The English Springer Spaniel

By the year 1812 a pure strain of English Springer’s was being developed. The Boughey family of Aqualate in Shropshire bred ‘Mop 1’. He is the first recorded English Springer and appeared rather “Clumberish” with a coat which was inclined to be curly, however he was of the desired Springer type.

English Springer Spaniels were originally known as Norfolk Spaniels, they subsequently gained the title of English Springer Spaniels because of their usefulness in "springing" game for the gun. There was not much breeding in the Norfolk area; still the breed was named after Duke of Norfolk who, in fact, lived in Sussex! The name was officially changed into Springer Spaniel in 1902. It was already then that the two varieties, English and Welsh Springer’s were recognised.

English Springer Spaniels were liver and white or black and white and were 17-18 inches tall at the shoulder.

In 1899, a newly formed Sporting Spaniel Society held working trials on the estate of its president, William Arkwright of Sutton, Scarsdale.

The first Springer Field Champion in the world was FTC Rivington Sam (who’s mother was registered as a Cocker spaniel and features heavily in the early Cocker pedigrees), lies behind many of the present-day Springer's. It was generally acknowledged that Sam was a first cross between a Cocker and an English Setter and over the years, outcross blood of breeds such as the Clumber Spaniel, the Irish Setter, and the Field Spaniel was introduced. This had some advantages, such as improving heads, but, fortunately, the Springer emerged as an entirely distinctive breed.

As with all the early Spaniels, dogs were much of a mixed bag, and when English and Welsh Springer’s were given recognition as separate breeds in 1902, recognition was purely on the basis of appearance. Many dogs were registered with doubtful pedigrees and some with no pedigree at all. As a general rule, if the dog was red-and-white, it was registered as a Welsh Springer, and if it was liver-and-white, it was classed as an English Springer, although a number of other physical characteristics would also have separated the breeds.

The principal breeders and owners have so far been Mr. W. Arkwright (as mentioned above), Mr. Harry Jones, Sir Hugo FitzHerbert (also mentioned above), Mr. C. Bethune Eversfield, and Mr. Winton Smith.

In 1903 the Kennel Club offered a class especially for English Springers at their show, and in 1906 the liver-and-white dog Beechgrove Will was made the first Champion in the breed, and Fansom became the first Champion bitch.

Springer Spaniel’s were developed to locate the whereabouts of the live quarry by scent and then to flush the quarry out of the hiding places by springing into and over the bushes and brambles to disturb the quarry and bring it out into the open.

The English Springer Spaniel Club was founded in 1921.