Always enthusiastic, the English Springer Spaniel is an energetic dog with a friendly, loyal and affectionate disposition. They love the water and are great family pets, but need plenty of training and exercise to stay out of mischief.
Facts & advice
English Springer Spaniel
An athletic and versatile breed who just wants to have fun
Vital stats
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| Size: | Medium to large |
| Coat: | Medium length, requires grooming once a week |
| Exercise | 2+ hours a day |
| Life span: | 11+ years |
| Breed group: | Gundog |
| Temperament: | Cheerful, attentive, energetic |
English Springer Spaniel temperament & personality
Named for the way they “spring” at game, Springer Spaniels are happy-go-lucky dogs with a great sense of humour.
- Attentive and affectionate, English Springer Spaniels make wonderful family pets and do well with children.
- Despite their working background, Springers tend to get on well with other pets, apart from birds who they will instinctively hunt.
- These people-loving dogs will welcome strangers and expect attention from everyone!
- Springer Spaniels relish your company and shouldn’t be left alone for long.
English Springer Spaniel training & exercise
With energy to spare, English Springer Spaniels need plenty of daily exercise and stimulation to keep them happy.
Training tips
- Eager to please and highly intelligent, Springers tend to be easy to train.
- Food is a great motivator so be sure to have some training treats at the ready.
- This playful breed will also respond well to toys as a motivator.
- Springers are easily bored so a long, repetitive training session will be counterproductive. Keep sessions to five to ten minutes at a time.
Keeping them happy
- Springers don’t like being left alone and may make their anxiety known by nuisance barking.
- Your Springer will love being outside, but make sure your garden is securely fenced to avoid any escape attempts.
- Because they are “always on” Springer Spaniels get bored easily, so make sure walks and playtime are varied.
Exercise
- Springer Spaniels need at least two hours of physical exercise every day.
- Springers also love to swim and this is a great way for them to keep fit and protect their joints.
- This is an extremely intelligent breed so plenty of mental stimulation is important to keep your dog’s mind in top condition.
Game ideas
- Springer Spaniels are always raring to go and excel at agility training where they can expend some energy and show off their new tricks at the same time.
Common English Springer Spaniel health conditions
Like all breeds, English Springer Spaniels are prone to certain conditions, and choosing a reputable breeder or rehoming organisation should be the first step to having a happy and healthy dog. To help you be more aware and prepared for the most common health issues, if they should arise, we have put together some information on the health issues that we see the most in English Springer Spaniels.
Like all dogs, Springer Spaniels are susceptible to various forms of skin problems, often involving the skin within the ear. The ear canal can become irritated by parasites, allergies or infections, and Springer Spaniels are particularly prone to getting grass seeds lodged in their ear canals. Irritation can lead to a condition called otitis, which simply means ‘inflammation of the ear canal’. It causes an intense itch, leading the dog to shake its head, flap its ears and scratch them using its back paws. If the otitis is due to an allergy, treatment is required for the lifetime of the dog.
Larger breeds like the Springer Spaniel can be prone to hip or elbow dysplasia. This develops when the bones that form the hip or elbow joint develop abnormalities in the cartilage that lines the surface of the joint or structures around it. This leads to the development of arthritis, which shows as stiffness (especially after lying down), and a reluctance to exercise or go up and down stairs. Long-term treatment or surgery will be required to keep the dog active.
Like all dogs, Springer Spaniels can develop masses (lumps and bumps) in the layers of fat, skin and muscle that cover their bodies. These might be warts, cysts, abscesses, lipomas or tumours, such as mast cell tumours. Mast cells are normal skin cells that help dogs respond to trauma and damage by releasing histamine. However, these cells can sometimes replicate into a serious type of tumour called a mast cell tumour. They vary widely in size and shape, but most take the form of a solitary lump within the skin. Lipomas are benign (noncancerous), slow-growing fatty lumps. Generally, treatment depends on the size, location and exact nature of the lump, but almost always involves surgical removal.
The cruciate ligaments are found inside the knee joint and hold it stable. Cruciate ligament disease means that this ligament slowly frays and gets weaker and can get worse over time. Treatment for cruciate ligament disease usually is surgery to help stabilise the knee joint. However, like all dogs Springer Spaniels can also develop arthritis from this condition, and long-term treatment is often required to keep them active.
Urinary incontinence describes conditions that lead to a dog losing control over when he or she urinates. Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI), which is like a leaky tap, is the most common cause of urinary incontinence. Although it sometimes affects male dogs, it’s most common in females that have been spayed (which is not to say that all spayed females will become incontinent). Medication or, very rarely, surgery, is used to manage USMI, allowing the dog to remain active and happy.
