English Springer Spaniel Facts

The English Springer Spaniel is a cheerful and devoted hunting dog. And there’s a lot you’ll want to know about this mild-mannered breed. So here are the top English Springer Spaniel facts.

Named For Its Job

The breed gets its name from its job as a hunting dog. It was developed to “spring,” or flush game birds from cover. You can often see this behavior displayed when the breed plays with toys and excitedly pounces right on them.

Matching Eyes

The color of the English Springer Spaniel’s eyes typically matches its coat.  For example, while dogs with a brown and white coat will have dark hazel eyes, dogs with black and white coats have either black or dark brown eyes. The rims around the dog’s eyes also match the coat color as well.

Rufton Recorder

One of the dogs that had the biggest influences on the breed in the United States was the English champion Rufton Recorder. He was imported to the U.S. in 1933 by Fred Hunt who planned on using him in his breeding program.

However, he was such a perfect specimen of the English Springer Spaniel breed that he decided to show him in the ring. Recorder quickly became an American champion and was bred to Woodelf of Breeze. This breeding produced a litter of six champions including Champion Green Valley Punch.

Routine Ear Care

This is a breed that is known for its long and attractive ears. However one of the English Springer Spaniel facts that prospective owners will want to remember is that the breed’s ears need to be cleaned and taken care of on a regular basis

Because they are so long, they can cut off the flow of air to the dog’s ear canals. And this can cause ear infections. Owners are typically advised to clean the dog’s ears daily with a solvent to help prevent the growth of yeast and bacteria.

Family Dog

This is breed is not just a top-notch hunter but also makes an ideal family dog. It gets along well with other dogs and also children. English Springer Spaniel puppies can be a bit rambunctious however and knock over a toddler in their excitement, so a home with older children is usually the best option.

Welsh Or English Springer Spaniel?

The English Springer Spaniel is often confused for a very similar-looking breed, the Welsh Springer Spaniel. The two can be told apart by their coat colors. While the English Springer is brown and white or black and white, the Welsh Springer Spaniel is red and white. The Welsh Springer is also slightly smaller.

Two Lines

There are actually two different English Springer Spaniel types those that come from show lines and those that are from field (working) lines. Dogs from show lines typically weigh a little more and have longer coats. They also tend to be more laid back and larger which makes them more popular as pets.

All-Around Gun Dog

This is a breed that was developed to hunt game birds such as pheasant, quail, chukar, and dove. The Springer is used to find and flush them out from hiding so the hunter can get a shot. However, it can also retrieve downed game as well bringing it back to the hunter.

An English Springer Spaniel hunting dog is highly versatile. And for this reason, are considered by many outdoorsmen to be the top all-around gun dog, especially for those who prefer to hunt with a single canine.

Sniffer Dog  

Because this breed has such an excellent sense of smell it has distinguished itself as a top-notch detection dog. It is commonly used to sniff out explosives, illegal drugs, and other forms of contraband. The English Springer Spaniel is also used for search and rescue and particularly by mountain rescue teams.

English Springer Spaniel Rage

While it’s rare, the English Springer Spaniel is one of the breeds that’s known to inherit what’s known as rage syndrome. It’s believed that the syndrome is similar to epilepsy however instead of having a seizure it causes the dog to attack without being provoked.

Dogs often seem confused after the behavior as if they’re unaware of what happened. Other breeds which have been known to be affected by the syndrome are the Golden Retriever, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, Doberman Pinscher.

Not High-Energy

Most hunting breeds are high-energy pets. However, one of the English Springer Spaniel facts owners appreciate is that while the breed likes exercise, it doesn’t need a lot of it. It can hunt all day in the field but doesn’t need to be walked for hours each day in order to burn off extra energy.

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