English Springer Spaniel: breed characteristics and history of origin

The English Springer Spaniel is a sociable, active dog with an attractive appearance. It belongs to the ancient hunting breeds and has good performance characteristics. For a hunter, this dog will become an indispensable assistant. But now these dogs are more often adopted as companions. They are suitable for families with children and sports owners. They are friendly, obedient, loyal. But before getting an English Springer Spaniel, you need to study the description, pros and cons, and reviews about the breed.

Breed characteristics

Exterior

The most noticeable differences between American and English breeds appear in appearance. The difference is already evident in such a noticeable parameter as the dog’s height at the withers. For the British, this figure reaches 42 centimeters, while Americans rarely grow above 37 cm. Accordingly, the weight of the animals also differs - if dogs from the USA usually weigh up to 12 kg, then their counterparts from Foggy Albion reach 15 kg.

While inferior in size, the “Americans” are superior to their counterparts from another continent in such an important indicator for predominantly decorative dogs as coat length

The shape of the head also differs between the two breeds - while dogs of the American variety are more likely to have a round head of a small size relative to the body with a slightly upturned nose and a shortened “square” muzzle, then the British usually have a large head and a relatively elongated muzzle. Despite the fact that all cockers usually have a body shape close to square, the breed from the USA most often has a higher sternum, while the British usually have an almost flat back from the withers to the croup.

But, unfortunately, it will not be possible to immediately understand by color whether this is an “American” or an “English”, since the standards of both varieties allow for many variations in the color of a dog’s coat. The most common colors of both breeds are:

• black;
• redheads;
• golden;
• chocolate;
• fawn;
• mixed (most often black and white, red and white, brown and white).

The length of the ears does not differ between both cocker breeds - except that in dogs of the American variety they may be covered with a slightly thicker six.

History of the origin of the species

Springers are descended from Norflock Spaniels. Until the beginning of the 19th century, there was one breed, without divisions. The pet was distinguished by size; if it exceeded 13 kg, it was a springer; cockers were less than this weight. In 1902, the Kennel Club decided to breed a separate type of dog, and it became known as the English Springer Spaniel. After this, the pet was assigned a standard, as well as a name and description.

A haircut

The coat of English Springer Spaniels is dense, without undercoat, not curly, with light waves at the grown ends. It is regularly trimmed on the paws, ears, at the junction of the skull and neck, and on the body.

Puppies shed a lot during a certain period, they need to be brushed daily and then massaged with a special brush. This happens in spring and autumn if the dog lives in its traditional climate zone. Hunting dogs are groomed once every six months, show dogs - every 1-2 months. Hair is removed between the paw pads and in the ears.

If desired, you can cut the springer yourself at home. For trimming, use a dull stripping knife. The procedure is recommended to be carried out 3-4 times a year. Show dogs are trimmed much more often.

Avoid swimming for 2-3 weeks before the procedure. In addition, the decorative fur is trimmed. A clipper is used to cut the length at the base of the ears, on the neck, in the groin area and at the “mirror”. You shouldn’t clip the entire dog with a clipper; this will make its fur too fluffy and begin to fall into tangles.

When bathing springers, use special pet shampoos for long-haired breeds. If this is not possible, and the dog urgently needs to be washed of dirt, then choose a shampoo for dry hair and be sure to use a rinse. Good options are based on natural ingredients and vegetable oils.

Distinctive features

Representatives of this breed have two types:

1. The first of these relates to a working dog. Description of external characteristics: the pet is short, has a stocky build, loves to work.
2. The second option has a well-groomed appearance, it is beautiful , and according to the description it does not differ from international standards. The only drawback is that hunting qualities are poorly developed.

The height of an adult dog is 48-51 cm, it weighs 23-25 ​​kg. A well-groomed pet with a powerful and dense body, a head with a well-developed skull. Flap-shaped ears have a low set. Springers have a soft and silky coat.

Representatives of this breed are white-chocolate or white-black, and there are also tan-colored pets.

