English Springer Spaniel
Saturday, April 25, 2020
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The English Springer Spaniel, although successful in bench competition, is a hunting dog who remains within gun range, quarters his ground flushes the bird and retrieves. The rise of the pheasant as a game bird and the restricting of hunting areas thus have contributed to the breed's popularity in America.
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| English Springer Spaniel |
The popularity is of relatively recent origin. Up until the middle 1920s, the English Springer was hardly known here and even in England the old "Springing Spaniel" did not get recognition as a distinct breed until 1902. A hundred years before that Springers were instead loosely defined among a group of Spaniels differentiated by weight and appearance.
You can read about "Field Spaniel" here
The English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association was formed as the parent organization in America in 1924, held its first field trials, and later began working on a standard that would preserve the breed's natural hunting abilities. The measure, adopted in 1932, calls for a medium-sized (45-pound to 50-pound) dos, strongly-built but not ponderous. Colors include liver and white; black and white; liver and tan; black and tan; tan and white; black, white and tan; liver; black; roan, etc. Red and white and lemon and white are penalized in the show ring.
Although mainly a dog for upland game, the English Springer will take to the water for duck and water tests often are included in their field trials. His ability to withstand freezing water does not equal that of some of the retrieving breeds, however.
The "father” of the Springer in North America may have been an importer of Winnipeg, Eudo Chevrier, who brought in large numbers of dogs beginning about 1921.
English Springer Spaniel Characteristic
Good housedog and excellent field-dog, loyal and intelligent: good with children, poor watchdog.
Colour: Black or liver with white markings, white with black or liver markings, black and white or liver and white with tan markings
Height: Dog 20 in, bitch 19 in
Weight: Dog 49-551b; bitch about 50 lb.
Coat type: Short, dose and silky; needs regular grooming.
Exercise: Needs a lot to prevent obesity and skin problems.