Springer Spaniel English: History And Features
The English Springer Spaniel is the oldest of all sport hunting dogs. His original objective was to find and bring prey to the net. However, it is currently used for all phases of hunting: finding, scaring and attacking the prey of the armed hunter.
The History of the English Springer Spaniel
In the early 19th century, the English Springer Spaniel was officially recognized as a breed.
From that moment, spaniels were divided into two groups: those who weighed less than 11 kilos were called Cockers, while those who exceeded that weight were called the English Springer.
This was in 1902, when the English Kennel Club described the first standard for the breed. In 1910, this standard was recognized by the American Kennel Club. However, it was not until 1927 that the general breed standard was established, with a further revision in 1932.
From the 1940s onwards, the English Springer Spaniel was created according to its specific function.
One variety is trained for beauty and dressage competitions, which is called the Springer Spaniel Bench (for exhibition). The other is trained for field and obedience competitions and is known as Springer English field .
English Springer Spaniel Features
The Springer is a medium sized dog, easy to train, with a loving temperament, cheerful, intelligent, active and attentive.
It is usually very attached to its owner. Plus, it’s good for kids, which makes it an excellent choice as a pet for a family.
It has a life expectancy that varies between 12 and 14 years. Females weigh between 18 and 23 kilos and males between 20 and 25 kilos. In addition, it is a medium-sized breed, in which females are between 46 to 51 centimeters tall and males between 48 to 56 centimeters.
This dog has a sturdy build for its size, with sufficient bone volume and large legs.
The English Springer Spaniel has a medium length coat that can be smooth or wavy. It has additional hair on the fringes of the ears, as well as on the back of all four legs and on the chest.
The most frequently occurring colors are red and white or black and white, although there are also tricolored and dotted animals.
Appearance differences between field and bench
The differences between the English Springer Spaniel bench and the field varieties are due to a rigorous selection carried out by the breeders. Dogs are distinguished by three aspects: coat color, marks and amount of hair.
The Springer bench has symmetrical dark hair all over the body. In addition, it has long ears, a white collar at the neck, white legs and many fringes in the fur. In some cases, the head and ears have some patches of color. Most have a short tail and a deep chest.
Springer field has a sharper snout, smaller lips and taller ears. One of his most distinctive features is that he is almost completely white and his fur is short and wavy. Also, its tail may be short, but it is usually longer than the bench’s .
Health and specific care
The English Springer Spaniel is a very healthy breed. However, just like any other, it can suffer from certain hereditary disorders.
They often have hip and elbow dysplasia, a condition that can be extremely painful and cause serious mobility problems. Therefore, it is recommended that the owner of an English Springer Spaniel take it for regular hip exams.
Springer Spaniels are also prone to suffering from ear infections due to their drooping ears. For this reason, it is recommended to observe the ear canals weekly and keep them clean at all times.
They can also suffer from autoimmune diseases and some allergies, although this is rare.