The Springer Spaniel meets the strict description; if there are deviations, the dog has a disqualified defect:

• The head is a little wide. A longitudinal groove runs between the eyes and ends near the occipital protuberance. The cheekbones have a flat shape.
• The muzzle is located in proportion to the part near the skull, the shape is wide and deep, without rough lines.
• The eyes are usually dark brown and of medium size. The eyes are oval shaped.
• The ears are drooping, located at eye level, and fit tightly to the cheekbones.
• The neck is long and well muscled. Near the head the neck is narrow, closer to the shoulders it widens.
• The body is strong and also moderate. The chest is well developed, with flexible and curved ribs. The individual has a straight back. The loin is muscular and has a slight convexity.
• The forelimbs are straight in shape, with long hair protruding from the back. The elbows are located close to the body and are well developed.
• Hind limbs - muscular thighs with a wide shape. The joints located on the knees and parallel to each other have the correct angles.
• The paws are round in shape, compact in appearance, they are compressed into a ball.
• The tail is set low, with thick hair on top, and does not extend above the level of the back.

How to choose? Boy or girl?

You should only purchase a puppy from a specialized nursery to avoid the possibility of purchasing a mixed breed or a pet with developmental pathologies from unscrupulous breeders.

A springer should be inspected carefully before purchasing.

He must have:

• clean skin;
• clear eyes of dark color;
• shiny wool;
• scissor bite.

Any symptoms of pathologies (rash, increased lacrimation, unpleasant odor from the ears, exhaustion) indicate that the puppy is sick and it is better to choose another.

Little springers should be active, curious, sociable, and affectionate. Showing aggression or cowardice is unacceptable.

It is important to determine the gender of the puppy in advance. So, you should buy a bitch if you plan to participate in breeding the breed, and also if there are very young children in the family - girls are more docile and calm.

Males are more suitable for exhibition careers and hunting, but have a more obstinate character.

Photo of an adult dog

Recognition by canine organizations:

AKC classification: sporting dogs

UKC classification: gun dogs

Prevalence: wide

The English Springer Spaniel is a medium-sized dog, standing between 45 and 50 cm tall and weighing between 18 and 23 kg. This is a robust dog for its size with a rather small skeleton and large paws.

The English Springer Spaniel has the appearance of a classic “spaniel”: large and expressive eyes, a medium-length muzzle with a pronounced transition from the forehead, long ears with feathers and a docked tail. The lips may be long, which sometimes results in drooling. The dog is the tallest of the spaniels, with paws large enough to move quickly over uneven terrain.

The English Springer Spaniel has a medium-length coat that can be smooth or wavy. There is also hair on the ears, feathering on the back of all four paws and on the chest. The most common colors are dark chestnut and white or black and white, but tri-color or ticking are some of the color options.

Character Traits:

English Springer Spaniels were bred to be quite close hunting companions that enjoy being with people and working. These are energetic and lively dogs; They have a sufficient amount of intelligence and are quite easy to train. Most spaniels have a tendency to search, and the English Springer Spaniel is no exception. This urge can cause the dog to start chewing things if left alone for a long period of time.

English Springer Spaniels need to be socialized and introduced to other dogs and people as early as possible, although many dogs of this breed are easy-going and friendly. Most representatives of this breed cannot tolerate a sedentary lifestyle and living in kennels. Digging out of boredom can be a problem for owners of dogs of this breed.

Maintenance and care:

The English Springer Spaniel has a good appetite, so eating too much can lead to obesity. Exercise is important for this dog, whether it be hunting, jogging or agility training. Being an intelligent dog, he is happy when working with you and responds well to training. English Springer Spaniels are often seen competing in hunting, obedience and agility competitions. These dogs are hardy and often live to be 12+ years old.

English Springer Spaniels can be surprisingly good watchdogs with their loud warning bark. With proper training, these dogs behave well with children. Some English Springer Spaniels can be quite lazy, but most prefer to be active. English Springer Spaniels seem to enjoy being in the water as well as on land, and may be attracted to puddles.

