. When firearms were invented in the 17th century, spaniels proved to be especially adept at flushing game for shooters.During the 19th and early 20th centuries in England, dogs of the same litter were classified by their hunting use rather than their breed. Smaller dogs in the litter would be used to hunt woodcock, and therefore were called Cockers. Larger pups in the same litter would be used to flush game and were called Springers.In 1902, England's Kennel Club granted a special place in their Stud Book for the English Springer Spaniel, and a separate classification at their show in 1903. At that show, Mr. William Arkwright judged the breed. He awarded the dog Challenge Certificate to Mr. Winton Smith's Beechgrove Will and best of opposite sex went to Mr. Harry Jones' bitch Fansome. By 1906, Beechgrove Will became the breed's first Champion.In 1913, an English Springer Spaniel was imported by a Canadian breeder. A little more than 10 years later, the breed had become one of the most popular breeds registered by the American Kennel Club. The English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association, the parent club of the breed in the U.S., was formed in 1924. At that time, English Springer Spaniels that competed in field trials on one day might be shown in conformation dog shows the next day.That changed in the early 1940s when field trial enthusiasts began breeding dogs with qualities that would produce top results in the field, and show enthusiasts began to breed dogs that were both consistent with the breed's standard, and had the "flash" to win in the show ring.Field-bred dogs are bred for a keen sense of smell, speed, style, working ability and endurance above all, and today the two types are not interbred. Both types have the instinct to work and can be trained to the gun, but very few English Springer Spaniels work in both field and show events. The last dual champion (meaning that it was a champion in both field and conformation events) was a dog named Green Valley Punch in 1938.Whether he's a field or show dog, however, today's English Springer is a popular breed, ranking 26th among the breeds registered by the American Kennel Club.