Breed Characteristics:
Apartment Friendly
?How well will this breed adapt to apartment living? Is the apartment size the most important factor when it comes to proper living conditions? Is the breed suitable for apartment living?
Good For First-Time Owners
?Some dogs aren't suitable for first-time dog owners. Is this breed a good match for someone with no dog experience? Can training help them be on their best behavior with owners with no dog experience? Are they suitable to be handled by someone who is just entering the canine world?
Overall Sensitivity
?Some dogs are sensitive. Certain breeds are rough on the outside, while having the softest heart on the inside. In other words, some dogs are 'thick-skinned' while some are 'easygoing.' Is this breed prone to sensitivity?
Tolerates Being Alone
?Separation anxiety in dogs is a serious condition that can affect a dog's life quality. Is this breed prone to this condition? Can you leave him alone for hours? How destructive this breed can become when bored, neglected, or not loved enough?
Affectionate With Family
?How affectionate this breed will be around his humans? Will he welcome new family friends easily or he will choose to be shy? Some breeds can be clingy with owners, while others don't attach a lot. Will this breed act as the family's best friend?
Kid-Friendly
?Some dogs will tolerate children, while others will adore well-behaved ones. Dogs and children should always be supervised, no matter how well trained the dog might be. Will this breed act as a nanny dog or he will stay away from children?
Friendly Toward Other Dogs
?Some dog breeds cannot wait to run to the dog park and run with others. Others prefer to be with their humans, and not to be a part of a multi-pet household. Is this breed dog lover or not? How friendly this breed will be toward other dogs?
Friendly Toward Strangers
?Some dog breeds tend to be reserved toward strangers and highly suspicious. Others are fast to walk away with them easily. How welcoming this breed is toward strangers?
Drooling Level
?If you love to clean all the time drooling level in dogs is a trait that you should mind. Is this breed less likely to drool, or you will always need a towel on hand?
Easy To Groom
?Heavier shedding during the shedding season is something that every dog needs to go through. However, some dogs shed just a bit all year round. Is this breed one of them? How often should you groom this dog?
Overall Health
?What can you expect from this breed in terms of health? Are there any genetic conditions to vary about? Is obesity a major issue in this breed? By knowing more about the dog's health, you are learning how to help him live a longer and healthier life.
Prone To Obesity
?Treats are a great addition to training sessions. Dogs love sweet bites of dog treats but they should be served in moderation. Treats can lead to obesity, next to poor nutrition. Can this breed gain extra weight from treats? How prone to obesity this breed actually is?
Trainability Level
?Training some dogs is easier than others. How easy this dog will be to train? What can you expect? Some dogs are huge people pleasers and they will master commands easily, while others will try to outsmart you.
Intelligence Level
?Dogs are smart beings. We do our best to train them, but they do still end up training us to adapt to their needs. How intelligent is this breed? Will he try to outsmart you? Or he will need multiple training sessions to master basic commands?
Prey Drive
?Dogs were bred for a specific purpose. Those who were bred to hunt have natural instincts to hunt, even today. This is why many dogs, like Terriers, will chase other animals. They will also have a hard time concentrating on your commands when there is something small moving. Is this breed prone to following his prey instincts?
Barking Level
?How vocal this breed is? Can you expect neighbors to ring you often to calm your dog? Or you can sleep without worries of hearing your Fido bark? Some breeds are highly vocal, others have unusual sounds, and some are silent. Is this breed prone to barking?
Energy Level
?Low-energy dogs are happy with regular walks and indoor chill times. High-energy dogs are always ready for action. Is this breed a couch potato, energetic dog, or somewhere in between?
Exercise Needs
?Some dogs are more than happy with a slow stroll down the street. Others need hours of active time to stay happy and fit. Is this breed demanding in terms of exercise? How much exercise this breed needs to stay happy and healthy?
Playfulness Level
?Some dogs never lose that puppy spirit, not even in their senior years. Others are more serious and prefer having a job to do. Is this breed demanding in terms of playfulness? Can you expect playfulness in their senior years as well?
