ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL Breed Standards
Though the English Springer Spaniel was not truly developed as a breed until the 19th century, descriptions of land spaniels bearing a strong resemblance to the dog we know today date back to the 16th century. These dogs were said to “spring” at their prey, flushing it out into the open so men with guns could take their shot. Until the 19th century, the English Springer and Cocker Spaniel were used in this capacity and were by all accounts the same breed, the only difference between the two being that the Cocker Spaniel was slightly smaller. The Duke of Norfolk is credited with developing the Springer as a separate breed during the early 1800s, and his passion for the breed led the dog to be temporarily known as the Norfolk Spaniel.
The effort to separate the Springer and Cocker Spaniel continued into the 19th century, and in 1880 the American Spaniel Club was founded to further this work. In 1902, The English Kennel Club recognized the English Springer Spaniel as being a separate breed from the Cocker Spaniel, and in 1910 the American Kennel Club followed suit. To this day, the dog’s sweet nature and eagerness to please continue to make it a popular choice as a family pet, hunting dog and competitive obedience trial participant.
SKILLS: The English Springer Spaniel is a medium-sized dog, with a compact body and a docked tail. His coat is moderately long, with feathering on his legs, ears, chest and brisket. His pendulous ears, soft gentle expression, sturdy build and friendly wagging tail proclaim him unmistakably a member of the ancient family of Spaniels. He is above all a well-proportioned dog, free from exaggeration, nicely balanced in every part. His carriage is proud and upstanding, body deep, legs strong and muscular, with enough length to carry him with ease. Taken as a whole, the English Springer Spaniel suggests power, endurance and agility. He looks the part of a dog that can go, and keep going, under difficult hunting conditions. At his best, he is endowed with style, symmetry, balance and enthusiasm, and is every inch a sporting dog of distinct spaniel character, combining beauty and utility.
SIZE: The Springer is built to cover rough ground with agility and reasonable speed. His structure suggests the capacity for endurance. He is to be kept to medium size. Ideal height at the shoulder for dogs is 20 inches; for bitches, it is 19 inches. Those more than one inch under or over the breed ideal are to be faulted. A 20 inch dog, well-proportioned and in good condition, will weigh approximately 50 pounds; a 19 inch bitch will weigh approximately 40 pounds. The length of the body (measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks) is slightly greater than the height at the withers. The dog too long in body, especially when long in the loin, tires easily and lacks the compact outline characteristic of the breed. A dog too short in body for the length of his legs, a condition which destroys balance and restricts gait, is equally undesirable. A Springer with correct substance appears well-knit and sturdy with good bone, however, he is never coarse or ponderous.
COAT: The Springer has an outer coat and an undercoat. On the body, the outer coat is of medium length, flat or wavy, and is easily distinguishable from the undercoat, which is short, soft and dense. The quantity of undercoat is affected by climate and season. When in combination, outer coat and undercoat serve to make the dog substantially waterproof, weatherproof and thornproof. On ears, chest, legs and belly the Springer is nicely furnished with a fringe of feathering of moderate length and heaviness. On the head, front of the forelegs, and below the hock joints on the front of the hind legs, the hair is short and fine. The coat has the clean, glossy, "live" appearance indicative of good health. It is legitimate to trim about the head, ears, neck and feet, to remove dead undercoat, and to thin and shorten excess feathering as required to enhance a smart, functional appearance. The tail may be trimmed, or well fringed with wavy feathering. Above all, the appearance should be natural. Overtrimming, especially the body coat, or any chopped, barbered or artificial effect is to be penalized in the show ring, as is excessive feathering that destroys the clean outline desirable in a sporting dog. Correct quality and condition of coat is to take precedence over quantity of coat.
Color - All the following combinations of colors and markings are equally acceptable:(1) Black or liver with white markings or predominantly white with black or liver markings; (2) Blue or liver roan; (3) Tricolor: black and white or liver and white with tan markings, usually found on eyebrows, cheeks, inside of ears and under the tail. Any white portion of the coat may be flecked with ticking. Off colors such as lemon, red or orange are not to place.
CARE REQUIRED: The coat of the field-type Springer is fairly easy to maintain and regular brushing with a stiff bristle brush will keep it looking good; while the bench-type Springers' coat needs more attention. Both need baths and dry shampoo only when necessary, but check the ears regularly for signs of infection. Springers with longer coats will mat if not brushed often and particular attention needs to be given to the ears and the feet. If the hair is not kept shaved on the under side of the ears, it can lead to chronic ear infections. The hair on the feet needs to be trimmed to prevent burrs and foxtails from being imbedded. The longer coats will pick up burrs and branches and need to be combed out after outside exercise or it will mat badly.
CHARACTER: The typical Springer is friendly, eager to please, quick to learn and willing to obey. Such traits are conducive to tractability, which is essential for appropriate handler control in the field. In the show ring, he should exhibit poise and attentiveness and permit himself to be examined by the judge without resentment or cringing. Aggression toward people and aggression toward other dogs is not in keeping with sporting dog character and purpose and is not acceptable. Excessive timidity, with due allowance for puppies and novice exhibits, is to be equally penalized.
EXERCISE: Springers enjoys as much exercise as you can give it. They need lots of it to be happy. They should have chances to take long walks and run and play off the leash. They love to retrieve and swim. These dogs perform very well in both agility skills trials and obedience competitions.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR: They will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. English Springer Spaniels adapt well to town or city life. They are relatively inactive indoors and will do best with at least an average-sized yard.
TRAINING: They need a soft, but firm hand so they always know who is in control. There are two types of Springers - field and bench. The field type are bred for hunting and field trial work. They tend to have more white coat than the bench type, much less hair, and are more high energy.