Grooming your English Springer Spaniel involves brushing the feathers and long coats daily to prevent matting. Sometimes you can trim the fur on the paws and ears. For an exhibition haircut, a visit to a professional groomer is required.

Story:

The English Springer Spaniel is descended from spaniels that were popular back in England in 1500 as hunting companions. Spaniels were considered dogs that spooked game, sometimes actually causing it to "jump out." Initially, all spaniels were crossed, and differences were made only in adulthood.

In the 1800s, the Duke of Norfolk became interested in spaniels and developed his own line, originally called the Norfolk Spaniel and now the English Springer Spaniel. The English Springer Spaniel has again split into field (hunting) and show subspecies, but many dogs can do both. Today, most English Springer Spaniels are valued family members who occasionally get the chance to hunt.

With a win in the "Best of the Best" category at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, including the first show of the new millennium, the English Springer Spaniel's popularity will continue to grow.

Photos of puppies

Features of character and behavior

• A distinctive feature of the breed is its ability to hunt on land and water . The dog becomes the favorite of all family members. The breed has high endurance. Unlike other spaniels, the pets are strong, as well as powerful and fast.
• English Springer Spaniels are gentle and sociable by nature. The dog of this breed is very smart, at the same time it is courageous and treats its owner with sincerity. The dog can be left with children, the animal is harmless.
• If we translate the name of the breed from English: springer, it means jumper . The pet was named because of its excessive activity during hunting. The dog tracked the game in an interesting way; it hid and waited for it to appear. When game appeared, the springer would jump out and grab it. The peculiarities of the breed include an excessive love for bodies of water. The pet will not pass by water, even if it is a puddle of mud.
• Despite its small size, the dog is incredibly fast. The dog feels confident among family members and is devoted to its owner. Springers are happy to keep company, they are sociable and therefore you need to talk to them often and spend time with them. Dogs play together with children and are in a noisy atmosphere.

Springer spaniels get along well in the same room with other animals, but do not tolerate same-sex dogs. If there are decorative birds in the house, the pet will not get along with them.

Advantages

1. Among the positive qualities of representatives of the breed are sociability and sincerity . The dog treats all family members well, they love children very much, and they get along well.
2. Advantages include adaptation to seasonal changes. It is easy for pets to get used to changes and changing living conditions. The dog tolerates traveling well, so they are often taken with them on vacation. Springer loves to go fishing and hunting with his owner.
3. The breed is distinguished by well-developed thinking . The animal devotes itself completely to the person, and therefore requires the same amount of attention in return.

Flaws

• Among the shortcomings is the fear of loneliness. With the owner's absence for a long time, the dog turns the interior into a poor state. She barks for a long time, then begins to howl.
• The dog is very active, so it will not be able to spend time lying on the sofa . It is not recommended for pensioners to have representatives of this breed, nor for people who have a lot of work.

Appearance

In terms of the appearance of the two respective dog breeds, a quick look shows that they have a lot in common, but they also have a number of notable differences.

English Springer Spaniels stand up to 51 cm tall at the withers and can weigh up to 25 kg, while Welsh scrapers are shorter and lighter in weight, reaching a height of up to 48 cm and weighing up to 20 kg.

Welsh spruers are proportionately longer in body length than English sprinters, and are also lighter in build and not as tall. The head of the Welsh Sprinter is described as slimmer than the English Princess, and the English Sprinter is lighter, being the tallest of all the British Ground Spaniel breeds.

In terms of the coats of the two respective breeds, English Sprinters have a straight, soft coat with moderate feathering, while Welsh Sprinters have flat, dense and silky coats with moderate feathering on the legs, but lighter feathering on the ears.

However, coat color is perhaps the main difference between the two breeds: English Spaniel Spaniels can be found in a variety of shades, black and white or stove and white, or any of these variations with some shades.