English Springer Spaniel grooming
Waterproof, weatherproof and thornproof, a Springer’s coat is nothing if not multi-functional!
- Springers have a double coat meaning they have a shorter, insulating undercoat and a long, wavy top coat.
- This is a moderate shedding breed so be prepared for fairly regular grooming.
- To maintain a healthy, tangle-free coat, brush your Springer Spaniel two or three times a week, paying special attention to their feathery ears, chest and legs.
- Also use grooming time to check for lumps and bumps, as well as any ear problems which Spaniels can be prone to.
English Springer Spaniel nutrition
English Springer Spaniels tend to be easy when it comes to feeding time and are not fussy.
- Their high-energy personalities require a protein-packed diet.
- Springers love to chew so dry food is recommended. This will also help to keep their teeth clean and healthy.
- Divide feeding times into two meals per day.
What to know before you buy or rehome an English Springer Spaniel
Considering welcoming a bouncy and bubbly Springer Spaniel into your home? Before you buy or adopt one, here are a few important things to remember.
- Springer Spaniels tend to get on well with other dogs and pets, but are not suitable for households where birds are kept.
- Springers are highly intelligent and energetic and need plenty of exercise, stimulation and variety in their lives.
- This is a breed who gets bored easily and leaving them alone for long periods may cause separation anxiety as well as destructive and disruptive behaviours.
- Choose a licensed and reputable English Springer Spaniel breeder if you’re buying a puppy. ‘Lucy’s Law’ dictates that new puppies or kittens must be bought directly from a breeder or adopted from rescue. Third party sellers are illegal.
- Like all dogs, English Springer Spaniels can suffer from a range of health conditions so always look carefully at the veterinary cover provided when shopping around for pet insurance as not all policies are the same.
English Springer Spaniel frequently asked questions
Springer Spaniels shed moderately all year round, with heavier sheds around spring and autumn. There’s nothing you can do to stop your dog from shedding, but regular brushing can help remove some of the loose hairs and keep your Springer Spaniels long coat in tip-top condition!
Springer Spaniels are a happy-go-lucky breed who get on well with everybody. Their attentive and affectionate nature means they tend to be good with children, and their fun-loving nature makes them a great playmate for the whole family. However, Springers can get over-zealous when it comes to playtime meaning they can get a bit too boisterous for smaller children. As with all dog breeds, it’s important to supervise your Springer Spaniel around children to make sure everyone is safe and happy.
The Springer Spaniel gets its name from its bouncy, “springy” nature, so it should come as no surprise that this breed maintains high energy levels throughout their lives. In general, Springer Spaniels grow out of their puppy-like hyperactivity between the ages of 2 and 3, but they’ll still say active and energetic well into their adult years.
Due to their kind and gentle nature, Springer Spaniels are consistently ranked as one of the UK’s most popular dog breeds. Friendly, loyal and intelligent, the Springer Spaniel makes for a great family pet that will live very happily in a busy household alongside other pets. However, their intelligence and energetic nature means they need plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise to keep unwanted behaviours, such as aggression, at bay.
Their high levels of intelligence and eagerness to please mean that Springer Spaniels are quick learners who are relatively easy to train. The Springer’s gundog roots mean that they instinctively obey commands and are always raring to go. That being said, Springers’ intelligence and energy means they can get bored easily so short, fun sessions will make training even easier.
Dogs in general are loyal pets who love the company of their “pack”, but some breeds are more independent than others. Springer Spaniels are fundamentally social dogs and don’t tend to enjoy being alone for long periods. They are happiest in the company of their owners or other pets (as long as they are properly introduced). If you do have to leave your Springer alone for a few hours, make sure they have plenty of toys to keep them occupied and consider having someone come to check in on them.
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English Springer Spaniel insurance considerations
Most English Springer Spaniels live long and happy lives, but they can suffer from specific health problems, such as otitis and cruciate ligament disease. That’s why it’s important that when choosing dog insurance, you consider the length of time policies cover different conditions. Petplan’s Covered For Life® plans refresh the veterinary fees each year allowing you to claim for ongoing conditions for the rest of your pet’s life providing there is no break in cover.
We always offer these things as standard:
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy & pet therapies
Along with physiotherapy, which is covered within the Vet Bills benefit, we also cover Pet Therapies like herbal medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture. You can also claim for hydrotherapy, up to £500 per illness/injury in dogs and cats (no additional limit for rabbits).
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