English Springer Spaniel: Temperament and Everyday Care
Who a Springer Suits
Springers are cheerful, sociable and keen to please, and most love people of all ages. They suit families who walk a lot, hikers and anyone interested in gundog training, scent work or agility.
They are a harder fit for long days alone or a quiet household. A bored Springer finds its own fun, often involving the bins.
Exercise, Nose and Recall
The Royal Kennel Club suggests more than two hours of exercise a day. Mix free running in safe places with retrieving, scent games and training. Working-line Springers in particular need a job.
Their nose and love of birds can switch off recall. Practice with a long line and use enclosed areas until it is reliable; see recall training. Keep them on a leash near livestock and during bird nesting seasons where rules ask you to.
Working or Show Line?
Working (field) Springers are usually lighter, with shorter coats and far more drive. Show Springers are heavier-coated and often calmer. Ask the breeder which type the parents are and choose for your life, not the photo.
Ears and Coat
Brush and comb the feathering on ears, chest and legs a few times a week, and check for grass seeds after country walks. Long ears need a weekly look and drying after swims; see cleaning dog ears safely.
Gear for a Busy Gundog
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A long line helps with recall, a training dummy suits a born retriever, and a slicker brush and comb handle the feathering. A drying towel saves the house after wet walks, and a puzzle feeder gives an extra job indoors.
Health: What to Ask the Breeder and Your Vet
In the UK, The Royal Kennel Club lists hip and elbow scoring and eye testing (with gonioscopy) as good practice for English Springer Spaniel breeders, with several DNA tests, including for fucosidosis and a form of progressive retinal atrophy, as best practice. In the US, ask for OFA hip and elbow results and eye exams. Ask to see results for both parents.
Book a check-up soon after your dog comes home, keep it lean, and ask your vet about vaccinations, neutering and a parasite prevention plan for where you live.
Worming, flea and tick products and any medicines: see your vet or a pet supply store with trained staff. They can tell you what suits your dog.
Finding a Puppy or a Rescue
Meet the puppy with its mother, check the parents' health results, and ask whether they are working or show bred. Springers also come into breed rescues, often because of their energy. Our rescue vs breeder guide covers both routes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bounce, birds and brushing come up most.
Are Springer Spaniels good family dogs?
For active families, usually very. They are friendly and affectionate, but need lots of exercise and company.
How much exercise does a Springer need?
More than two hours a day for most adults, with running, sniffing and training. Working lines often need more.
Do Springers shed?
Yes, moderately. Brushing a few times a week keeps the coat and feathering tidy.
Can a Springer be left alone?
For short periods once it has learned to settle. Long days alone don't suit this sociable breed.
What's the difference between working and show Springers?
Working lines are lighter and busier; show lines have heavier coats and are often calmer. Both need plenty of exercise.
Related Reading
- Cocker Spaniel: the smaller spaniel cousin.
- Recall training: the long-line method.
- Dog enrichment ideas: jobs for busy dogs.
Breed traits are tendencies, not promises. If anything about your dog's health or behavior worries you, call your vet.