On the other hand, Welsh sprinters have only one color - red and white. The shade of the red coat areas is very different from the English liqueur liver, bright, rich and much lighter.

Care and maintenance

The English Springer Spaniel is easy to care for. You should regularly inspect your ears and clean them of dirt. When scratches or wounds appear, it is necessary to treat the damage so that a dangerous infection does not develop.

The dog loves exercise:

• she willingly visits bodies of water,
• swims well
• runs fast;
• The pet enjoys jumping and training exercises.

It is imperative to take care of your pet’s teeth, prevent the development of tartar, and prevent yellow plaque. There are toothpastes for dogs that are odorless and tasteless.

At the onset of spring, summer and autumn, it is necessary to inspect the wool to ensure that there are no ticks.

Nutrition

Feeding is equally important for your pet. The animal's menu should consist of the following products:

1. Meat.
2. Fresh eggs.
3. Dairy products.
4. Hercules and buckwheat porridge.
5. Vegetables.

Owners often feed their pets premium ready-made food for active dogs. It is considered a healthy food because it contains nutrients.

Puppies up to six months old need to be fed 6 times a day. An adult dog needs to eat 2 times a day: morning and evening. Babies under one year old are given 50 grams of fresh meat. An adult dog should be given 250 grams.

It is necessary that a bowl of clean and fresh water is constantly available to the dog. Before a walk, your pet should drink a lot of water, otherwise he will begin to quench his thirst by drinking from puddles or ditches.

You should not overfeed your dog and introduce sausages into the diet, and also exclude sausages, sweets and canned food.

Health

The Springer Spaniel is a healthy breed. The pet sometimes exhibits some diseases associated with the ears. Representatives of this breed suffer from diseases that are inherited: retinal atrophy.

If a disease is detected, you need to pay more attention to your pet. They suffer from heart failure; it develops in old age. Young dogs may become ill in rare cases. In older dogs, damage to the central nervous system appears. Spaniels, like other breeds, can suffer from a hereditary disease - fucosidosis.

Vaccinations

The Springer Spaniel, like all other dog breeds, needs to be vaccinated..

1. Puppies are given their first vaccine at 8-9 weeks of age.
2. The second vaccination is carried out at 12 weeks of the animal’s life.
3. Every year, to maintain the immune system, the dog must be given a booster vaccine.

After vaccination, the small spaniel should be at home for 10 days, under the supervision of the owner. During this time, you should not overheat or come into contact with other animals.

The vaccine in a small pet usually manifests itself as fever, lack of appetite, and general weakness.

Diseases

The breed is characterized by good health, but sometimes some problems may appear:

1. Damage to the hip joint.
2. Lack of phosphofructokinase.
3. Retinal damage.
4. The appearance of ear infections.
5. Rarely, but entropy occurs.
6. Skin diseases.

Walk

Representatives of this breed need long walks in the fresh air . In addition, the dog must be accompanied by good physical exercise. The pet feels uncomfortable indoors; it needs activity and a large area. The breed loves not just to walk, but to play various games with jumping and exercise.

Grooming

1. You should brush your fur no more than 1-2 times a week . A special brush is suitable for the procedure; you can use a massage glove. Remove faded hair first with a brush, then massage with a glove. The pet needs to comb its fur, it appears beautiful, and after a massage the blood flow is restored.
2. The breed sheds 2 times a year, at which time it is necessary to remove excess hair that appears on the paws and ears. You definitely need to cut off excess hair.
3. Water baths are a pleasure for spaniels , so bathing is not difficult. You shouldn't wash your dog frequently unless the coat is very dirty. After excessive bathing, your Springer Spaniel will develop dandruff and may develop irritation. It is recommended to use a damp towel for cleaning.

What to feed

English Springer Spaniel puppies require careful attention, this concerns, first of all, nutrition. The diet of spaniel babies is fully balanced, full of essential nutrients and vitamins. Small puppies are fed up to 6 times a day; an 8-month-old dog is recommended to be fed twice a day. Breakfast certainly includes fermented milk products. Combinations of low-fat cottage cheese and kefir are useful; yogurt is good. Sometimes honey and calcium are added to cottage cheese.

