Before any kind of gun was used to hunt, this springer would spring whatever bird the hunter was after into the air and there would be hawks of falcons that would be trained to catch it and bring it to the hunter. So, obviously the main purpose of the breed was to serve as a hunting dog, however has become a very common house pet in more recent days.
A spaniel that has been well-trained and bred has a keen "wet" or "dry" nose and has the ability to pick up a scent in any kind of weather. The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog that has traditionally been used for both flushing and retrieving most type of air fowl, but is also capable of retrieving water fowl as well.
In this breed, there are differences in their coats, depending if they are field-bred dogs or show-bred dogs. The field-bred dogs coats' are shorter and more harsh than the show-bred dogs. The coat does not shed uncontrollable, yet spring and summer tend to be the times when they shed more. Usually their coats are any combination of black and white, liver and white and some amount of tan. The tail of the field bred dog is only shorter by a few inches, however, in comparison to the show dog whose tail is a little longer so that it would provide a "flag" for the hunter.
Field-bred dogs are generally selected for their sense of smell, their ability to hunt and how easily trained they are. There is not a lot of emphasis placed on appearance for the field-bred dogs. The show dogs have longer fur and tend to have thicker bones and be heavier than field-bred breed.
This breed can be fed three cups of dry dog food or a meaty product in one to one and a half cans. The show dog males can average approximately eighteen to twenty inches and weigh about fifty to fifty-five pounds. Although this dog is a very attentive and alert hunting dog, they also make a gentle, easy and loving house pet for any family. They are willing and wanting to make their owners happy, as well as energetic and smart.
This is breed is good with children, but because of their high activity and energy level, they need to be carefully watched and be used to children. If they are not use to children or well socialized with them, it is best they do not be around them. The English Springer Spaniel is the fastest of the spaniels because of their long legs. Although each dog is a little bit different, generally this breed needs a lot of activity and exercise with plenty of running around room, mental stimulation and a lot of attention.
This breed is generally okay with other pets, however it is not a good idea for them to be in a household where there is a bird because of their inherent hunting instinct.
May owners enjoy having an English Springer Spaniels as pets because of their cheerful disposition and their playful personality. They will play with pretty much anything they find, so it is best to keep socks, towels, shoes or anything that you do not want chewed up out osf sight. This breed has a tendency to get very attached to their owners, so keeping them occupied is very important.
The coat of an English Toy Spaniel should be long, silky, soft and wavy, but not curly. There should be a profuse mane, extending well down in the front of the chest. The legs, ears and tail are feathered profusely. In fact, the feet should be feathered so thickly as to give the appearance of being webbed, and also carried well up the backs of the legs. The feather on the tail should be silky, and from 3 to 4 inches in length.
The English Toy Spaniel comes in many colors and color combinations. The following is a list of some of those colors:
Black and tan (rich, glossy black, with bright mahogany tan markings on muzzle, legs, chest, linings of ears, under the tail and spots over the eyes.
Tricolor (ground color pearly white, with well-distributed black patches, and brilliant tan markings on the cheeks, linings of the ears, under the tail, spots over the eyes. White blaze between the eyes and up the forehead.
Blenheim (ground color pearly white) with chestnut-red patches.
Ruby, which is a solid, rich chestnut-red.
You will need a pin brush and a medium-toothed comb. Routine grooming of the English Toy Spaniel is fairly easy to maintain with regular brushing. It is a good idea to brush and comb your English Toy Spaniel every day. Start when he is a very young puppy. Do not trim the coat of your English Toy Spaniel. Loose hair will be brushed out easily if you brush on a regular basis.
Grooming procedure:
You need to first brush through the coat with a pin brush.
After a thorough brushing, comb through with a medium-toothed comb. The combing procedure will ensure removal of all tangles.
Bath your English Toy Spaniel. A protein-enriched shampoo works well for most coats. You will need to experiment, however, with shampoos to find the perfect one for your particular English Toy Spaniel.
Apply a complimentary conditioner.
Blow-dry the hair. Brush in the direction of the hair growth. Never brush against the hair growth.
Check inside your English Toy Spaniel's ears to ensure they are free of hair growing inside the ears and wax. If you find hair growing inside the ears, sprinkle in some ear powder and grip the hair with your fingertips, pull gently. The powder gives you the extra grip you need to pull these hairs out gently. You can also use a pair of women's eyebrow tweezers. Hair growing inside the ears can trap bacteria and mites which cause infection and wax build-up. If there is wax, you can be certain there are mites or some other kind of an ear infection. The powder is sometimes called "canker powder."
Check the eyes of your English Toy Spaniel. If necessary, wipe with cotton batting soaked in an eye-cleansing solution.
Check his nails and cut if necessary. Check under the feet and trim out any excess hair between the pads.