Information on AKC English Springer Spaniel Puppies
AKC MEET THE BREEDS®: English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer Spaniel has been endowed with style, enthusiasm, and an "eager to please" quality common to most spaniels. He is recognized for his ability to keep going and going under adverse hunting conditions, which is partly due to his medium-sized, powerful body. He has long, hanging ears and a moderately long coat that can be black or liver with white, blue or liver roan, and tricolor.
A Look Back
English Springer Spaniels and Cocker Spaniels were originally born in the same litters; the smaller "Cockers" hunted woodcock while their larger littermates were utilized to flush, or "spring," game. In 1902 the Kennel Club of England recognized the English Springer Spaniel as a distinct breed (separate from English Cockers). The Springer Spaniel became even better known in North America after 1924, when the English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association was formed and field trials were started for the first time.
Right Breed for You?
Cheerful and affectionate, Springers love their families and like to stick close to their owners. They make excellent house pets, but require daily exercise and need regular brushing and trimming to keep their coats neat and free of mats.
If you are considering purchasing an English Springer Spaniel puppy, learn more here.
- Sporting Group; AKC recognized in 1910.
- Average size: 40 to 50 pounds and 19 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder.
- Gun dog, versatile competitor.
© The American Kennel Club, Inc.
English Springer Spaniel Breed Standard
General Appearance
The English Springer Spaniel is a medium-sized sporting dog, with a compact
body and a docked tail. His coat is moderately long, with feathering on
his legs, ears, chest and brisket. His pendulous ears, soft gentle expression,
sturdy build and friendly wagging tail proclaim him unmistakably a member
of the ancient family of Spaniels. He is above all a well-proportioned dog,
free from exaggeration, nicely balanced in every part. His carriage is proud
and upstanding, body deep, legs strong and muscular, with enough length
to carry him with ease. Taken as a whole, the English Springer Spaniel suggests
power, endurance and agility. He looks the part of a dog that can go, and
keep going, under difficult hunting conditions. At his best, he is endowed
with style, symmetry, balance and enthusiasm, and is every inch a sporting
dog of distinct spaniel character, combining beauty and utility.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The Springer is built to cover rough ground with agility and reasonable
speed. His structure suggests the capacity for endurance. He is to be kept to
medium size. Ideal height at the shoulder for dogs is 20 inches; for bitches,
it is 19 inches. Those more than one inch under or over the breed ideal are
to be faulted. A 20 inch dog, well-proportioned and in good condition, will
weigh approximately 50 pounds; a 19 inch bitch will weigh approximately 40 pounds.
The length of the body (measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks)
is slightly greater than the height at the withers. The dog too long in body,
especially when long in the loin, tires easily and lacks the compact outline
characteristic of the breed. A dog too short in body for the length of his legs,
a condition which destroys balance and restricts gait, is equally undesirable.
A Springer with correct substance appears well-knit and sturdy with good bone,
however, he is never coarse or ponderous.
Head
The head is impressive without being heavy. Its beauty lies in a combination
of strength and refinement. It is important that its size and proportion be
in balance with the rest of the dog. Viewed in profile, the head appears approximately
the same length as the neck and blends with the body in substance. The stop,
eyebrows and chiseling of the bony structure around the eye sockets contribute
to the Springer’s beautiful and characteristic expression, which is alert, kindly
and trusting. The eyes, more than any other feature, are the essence of the
Springer’s appeal. Correct size, shape, placement and color influence expression
and attractiveness. The eyes are of medium size and oval in shape, set rather
well-apart and fairly deep in their sockets. The color of the iris harmonizes
with the color of the coat, preferably dark hazel in the liver and white dogs
and black or deep brown in the black and white dogs. Eyerims are fully pigmented
and match the coat in color. Lids are tight with little or no haw showing. Eyes
that are small, round or protruding, as well as eyes that are yellow or brassy
in color, are highly undesirable. Ears are long and fairly wide, hanging close
to the cheeks with no tendency to stand up or out. The ear leather is thin and
approximately long enough to reach the tip of the nose. Correct ear set is on
a level with the eye and not too far back on the skull. The skull is medium-length
and fairly broad, flat on top and slightly rounded at the sides and back. The
occiput bone is inconspicuous. As the skull rises from the foreface, it makes
a stop, divided by a groove, or fluting, between the eyes. The groove disappears
as it reaches the middle of the forehead. The amount of stop is moderate. It
must not be a pronounced feature; rather it is a subtle rise where the muzzle
joins the upper head. It is emphasized by the groove and by the position and
shape of the eyebrows, which are well-developed. The muzzle is approximately
the same length as the skull and one half the width of the skull. Viewed in
profile, the toplines of the skull and muzzle lie in approximately parallel
planes. The nasal bone is straight, with no inclination downward toward the
tip of the nose, the latter giving an undesirable downfaced look. Neither is
the nasal bone concave, resulting in a "dish-faced" profile; nor convex,
giving the dog a Roman nose. The cheeks are flat, and the face is well-chiseled
under the eyes. Jaws are of sufficient length to allow the dog to carry game
easily: fairly square, lean and strong. The upper lips come down full and rather
square to cover the line of the lower jaw, however, the lips are never pendulous
or exaggerated. The nose is fully-pigmented, liver or black in color, depending
on the color of the coat. The nostrils are well-opened and broad. Teeth are
strong, clean, of good size and ideally meet in a close scissors bite. An even
bite or one or two incisors slightly out of line are minor faults. Undershot,
overshot and wry jaws are serious faults and are to be severely penalized.
Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is moderately long, muscular, clean and slightly arched at the
crest. It blends gradually and smoothly into sloping shoulders. The portion
of the topline from withers to tail is firm and slopes very gently. The body
is short-coupled, strong and compact. The chest is deep, reaching the level
of the elbows, with well-developed forechest; however, it is not so wide or
round as to interfere with the action of the front legs. Ribs are fairly long,
springing gradually to the middle of the body, then tapering as they approach
the end of the ribbed section. The underline stays level with the elbows to
a slight upcurve at the flank. The back is straight, strong and essentially
level. Loins are strong, short and slightly arched. Hips are nicely-rounded,
blending smoothly into the hind legs. The croup slopes gently to the set of
the tail, and tail-set follows the natural line of the croup. The tail is carried
horizontally or slightly elevated and displays a characteristic lively, merry
action, particularly when the dog is on game. A clamped tail (indicating timidity
or undependable temperament) is to be faulted, as is a tail carried at a right
angle to the backline in Terrier fashion.
Forequarters
Efficient movement in front calls for proper forequarter assembly. The shoulder
blades are flat and fairly close together at the tips, molding smoothly into
the contour of the body. Ideally, when measured from the top of the withers
to the point of the shoulder to the elbow, the shoulder blade and upper arm
are of apparent equal length, forming an angle of nearly 90 degrees; this sets
the front legs well under the body and places the elbows directly beneath the
tips of the shoulder blades. Elbows lie close to the body. Forelegs are straight
with the same degree of size continuing to the foot. Bone is strong, slightly
flattened, not too round or too heavy. Pasterns are short, strong and slightly
sloping, with no suggestion of weakness. Dewclaws are usually removed. Feet
are round or slightly oval. They are compact and well-arched, of medium size
with thick pads, and well-feathered between the toes.
Hindquarters
The Springer should be worked and shown in hard, muscular condition with
well-developed hips and thighs. His whole rear assembly suggests strength and
driving power. Thighs are broad and muscular. Stifle joints are strong. For
functional efficiency, the angulation of the hindquarter is never greater than
that of the forequarter, and not appreciably less. The hock joints are somewhat
rounded, not small and sharp in contour. Rear pasterns are short (about 1/3
the distance from the hip joint to the foot) and strong, with good bone. When
viewed from behind, the rear pasterns are parallel. Dewclaws are usually removed.
The feet are the same as in front, except that they are smaller and often more
compact.
Coat
The Springer has an outer coat and an undercoat. On the body, the outer
coat is of medium length, flat or wavy, and is easily distinguishable from the
undercoat, which is short, soft and dense. The quantity of undercoat is affected
by climate and season. When in combination, outer coat and undercoat serve to
make the dog substantially waterproof, weatherproof and thornproof. On ears,
chest, legs and belly the Springer is nicely furnished with a fringe of feathering
of moderate length and heaviness. On the head, front of the forelegs, and below
the hock joints on the front of the hind legs, the hair is short and fine. The
coat has the clean, glossy, "live" appearance indicative of good health.
It is legitimate to trim about the head, ears, neck and feet, to remove dead
undercoat, and to thin and shorten excess feathering as required to enhance
a smart, functional appearance. The tail may be trimmed, or well fringed with
wavy feathering. Above all, the appearance should be natural. Overtrimming,
especially the body coat, or any chopped, barbered or artificial effect is to
be penalized in the show ring, as is excessive feathering that destroys the
clean outline desirable in a sporting dog. Correct quality and condition of
coat is to take precedence over quantity of coat.
Color
All the following combinations of colors and markings are equally acceptable:(1)
Black or liver with white markings or predominantly white with black or liver
markings; (2) Blue or liver roan; (3) Tricolor: black and white or liver and
white with tan markings, usually found on eyebrows, cheeks, inside of ears and
under the tail. Any white portion of the coat may be flecked with ticking. Off
colors such as lemon, red or orange are not to place.
Gait
The final test of the Springer’s conformation and soundness is proper movement.
Balance is a prerequisite to good movement. The front and rear assemblies must
be equivalent in angulation and muscular development for the gait to be smooth
and effortless. Shoulders which are well laid-back to permit a long stride are
just as essential as the excellent rear quarters that provide driving power.
Seen from the side, the Springer exhibits a long, ground-covering stride and
carries a firm back, with no tendency to dip, roach or roll from side to side.
From the front, the legs swing forward in a free and easy manner. Elbows have
free action from the shoulders, and the legs show no tendency to cross or interfere.
From behind, the rear legs reach well under the body, following on a line with
the forelegs. As speed increases, there is a natural tendency for the legs to
converge toward a center line of travel. Movement faults include high-stepping,
wasted motion; short, choppy stride; crabbing; and moving with the feet wide,
the latter giving roll or swing to the body.
Temperament
The typical Springer is friendly, eager to please, quick to learn and willing
to obey. Such traits are conducive to tractability, which is essential for appropriate
handler control in the field. In the show ring, he should exhibit poise and
attentiveness and permit himself to be examined by the judge without resentment
or cringing. Aggression toward people and aggression toward other dogs is not
in keeping with sporting dog character and purpose and is not acceptable. Excessive
timidity, with due allowance for puppies and novice exhibits, is to be equally
penalized.
Summary
In evaluating the English Springer Spaniel, the overall picture is a primary
consideration. One should look for type, which includes general appearance
and outline, and also for soundness, which includes movement and temperament.
Inasmuch as the dog with a smooth easy gait must be reasonably sound and well-balanced,
he is to be highly regarded, however, not to the extent of forgiving him for
not looking like an English Springer Spaniel. An atypical dog, too short or
long in leg length or foreign in head or expression, may move well, but he is
not to be preferred over a good all-round specimen that has a minor fault in
movement. It must be remembered that the English Springer Spaniel is first and
foremost a sporting dog of the Spaniel family, and he must look, behave
and move in character.
Approval Date: February 12, 1994
Effective Date: March 31, 1994