The dog must receive meat in sufficient quantities. You can't give pork. A suitable option is lean beef. Acceptable cereals will be rice and buckwheat, dietary porridges, full of vitamins, satisfying. It’s good to give a boiled egg a couple of times a week. It is useful to periodically replace meat with fish, do not exclude vegetables and fruits from the diet, it is important that the latter do not turn out to be sour. Choose a balanced diet. What to feed the English Springer Spaniel is up to the breeder to decide; it is easy to replace natural food with food, if desired. Gradually, you will need to add vitamins and minerals necessary for the full development of your pet.

Mating

• Upon reaching 8-9 months, representatives of this breed enter sexual maturity, but they are ready for mating after the body has fully matured. Males reach puberty at 8-10 months. But this moment is individual for each dog.
• An experienced and active bitch is selected for a young male. A dog's breeding career largely depends on the first time.
• The female is ready for mating on the 11-13th day of estrus, but before the procedure the animals must be vaccinated. Before mating, the pets are prepared and introduced so that they feel confident. After getting to know each other, they bring the animals together and help them mate. To do this, experienced breeders keep the female, the owner can hold the cable.

The first time a female gives birth to 7-10 puppies, pregnancy lasts 56-72 days, often representatives of this breed give birth on 60-62 days.

Selection rules

Before buying a puppy, you need to study information about the chosen breed, evaluate your ability to provide the dog with all the necessary conditions

It is also important to assess your readiness for a dog in the family, the ability to devote time and effort to it

It is better to buy a purebred puppy from trusted kennels, where they will provide all the necessary documents for the dog - passport and pedigree

When choosing a pet, you need to pay attention to its appearance and behavior. A Welsh puppy should be active, friendly and playful.

The baby's nose should be moist, eyes and ears clean. The puppy should not smell unpleasant. You should definitely inquire about the puppy’s health status and whether its parents have any genetic diseases that could be inherited.

For more information about the Welsh Singer Spaniel, watch the video below.

Key points in training

Springer spaniels perform any exercise, the dog is easy to train . Good results appear after long training.

If there are no immediate results, you should not give up training; training should be carried out for a long time.

Read about how to properly train a dog in the article: “Training a puppy: effective methods from dog handlers, learning commands at home.”

The Springer Spaniel is a hunting dog, so training requires fresh air and a large area. After completing the command, the pet must be rewarded - give him a treat.

Popular nicknames

Breed type: Welsh Springer Spaniel

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is one of the varieties of the English Springer Spaniel breed . The pet belongs to the oldest hunting dogs; it is small in size, dark red or red in color.

Animals participated in the development of various English breeds. The dogs are loyal and energetic, they are affectionate towards their owner's family members. Dogs are good-natured towards children and find a common language with other animals.

• The pet is wary of uninvited guests and begins to bark loudly. Varieties of this breed are easy to train and can easily repeat all commands.
• If the Welshman is not trained correctly , the dog will become stubborn and its character will deteriorate. Adult pets become fearless protectors and these excellent companions can be taken anywhere. Small dogs will not offend their owner, even if he is in danger.

It must be remembered that each dog has its own individuality; it does not always correspond to the general characteristics. It all depends on the environment in which the pet is located, on the attention and care of the owner. In addition, representatives of this breed - the English Springer Spaniel - can be expected to display a unique character that is not in the description.

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Briefly about the main thing

1. The English Springer Spaniel is an excellent hunting dog and a good choice for families with children.
2. In order not to encounter problems in the future, puppies begin to be raised from a very early age.
3. Dogs are not suitable for guarding a home or territory, they are very friendly and make great companions, but not fighters.
4. Caring for an English Springer Spaniel is quite simple, but requires a systematic approach and accuracy.

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