The English Springer Spaniel is a famous bird dog of great energy and intelligence. Did you know that this dog holds one of the most powerful canine noses of modern way, which is why English Springer Spaniel is always on the list of best tracking dogs.
This hunting dog is a sweet-faced and muscular dog standing up to 20 inches and weighing up to 50 pounds.
Their coat is one of a kind, coming in several colors and patterns. Ears are always long and lush and the eye expression is soft.
The English Springer Spaniel was bred to work closely with humans, which is why they tend to stick to their people all day long.
They are real people-pleasers who crave attention and company. When neglected they will suffer and may even develop anxiety if not demonstrate strong destructive behavior.
Overall, they are polite and gentle when trained right, and kind with children and other dogs.
Any family activity and this dog will be in. Long walks, agility, games of chase and fetch, and even swimming will keep this breed entertained and happy.
That longer and beautiful coat doesn’t come without a bit of work from your side.
Expect weekly brushing to remove that extra dead and loose hair and to keep Sptinger’s coat healthy.
If dealing with grooming seems overwhelming you might think about hiring a professional groomer.
All in all, if you are ready for regular walks, regular grooming, and having a shadow around you following you this dog might be the breed for you.
Quick Facts
Real name: English Springer Spaniel
Other names: Springer Spaniel
Origin: England
Breed type: Sporting Dogs
Weight: 45 to 55 pounds
Height: 1 foot, 6 inches to 1 foot, 10 inches tall at the shoulder
Lifespan: 9 to 15 years
Litter Size: 5 – 6 puppies
Color: Liver and white, tricolor, black and white, lemon and white, orange and white, or red and white
Coat: Short and coarse coat
English Springer Spaniel History
English Springer Spaniels are good-looking dogs of soft eyes and an overall gentle appearance.
One look at this breed and people will conclude that this dog was specially bred to be a lap and companion dog. However, only those who really know a lot about dogs, know that these adorable pups were bred to be hunting dogs.
They were bred to ‘flush’ or ‘spring’ game. What does this mean in practice? In practice, this means that their job was to chase birds into flight so hunters could make their shoot.
They were also used as great dogs to retrieve games.
Did you know that Springer Spaniels and Cocker Spaniels used to be the same breed?
They are separated by size. Cocker Spaniels are defined as smaller size dogs, while large size dogs were defined as Springer Spaniels.
Their separation came at the turn of the 20th century. The first American Spaniel Club was founded in 1881.
The AKC standard for the English Springer Spaniel was formed in far 1927, and revised in 932.
English Springer Spaniel Physical Appearance
English Springer Spaniel has a typical spaniel look.
Their eyes are large and expressive, ears are long and hanging. Their ears are always covered with soft hair, while the tail is docked.
The coat is of medium length and can be either flat or wavy. As for the size, they usually weigh between 45 and 55 pounds and stand 18 to 22 inches at the shoulder.
Males are commonly larger than females, although both males and females will have that elegant posture and soft appearance.
They are common of different colors, including black or liver, tricolor, black and white, or liver and white – every color combination can have white markings present on cheeks, eyebrows, inside of ears, and under the tail.
English Springer Spaniel Personality
English Springer Spaniels are often described as friendly dogs who are eager to please.
They are big people lovers and love human company. This is why they may be prone to separation anxiety and why they have been left alone for too long or too frequently.
This is something to take into consideration before you get this breed. English Springer Spaniel should never be aggressive or too shy.
If you notice any of these traits, it’s possible that they are in fact a result of poor breeding.
Make sure that you always do your best to find responsible dog breeders who can show you medical documentation on the puppy and provide the right inputs on the breed.
English Springer Spaniel With Children And Other Pets
Springers will love children.
These gentle dogs will get along with children of all ages, as long as they know how to behave around dogs.
Children should understand that dogs are territorial begins and why they should never disturb them while they are eating, drinking water, playing with their toys, or just resting in their crates.
Children should know that no ear or tail pulling isn’t allowed and that sudden moves toward dogs aren’t allowed.
On the other hand, dogs should know house dog rules and how to behave around children. No matter how great dogs and children could get along, their interaction should always be supervised.
English Springer Spaniel With Other Pets
Springers tend to get along with other dogs as long as they are introduced the right way.
