English Springer Spaniel English Springer Spaniel

The English Springer Spaniel is a faithful, cheerful, and playful dog who is always willing to please. These dogs love human companionship, and do well in almost any home situation as long as they receive plenty of exercise. This breed loves to play in water, and will retrieve endlessly. Their character is as gentle as their looks attest to, but they still will perform basic watchdog functions. One major consideration in the purchase of the English Springer Spaniel is the above average level of grooming required to keep this dog in show condition. You can expect to brush or comb them once or twice a week, and a clipping and scissoring will be necessary every few months.

The English Springer Spaniel can be seen portrayed in paintings as far back as the mid-1600's. He was first known as the Norfolk Spaniel, named after one of the Dukes of Norfolk who did much to advance the breed. In 1900 the Norfolk Spaniel was renamed the English Springer Spaniel. The English Springer Spaniel and the Cocker Spaniel were simply two sizes of the same dog, but in 1902 they were classified as two distinct breeds. He got his name from his ability to "spring" game out of its hiding place, enabling the game to be caught by net, or chased down by Greyhounds or Falcons.

The English Springer Spaniel is the foundation of all of the English hunting spaniels. The English and American varieties of the breed went along divergent paths until 1993, when they were classified as two different breeds. The English Springer Spaniel has been popular with huntsmen because of his ability to hunt, retrieve, and go to water.