Breed library

English Springer Spaniel

English Springer Spaniel photograph.
Springer Spaniel Wide Shot.jpg - Ratsniffer. CC0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Springer_Spaniel_Wide_Shot.jpg. License: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en. License: CC0.

Breed overview

The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog in the Spaniel group traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. They are descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century; the breed has diverged into separate show and working lines. It is closely related to the Welsh Springer Spaniel and very closely to the English Cocker Spaniel; less than a century ago, springers and cockers would come from the same litter. The smaller "cockers" were used in woodcock hunting while their larger littermates were used to flush, or "spring", other game birds. In 1902, The Kennel Club recognized the English Springer Spaniel as a distinct breed. They are used as sniffer dogs on a widespread basis.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.

Breed facts

  • The English physician John Caius described the spaniel in his book the Treatise of Englishe Dogs published in 1576.
  • His book was the first work to describe the various British breeds by function.
  • By 1801, Sydenham Edwards explained in the Cynographia Britannica that the land spaniel should be split into two kinds, the Springing, Hawking Spaniel, or Starter; and the Cocking or Cocker Spaniel.
  • The smaller cockers were used to hunt woodcock, while their larger littermates, the springer spaniels, would "spring", or flush, the gamebird into the air where a trained falcon or hawk would bring it to the handler.
  • Many spaniel breeds were developed during the 19th century, and often named after the counties in which they were developed, or after their owners, who were usually nobility.

Size and appearance

The English Springer Spaniel is a medium-sized compact dog. Its coat is moderately long with feathering on the legs and tail. It is a well proportioned, balanced dog with a gentle expression. This breed represents perhaps the greatest divergence between working and show lines of any breed of dog. A field-bred dog and a show-bred dog appear to be different breeds but are registered together. The gene pools are almost completely segregated and have been for at least 70 years. A field-bred dog would not be competitive in a modern dog show, while a show dog would not have the speed or stamina to succeed in a field trial. The English Springer Spaniel field-bred dogs tend to have shorter, coarser coats than show-bred dogs. The ears are less pendulous. Field-bred dogs are wiry and have more of a feral look than those bred for showing. The tail of the field-bred dog may be docked a few inches in comparison to the show dog. Field-bred dogs are selected for their sense of smell, hunting ability, and response to training rather than appearance.

  • Height reference: 51 cmBreed reference height.
  • Coat length: long
  • Height category: medium

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

  • Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 2.35 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 2.10 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 1.12 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.91 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Energy (C-BARQ mean): 2.23 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 2.21 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.53 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.80 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.29 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.62 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.61 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.63 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 0.74 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.
  • Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.79 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population English Springer Spaniel.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat length: long
  • Shedding pattern: seasonal

Health and lifespan

A 2022 UK study found a life expectancy of 11.92 years for the breed, above the average of 11.23 years. A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.5 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

The English physician John Caius described the spaniel in his book the Treatise of Englishe Dogs published in 1576. His book was the first work to describe the various British breeds by function. By 1801, Sydenham Edwards explained in the Cynographia Britannica that the land spaniel should be split into two kinds, the Springing, Hawking Spaniel, or Starter; and the Cocking or Cocker Spaniel. At this point, both cocker spaniels and springer spaniels were born in the same litters. The purpose of the breed was to serve as a hunting dog.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  2. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  3. File:Springer Spaniel Wide Shot.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0. Springer Spaniel Wide Shot.jpg - Ratsniffer. CC0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Springer_Spaniel_Wide_Shot.jpg. License: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en.
  4. English Springer Spaniel - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, English Springer Spaniel, revision 1368878190. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=English_Springer_Spaniel&action=history
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.