Make sure that you introduce dogs in neutral territory and always reward good behavior. This breed isn’t for you if you have birds in your home.
They will instinctively chase them until they hunt them, and you won’t be able to stop them.
English Springer Spaniel Training
When it comes to having a well-behaved dog you need to focus on proper training and early socialization. These two factors are what separates a dog from a great canine citizen.
Did you know that dogs are capable of mastering basic commands as of eight weeks of age?
This is why you should start training your English Springer Spaniel as soon as you bring him home.
Make sure that you arm yourself with enough patience, training toys, and treats before your English Springer Spaniel arrives.
To get the most out of training, make training sessions consistent, short, fun, and reward-based.
These dogs are highly sensitive and they will thrive only on positive reinforcement training. No dog should ever experience any harsh training methods.
If you feel like you need training assistance, you can think about hiring a professional dog trainer, or enrolling your pup in puppy classes.
Both options will speed up the training process and provide professional inputs on further training.
English Springer Spaniel Exercise
Next to training, you should think about exercise regime.
Regular walks are a mandatory part of a dog’s daily routine. Through regular walks, dogs learn what toilet breaks are and get to explore the world around them.
Exercise is what keeps them extra fit. Plus, exercise is a great way to keep a dog’s joints healthy and strong.
To keep your English Springer Spaniel active provide over 2 hours of exercise per day.
English Springer Spaniel Grooming
To keep your English Springer Spaniel looking his finest you should implement a great grooming practice. Is regular brushing equal to great grooming practice? Yes and no.
Brushing is in fact a small fraction of great grooming. To make brushing sessions enjoyable and fast, use a slicker brush or a dog comb. Brushing is also a great way to bond with your dog further.
While you are brushing your dog, make sure that you check the coat for fleas and any sign of skin infection.
Regular brushes are what will keep the dog’s coat neat, clean, and debris-free.
The rest is basic care:
- Trim or grind nails monthly
- Check gums weekly
- Bathe only when really needed
- Brush weekly
- Clean ears when needed
Teeth brushing should be an option if your veterinarian recommends it. Make sure that you always use products that are specially designed for dogs.
English Springer Spaniel Health
English Springer Spaniels are considered to be healthy dogs.
If you are buying a puppy make sure that you find a reputable and responsible dog breeder. This way you will get a healthy puppy, screen for the most common health issues in the breed.
Moreover, a responsible breeder will also present you with medical documentation on the puppy and provide inputs on proper care, nutrition, and even grooming.
Some of the issues that may appear in this breed include:
- Elbow and hip dysplasia
- Eye conditions
This doesn’t mean that your dog will ever get sick, or experience any of the issues listed above. This means that you should do your best to prevent any health issues in your dog.
The best way to do this is to provide the following:
- Provide great nutrition
- Serve high-quality food
- Provide regular exercise
- Organize dog play time
- Be consistent with training
- Provide regular veterinarian check-ups
Once you get a dog you are directly responsible for his weight. This means that you should know how much to feed your dog, when, and how to choose the best dog food.
To make the process easier, learn to read dog food labels.
Learn which human foods are bad for your dog and which table scraps are safe to share with you Fido.
The best way to keep your dog healthy is to provide regular veterinarian check-ups. Just like in humans prevention is the most effective medicine with it comes to health.
English Springer Spaniel Nutrition
Springer should so fine on high-quality food. Make sure that you choose the food that is appropriate to your dog’s age, size, and activity level.
Use treats to make training sessions more effective, but don’t serve them instead of a meal.
Treats can easily add to the overall weight. If you are not sure about your dog’s weight talk with your veterinarian.
Is English Springer Spaniel For You?
English Springer Spaniels are great dogs and as such, they are a nice addition to a family of any size.
If you are a first time dog owner, do proper research on owners’ responsibility, obligations, and what does it take to own a dog.
If you are thinking about adoption, check this article.
If you don’t want a dog who can be shy if not socialized enough, who tends to shed a bit and can come with serious health issues this breed isn’t for you.
On the other hand, this breed is for you if you want a medium-sized dog, with a strong athletic spirit, and has a tail-wagging nature.
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