English Springer Spaniel

Like every breed, the English Springer Spaniel is not the right fit for every home. Based on the breed’s typical traits:

• Use positive, reward-based training.
• Teach them early to retrieve and swap found objects happily.
• Work on a reliable recall, as their noses can lead them anywhere.
• Try gundog work, scent work, tracking or other dog sports.
• Teach them to settle quietly from a young age.

• Children

  Often good with children, with supervision.

• Other dogs

  Usually sociable with other dogs.

• Cats and small pets

  Often lives with cats when introduced carefully.

• Flats and smaller homes

  Usually happier in a house.

• Being left alone

  Usually copes only with short periods alone.

• First-time owners

  Some dog experience helps.

Not yet reviewed by a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice: speak to your vet about your own dog’s health.

• Hip and elbow dysplasia

  Poor development of the hip or elbow joint, which eventually leads to arthritis. The Royal Kennel Club recommends hip and elbow testing under the BVA/KC schemes before breeding.

• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)

  Gradual deterioration of the retina, which can start with night blindness and progress to total blindness. A DNA test for PRA (cord1) is available.

• Glaucoma

  A painful build-up of pressure in the eye. The Royal Kennel Club recommends eye testing, including gonioscopy for pectinate ligament abnormality (PLA), under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme.

• Other eye conditions

  Multifocal retinal dysplasia and retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy are inherited eye conditions that can affect vision.

• Fucosidosis

  An inherited metabolic problem that can cause problems with the nervous system. A DNA test is available.

• Other DNA tests

  The Royal Kennel Club also lists DNA tests for acral mutilation syndrome (AMS), dyserythropoietic anaemia and myopathy syndrome (DAMS) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) deficiency as best practice.

• Immune mediated haemolytic anaemia

  The immune system attacks the dog's own red blood cells, causing anaemia.

• Ear infections

  Long, hanging ears can let bacteria build up, leading to outer ear infections (otitis externa).

Responsible breeders and rescues are happy to talk about health, and any pressure to decide quickly is a reason to walk away. Before taking a English Springer Spaniel home, it is reasonable to ask about:

• Health testing of the parents. Ask which health tests the parents have had for conditions known in the breed, and to see the results.
• Veterinary and vaccination records. Puppies should have had a first vaccination and a vet check, with records you can take home.
• Microchip information. In England, Scotland and Wales puppies must be microchipped and registered by eight weeks old. Ask who the chip is registered to and how the transfer works.
• Registration paperwork. Registration papers, where they apply, record pedigree. They do not by themselves prove health or how a puppy was raised.

There are two costs: bringing a English Springer Spaniel home, and looking after one well. Puppy prices depend on the breeder, health testing and demand; the adverts below show what sellers are asking today.

Ongoing costs are the ones new owners most often underestimate: food, insurance (which usually rises with age), routine vet care, vaccinations and parasite treatment, dental care, grooming, training, bedding and equipment, and boarding or a sitter for holidays. Budget for the whole of the dog’s life, typically from 10 years, not just the first year.

If you have decided the English Springer Spaniel suits your life, take the same care choosing where your dog comes from. Meet the puppy in person, see it with its mother, and look at how the litter is raised.

• Check who you are dealing with: every Mypetzilla advert shows the seller type and what we have checked.
• Ask about health testing, vaccinations and the microchip before you commit.
• Take your time. Do not be rushed by deposits or "last one left" stories.
• Meet in person before paying anything, and keep conversations on Mypetzilla.

English Springer Spaniels do come up for adoption, through rescue organisations, breed rescues and private rehoming, often because an owner’s circumstances have changed rather than any fault of the dog. An adult dog arrives as a known quantity: its size, coat and character are already on show.

Rescues will usually talk you through the dog’s history, any medical care, and the home it needs, including children, other animals and time alone. Be honest about your circumstances: a good rescue would rather place a dog once, well.