The English Springer Spaniel is a land spaniel (versus water spaniel) whose primary function was to "spring" game from thick brush for sportsmen. It descends from Spanish dogs, hence the name "spaniel"; these dogs being brought to Britain as early as 1570. The English Springer Spaniel is the oldest of the spaniel breeds and is considered the forefather of all other land spaniels with the exception of the Clumber. Despite its long history, the English Springer Spaniel was not officially recognised until 1902 in England, although it was exhibited there since the 1850's under the name Norfolk Spaniel.

Appearance
The English Springer Spaniel represents perhaps the greatest divergence between working and show lines of any breed of dog. A field-bred English Springer Spaniel and a show-bred English Springer Spaniel appear to be different breeds, but are registered together. In fact, the gene pools are almost completely segregated and have been for at least 70 years. A field bred English Springer Spaniel would not be even remotely competitive in a modern dog show while a show English Springer Spaniel would be unlikely to have the speed or stamina to succeed in a field trial (Fergus, 2002).

Field-bred English Springer Spaniels tend to have shorter, coarser coats than the show-bred English Springer Spaniels. Their ears are less pendulous. Field-bred English Springer Spaniels are wiry and have more of a feral look than their show-bred cousins. (Fergus, 2002). The tail of the field bred English Springer Spaniel is only docked by a few inches in comparison to the show English Springer Spaniel to provide a "flag" for the hunter. Field-bred English Springer Spaniels are generally selected for nose, hunting ability, and trainability rather than appearance.

Character
The English Springer Spaniel is an affectionate and easy-going family dog, and its alertness and attentiveness make it the ideal hunting companion. An intelligent dog, and eager to please, a English Springer Spaniel is easily incorporated into a family setting. Although good with children, it tends to have a moderate to high energy level. Its long-legged build makes it among the fastest of the spaniels. The English Springer Spaniel has unlimited stamina and needs plenty of activity, to focus its mind and to provide substantial exercise, although this is different for each dog. The English Springer Spaniel does best if allowed to live in the house with access to a yard.
 

Temperament
The English Springer Spaniel is energetic and friendly. An intelligent dog breed, the English Springer Spaniel is easy to train. In general, the English Springer Spaniel is good with other pets, such as cats and ferrets, but, in certain situations, may not tolerate same sex dogs. However, English Springer Spaniels are not suitable for homes with pet birds due to their natural hunting instinct. As with all breeds, English Springer Spaniels must become accustomed to other pets, and it's better to introduce two pets when they're both very young.

English Springer Spaniels are playful animals; many owners find humor in their play. As with many playful dogs or hunting dogs bred as retrievers, the English Springer Spaniel will play with things as simple as empty plastic bottles, socks, or towels. The English Springer Spaniel easily remember where such things are kept and are good at getting them out. English Springer Spaniels need a lot of regular exercise and mental stimulation for optimum mental health.

Some people say that English Springer Spaniels are like Velcro, because they want to be in the immediate vicinity of their owner. If the owner walks to the other side of a room, so does the English Springer Spaniel. Unless trained from a young age, some English Springer Spaniel may become agitated and whine if they cannot get near people that they know are nearby.

Exercise/Training
As an energetic and inquisitive dog, the English Springer Spaniel needs daily mental and physical exertion. Hunting is the first choice of the English Springer Spaniel to satisfy both needs, but an outing in the field, long walk on leash and good obedience lesson can go far to making the English Springer Spaniel a calm and well-behaved house dog. Playing and obedience are very good types of mental exercise. 20 minutes obedience and playing with your English Springer Spaniel will be more useful for the dogs exercise then an hour walk on the leash can provide.

Color
The coat of the English Springer Spaniel comes in three different color combinations. Black-and-white, liver-and-white, or either of these combinations with tan markings (usually on the cheeks and above the eyes). English Springer Spaniels bred for show are generally more colour than white, whereas sporting English Springer Spaniels tend to have more white in their coats for visibility.

Grooming
The coat of the English Springer Spaniel needs brushing or combing one or two times weekly plus clipping and scissoring every three months. English Springer Spaniels from field lines, rather than show lines, tend to have less coat. A good nutrition and regular brushing keeps the proper coat shine and the skin healthy. Bathing doesn’t harm the coat of the English Springer Spaniel as long as you use a good quality shampoo that doesn't dry the skin and coat and is formulated for a canine coat. The ears of the English Springer Spaniel should be kept clean and regularly inspected as well.

Any breed described as "good with children", the dog must be accustomed to children. Any dog that is not well socialized with children will not behave predictably around them. As with all dogs, they should never be left alone with young children.