Where the English Springer Spaniel came from
The English Springer Spaniel comes from England, where hunters used spaniels to find and flush birds. The name comes from how the dogs spring game from cover.
Spaniels were sorted by size and job over the 1800s. Springers and Cockers once came from the same litters, and the larger dogs became the Springer, a tougher bird flushing hunting dog.
The AKC recognized the breed in 1910. Today there are field type and show type Springers, and they work as hunting and detection dogs.
- 1800s Spaniels are sorted into separate breeds by size and use
- 1902 The Kennel Club in England recognizes the Springer
- 1910 AKC recognizes the English Springer Spaniel
The job a English Springer Spaniel was bred for
The dogs worked close to the hunter, searching low cover and flushing birds. At home that shows as nose down sniffing, high energy and a strong urge to please.
Sports that fit a English Springer Spaniel
- Field work. Hunt tests
- Scent work. Nose driven and happy to work
- Tracking. Strong nose
- Dock diving. Many love water
- Agility. Fast and eager
Training tips for a English Springer Spaniel
- Teach a reliable recall and a stop whistle or cue.
- Reward calm greetings.
- Use scent games for daily exercise.
- Practice settling, since many are very busy.
Body and health
Long ears need regular cleaning. Keep them lean, and warm up before athletic work.
Fun fact. A Springer named Buster won the Dickin Medal for finding hidden weapons and explosives in Iraq.
Breed is where we start
A study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9 percent of the differences in behavior between dogs (Morrill and others, Science, 2022). So your English Springer Spaniel is a starting guess, not a label. We find the drive your dog actually runs on, give it a job, and teach you to read them.
Looking for a different breed? See what 75 breeds were bred to do.