Ratings

Breed Introduction

The Springer Spaniel is a medium-sized sporting dog, with a compact and sturdy body, and a docked tail. The coat is of moderate length, with feathering on the legs, ears, and chest. Its drooping ears and relaxed, gentle expression, along with a sturdy body and friendly wagging tail, indicate that it is indeed a member of the ancient hunting dog family. Its build is very harmonious, without any exaggeration; every part is well proportioned. It presents an elegant and distinguished bearing, with a deep torso, strong and muscular legs, and sufficiently long legs that allow it to move easily. Overall, the English Springer Spaniel should display strength, endurance, and liveliness. It should demonstrate a form that shows good running ability and durability, and it can maintain sustained work under strenuous hunting conditions. In its prime, it possesses stylish, proportional, balanced, and enthusiastic qualities, and it embodies both beauty and practicality, distinguishing it as a true hunting dog.

The development of the Springer originated during the Renaissance when it was considered an ideal companion for European hunters. It became popular in the United States starting in the 17th century. This is an ancient and pure breed, regarded as one of the oldest hunting dogs; originally, it was commonly used for bird hunting, hawking, or dog hunting. It is often used in hunting to find, flush, or retrieve game. In 1880, the American Hunting Dog Club was established to classify dogs by size, categorizing any dog over 12.70 kilograms as a Springer.

Although some Springer Spaniels had long been used in hunting in the U.S., they were not more widely recognized until the English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association was founded in 1924. Three years after the field trials began in 1927, the English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association transitioned into the English Springer Spaniel Club. This association promoted the showcasing and field trial work of the English Springer Spaniel. The breed standard for English Springer Spaniels by the American Kennel Club was established in 1927 and first revised in 1932, formulated to reflect its natural breeding abilities as a hunting dog trained to perform the tasks required of it. The association also holds an annual field trial to publicly demonstrate the breed’s excellent performance as a shooting dog.

With the development of other hunting dogs, competition among hunting breeds intensified, necessitating that they be capable of quickly searching the terrain and executing signals or commands given to them after proper training.