English Springer Spaniel | breed profile

History

In 17^th century England, spaniels were used to flush or “spring” birds from grass or bushes and retrieve them. During this time, a Cocker Spaniel and a Springer Spaniel could come from the same litter. Eventually the two breeds became separate.

Appearance and Personality

English Springer Spaniels are medium dogs, ranging from around 46 to 53 cm in height and weighing around 16-27 kgs. Females are typically smaller than males. They are generally black or dark brown with white markings or tricolour. Their life expectancy is around 12 to 14 years. There are two types of Springer Spaniel, a field or working variety and the bench or show variety. The field variety tend to be more athletic, have shorter coats and shorter ears. The show varieties have a longer coat and ears and although they are still an active dog, they are less athletic and sporty than the field variety.

English Springer Spaniels are affectionate and friendly, making them a popular choice with families. They love company and can become lonely and bored which can result in anxiety and destructive behaviour and barking. They are energetic and athletic, so daily exercise is vital to keep them happy and healthy, so they are better suited to an active household and suit sports like agility. This also means they are better suited to larger properties rather than apartment living. Like all dogs, early socialisation and training with other dogs, people and animals is very important to ensure good manners later in life. With roots in hunting, the Springer Spaniel may still have strong instincts when it comes to smaller animals, especially birds. Always proceed with caution when introducing dogs to other animals.

Springer Spaniels have a low shedding, medium length coat which requires daily brushing. Regular trips to the groomers will also help keep the coat tidier and more manageable.

Common Health Concerns

With large, floppy ears, regular ear cleaning is very important, particularly as Springer Spaniels commonly suffer from ear infections. This is reflected in most common reasons why English Springer Spaniels visited the vet in 2020, with ear infections ranking in the top position.

Other common reasons for a Springer Spaniel to visit the vet in 2020 were skin conditions such as allergic skin disease, cancers, and tumours. The medium length coat can hide grass seeds which become buried in the skin causing abscesses, making brushing the coat to remove any debris even more important for Springer Spaniels.

According to PetSure claims data, from 2020 the five most common reasons for a

Springer Spaniel to visit the vet (excluding routine care visits) were:

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider

For the same period, the top five highest single vet treatments (or highest pet insurance claims) for insured English Springer Spaniels from PetSure claims data were:

Disclaimer: Reimbursement for these claims would be subject to limits, such as annual benefit limits or sub-limits, benefit percentage, applicable waiting periods and any applicable excess. Cover is subject to the policy terms and conditions. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording available from the relevant provider

Most popular Springer Spaniels names (PetSure data, 2020)

Most Popular names

1. Alfie
2. Charlie
3. Daisy
4. Eddie
5. Harry
6. Max
7. Alfred
8. Bentley
9. Bob
10. Cooper

Most popular female names 

1. Daisy
2. Bonnie
3. Lola
4. Luna
5. Maisie
6. Ivy
7. Lottie
8. Molly
9. Nala
10. Pepper

Most popular male names:

1. Alfie
2. Charlie
3. Eddie
4. Harry
5. Max
6. Alfred
7. Bentley
8. Bob
9. Cooper
10. Diesel
11. Frankie

Did you know?

English Springer Spaniels have careers today with the police and customs as sniffer dogs as well as careers as therapy dogs.

References

1. American Kennel Club, English Springer Spaniel, accessed on 23/03/2021, available at: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/english-springer-spaniel/
2. The English Springer Spaniel Club, accessed on 23/03/2021, available at: http://www.englishspringer.org/
3. Wikipedia, English Springer Spaniel, accessed 23/03/2021 available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Springer_Spaniel