During the 19th century, many of the spaniel breeds were developed by naming them after the country where they were bred or after their owners who were from the nobility. The term springer comes from historical tales of hunting dogs, how they jumped to launch birds into the air. Two strains of the land spaniel came to prominence and were said to be the “true springer type”. They were named after the Norfolk and Shropshire Spaniels that appear under the breed name of the Norfolk Spaniel. The Spaniel Club of England and the Sports Spaniel Society together conducted the first field dog trial in 1899, leading to the 1902 creation of the English Springer Spaniel, a combination of physical standards plus ability standards that was later recognized by the English Kennel Club followed by the American Kennel Club in 1910. In 1914, the crown went to an English country champion named FTC Rivington Sam, whose mother of record happened to be a cocker spaniel named Rivington Riband. Today, Sam is considered one of the founding fathers of the modern spaniel lines we see today.
The English Springer Spaniel is used today for two purposes; as a hunting dog and as a show dog. It is a medium-sized dog, affectionate and excitable. Its hair is moderately long that goes down the legs and tail. It is considered a balanced and well-proportioned dog. This breed may perhaps represent the greatest divergence between the working and show lines of spaniels. Although registered together, the gene pool remains segregated and has been for over 70 years. Each type is bred for its unique abilities; the field-bred dog would not be competitive to enter a dog show nor would it have sufficient endurance or speed to be successful in a field trial event. Country dogs tend to have thicker, shorter coats. They are wiry looking and have a wild look about them, along with their tails docked only a few inches rather than a show spaniel that is docked for a short length where allowed. For both, the coat comes in black or liver with white markings or white with liver or black markings; tricolor, which is black and white or liver with tan markings. These tan markings are usually found on the eyebrows, inside the dogs ears, and under the tail. Normally these dogs only shed in the spring and summer months, but they do occasionally shed in the fall.
The English Springer Spaniel is not just limited to hunting and dog shows; Due to their uncanny sense of smell, they have also been trained to sniff out explosives, to be able to sniff out a prison guard’s phone and tell when an inmate has an illegal phone in their pocket. They have been used to sniff out bumblebee nests that cannot be seen from above, to sniff out illegal immigrants, and even in some areas, have been trained to sniff out blood. They are used as search and rescue dogs working with manned mountain teams due to their agility and willingness to work in difficult terrain, making them an excellent choice over other breeds. And of course they are used by agencies in many different countries, such as Sweden and Finland, to detect drugs.
Above all, the English Springer Spaniel is an excellent family dog. They are friendly and eager to please their owners. They love children and get along very well with other animals. They have a lot of stamina and require frequent exercise to keep them from getting bored. Once these animals get bored and left alone, be careful, they can become destructive and mischievous. Springer Spaniels also enjoy the water and will take every opportunity to swim; Be careful at all times if you have an inground pool! A beautiful dog to form a happy family.
