Springer Spaniel owner's guide

The Springer Spaniel - puts a spring in your step and joy in your heart

Thanks to their affectionate and friendly temperaments, in the right home, a Springer Spaniel can be a great family dog. Plus they excel as a gundog – the role they were originally bred for.

The breed has been registered with The Kennel Club since 1903 and has a loyal and enthusiastic following. There are two main types - English Springer Spaniel and Welsh Springer Spaniels.

Springers were bred as hunting dogs, flushing out game birds by ‘springing’ into the undergrowth, sending the birds into the air.

Springer Spaniels have a fantastic sense of smell, are easily trainable, and love to work. This is why they’re a favoured breed for the police, working as detection dogs. For the same reasons, they’re also one of the popular breeds used by life-saving charity Medical Detection Dogs.

Are Springer Spaniels family friendly?

Springer Spaniels are great with children and other pets. So if they can be given the significant exercise and stimulation they need to be happy, they’ll make an excellent, active family member!

Springer Spaniel temperament

Springer Spaniels commonly display the following traits:

• Energetic. Springers are highly energetic, requiring plenty of physical exercise. They enjoy activities like running, fetching and swimming.
• Friendly. With a friendly and sociable nature, Springer Spaniels get along well with people - including children - and other pets. They’re affectionate and enjoy being part of family activities.
• Intelligent. They’re highly intelligent and quick to learn. They respond well to training and enjoy mental stimulation.
• Loyal. Springer Spaniels are deeply loyal to their families and form strong bonds with their owners.
• Alert. With their background as hunting dogs, Springer Spaniels are naturally alert and attentive. As such, they make good watchdogs.
• Playful. Springers have a playful and fun-loving disposition. They love playtime! Who doesn’t?

Springer Spaniels are very intelligent and enjoy learning. Without training, they can become boisterous and bouncy, particularly when they’re puppies. Channel their energy correctly with lots of exercise and training, and you’ll have a loyal and well-behaved dog.

Children

They’re very good with children if they are introduced to them from a young age. You’ll need to teach them to be calm around kids, and equally teach the kids to be calm around your Springer.

Recall

Teaching recall to all puppies is important. With Springers, teaching them this vital skill so it can be relied upon at all times is essential. This will enable you to remain in safe control. Otherwise, your Springer Spaniel may develop a tendency to run wild when you’re out walking – driven by their incredible nose and instinct to hunt. Luckily, since they’re easy to train, learning good recall shouldn’t be difficult.

Start as soon as you have them – constantly training them with the same positivity and happiness they project – and they’ll quickly master it.

Socialisation

As with any dog, it’s a good idea to take them to puppy classes when they’re young to socialise them with other dogs. They do have a hunting instinct, so may find other pets in the household exciting - particularly birds and cats. Again, by introducing them to all different types of animals when they’re puppies, you can train them not to chase.

Working dogs

If kept as working dogs, Springers may live in outside kennels. While they can be happy with this situation, Springer Spaniels do love being with their family. They’re really sociable dogs so will appreciate a comfortable home environment. Becoming very attached to their humans is part of their nature, so they cannot be left for long periods of time as they’ll find it very stressful.

If you’re wondering whether to buy a Springer Spaniel puppy or adopt a rescue Springer, it’s a big decision. There are several factors which need careful consideration. Find out more about whether you should get a rescue dog or puppy here.

Find out more about Springer Spaniel exercise, training, feeding and grooming at our Springer Spaniel pet insurance page.