English Springer Spaniel

Coat and looks how to spot one

medium-length, close and weather-resistant with moderate feathering

The tallest and most athletic-looking of the British land spaniels: compact, strong and built for a full day's work. The outer coat lies close and straight (sometimes slightly wavy) over a weatherproof undercoat, with moderate feathering on the ears, chest, legs and belly. Field-bred springers usually have shorter coats and a lighter frame, while show-bred dogs carry more coat and longer ears.542

Personality what they are like

A sunny, sociable dog that loves being in the middle of family life. Springers are keen to please and quick to learn, which makes training a pleasure, and they are known for getting along with children and other household pets. They bring huge enthusiasm to anything active, whether that is a hike, a retrieve or a scent game, and then happily switch into an affectionate house dog once their energy has been used.5473

Daily activity how busy a day looks

High. The Royal Kennel Club and PDSA both suggest more than two hours of exercise a day. Springers thrive on off-lead running in safe areas, swimming, retrieving, scentwork, agility and other jobs that use both body and brain. Field-bred lines tend to need the most.63

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Brush once or twice a week, paying attention to the ears and feathering, and check for burrs and seeds after country walks. A tidy-up trim about every three months keeps the coat neat. The breed does shed.63

Home where they are happiest

Suits town or country homes, but does best with a large, secure garden and easy access to open spaces for daily off-lead exercise.6

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A complete, balanced dog food suited to the dog's age and activity, portioned to keep an athletic shape. Hard-working field dogs may need more energy than family companions.3

Company who they like around

Loves company and likes to be included in family activities. Usually friendly with children and other pets, and happiest with an owner who can share an active lifestyle.34

The story where it all began

Spaniels were used for centuries to find game and drive it out of cover for nets, falcons or sighthounds, and the FCI standard describes the springer as the oldest of the sporting gundogs. For a long time springers and cockers were born in the same litters: the smaller pups worked woodcock and the bigger ones were used to 'spring' game into the air, which is where the name comes from. Once shooting over dogs became common, this flushing style became the springer's trademark. A key strain was kept by the Boughey family at Aqualate in Shropshire from around 1812, starting with a dog called Mop; their line was still producing field trial winners nearly a century later. The breed was also known for a time as the Norfolk Spaniel. The Kennel Club recognised the English Springer Spaniel as a separate breed in 1902, joining the show standard of the Spaniel Club with the working tests of the Sporting Spaniel Society. The first springer shown in the ring, Beechgrove Will, gained his championship by 1906, and the English Springer Spaniel Club was founded in 1921. The AKC recognised the breed in 1910. Over the twentieth century the breed developed into two quite different lines, one bred for field trials and one for the show ring, and both remain popular today.5682

Recognised by the official bits

FCI

Standard No. 125, Group 8 (Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs), Section 2 (Flushing Dogs); definitive acceptance 29 Dec 1954; current standard published 28 Jul 2009; working trial required for international championship1

The Royal Kennel Club

Gundog Group, listed as Spaniel (English Springer); recognised as a separate breed in 19028

AKC

Sporting Group; recognised 19102

UKC

Gun Dog Group; recognised 19324

Popularity Ranked 27th of AKC-registered breeds in 2025; 6th in UK Kennel Club registrations in 2023 (7,214 registrations).12