Quick Stats for the English Springer Spaniel
- Height (at the shoulders): dogs: 19 – 21 inches (48 – 56 cm) ; bitches: 18 – 20 inches (46 – 51 cm)
- Weight: dogs: 45 – 55 pounds (20 – 25 kg) ; bitches: 40 – 50 pounds (18 – 23 kg)
- Life Expectancy: 12 – 14 years
- AKC Group: Sporting Group – AKC recognized in 1910
- Shedding: constant shedder; average shedder
- Living Conditions: okay in apartment (with sufficient exercise); relatively inactive indoors; best with average sized yard (minimum)
Personality of the English Springer Spaniel
A bountiful hunter that also makes an excellent family companion, the English Springer Spaniel is a member of the sporting group. This dog 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.
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 Greyhound dogs 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.
The breed was officially registered by the American Kennel Club in 1910 as a member of the Sporting Group.
The English Springer Spaniel Care and Grooming
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.
Health Problems of the English Springer Spaniel
The average life expectancy of the English Spring Spaniel is about twelve to fourteen years.
Major health concerns for this breed are:
- CHD (Canine Hip Dysplasia)
- otitis externa
- elbow dysplasia
Minor health issues include:
- PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)
- phosphofructokinase deficiency
- retinal dysplasia
Veterinarians recommend having the English Springer Spaniel tested specifically for hip, elbow, knee and eye problems.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
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