ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL
APPEARANCE
This dog has a compact build, medium in height and obviously athletic. The English Springer is double coated. The outer coat is of medium length, flat or wavy on the body. There is feathering on the brisket, chest, ears, and legs. Coat can be black or liver with white markings or white with black or liver markings, blue, liver roan or tricolored. Males average 18 to 20 inches (45 to 50 cm),and weigh on average between 50 and 55 pounds. Females are smaller, averaging closer to 40 pounds (18 kg).
PERSONALITY
The typical Springer is friendly, eager to please, quick to learn and willing to obey. The Springer is an friendly, sociable, playful, gentle, affectionate and easy-going family dog. English Springer Spaniels are very comical dogs. They are known to entertain their owners during their play. English Springer Spaniel can be overly boisterous at times, and others can be overly dependent so early training is essential as is the need to teach the dog to be independent. Being left along for long periods can result in destructive behavior and anxiety.
TRAINING
The English Springer Spaniel benefits from early intensive socialization and obedience. They must have firmness, fairness, praise, and consistency. They need to be trained with positive reinforcement. Forceful or negative training will lead to a dog unwilling to please. Because the Springer Spaniel is such an intelligent dog, they need mental stimulation from training. Springers are dogs that easily pick up on language. If you speak to them enough, they can understand commands through casual talk.
EXERCISE
The English Springer Spaniel has exceptional stamina and needs moderate amounts of activity, to focus its mind and to provide exercise, although this is different for each dog. English Springers need plenty of exercise in order to run off their excess energy. These dogs can be over excitable but adequate walking can prevent this. They enjoy brisk walks, bicycling, ball chasing, and swimming.
SOCIALIZATION
The English Springer Spaniel gets along well with children, particularly when raised with them. In general, the breed is good with other pets, such as cats and ferrets. However, some English Springer Spaniels may not be suitable for homes with pet birds without additional training, due to their natural hunting instinct. As with all breeds, dogs must become accustomed to other pets, and it’s better to introduce to pets when they are both very young.
LIVING CONDITIONS
They will do well in an apartment dwelling provided they are sufficiently exercised and given a safe space to run. They are inactive indoors. With that, they are more fit to be at their best when placed in an average-sized yard.
GROOMING
The grooming requirements for the English Springer Spaniel can be demanding, and his silky coat will need to be brushed and combed at least several times a week, and more during heavier shedding. Bathing or dry shampooing should only be done when necessary. The drooping ears should also be kept clean and the nails kept cut short. These dogs are medium shedders, and shed more heavily on a seasonal basis, so they may not be ideal for the allergy sufferer.
HEALTH ISSUES
The lifespan of the English Springer Spaniel is around 12 years. Hip dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) are two such diseases for which veterinarians are working on genetic markers to determine carriers. Retinal dysplasia (RD) and Phosphofructokinase deficiency (PFK) are two other hereditary conditions typical for the English Springer Spaniel. Some English Springer Spaniels are prone to ear infections. Thyroid problems, allergies, and skin conditions can also affect the breed.
HISTORY
The English Springer Spaniel is the first of all the English hunting spaniels. During the Renaissance, it was considered as the ideal companion for the European hunter, but it’s only in the 1700’s that the breed began to be popular in America. The breed was registered with the AKC in 1910.
