ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIELS
The English Springer Spaniel is a happy dog by nature and is generally docile. They're a people-social breed, although sometimes indifferent to strangers, and have a great to desire to be with their people often and to work alongside them. Dogs are very biddable and have an innate intelligence to them.
They should be kept as an inside dog, but absolutely love to go on outdoor adventures with their families. Springers frequently enjoy activities, such as: paddle boarding, hiking, kayaking, and swimming with their owners. They love to please and enjoy high level obedience and training in general.
In addition to these most standard family activities, the Springer Spaniel also enjoys a wide array of different dog sports. The breed is best known for its aptitude as a flushing dog, well-suited for water and retrieves. Springers also do exceptionally well in all manner of scent-based sports, from: nose work, barn hunt, detection, blood tracking, shed hunting and so on. The list continues on, as many dogs also do well in and enjoy events like: agility, dock diving, flyball, disc freestyle, musical freestyle, competitive obedience, and so on. Spellcraft personally has tried out most activities local to our area and we've yet to find one a Springer does not do well in. At their core, they enjoy doing whatever activities their people would like to engage in with them.
In terms of appearance, the Springer has a very distinct look that comes with moderate grooming requirements. The long, pendulous ears are beautiful and require some maintenance. It is not required but many recommend the signature show style shave of the upper third to half of the ear in order to help prevent ear infections. The throat is also often shaved down. What remains is simply frequent brushing, bathing, and then trimming is also an option for a more clean look. Show dogs are hand stripped throughout the coat. This breed should never be shaved down except at the throat or ears as it will likely cause permanent coat damage.
