Breed History
Spaniels came from Spain to England, probably with the Romans.
By the late 1500’s the spaniels were divided into two groups - these two groups being land and water spaniels. The land spaniel group was further subdivided into two groups - those that flushed game (forefathers of the present day spaniels) and those that set or pointed its game (forefathers of the present day setters). Pups in a litter of land spaniels were often divided by size; the small ones became the cockers or woodcock dogs and the medium-sized ones became the springers, which hunted by flushing or "springing" birds for the hunters.
In the 1800’s small spaniels were bred to small spaniels and large spaniels were bred to large spaniels. The size of the puppies from early litters varied widely. If a dog weighed under 25 pounds it was labeled a cocker and if it weighed over 25 pounds it was named a Springer. In 1892 the two breeds were officially identified - the English Springer Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel. Still, at this time, size alone was the determining factor as both breeds were actually born in the same litter.
Before the development of the flintlock rifle, the springer flushed birds for hunting hawks and hounds to pursue. When the gun extended the hunter’s reach, the dogs learned to work in gun range, quartering back and forth in the field and flushing birds. From the earliest Springer other spaniels have developed until now there are at least ten varieties of Sporting Spaniels. As the different types of spaniels began to develop the Springer seemed to dominate. A medium sized dog, well balanced, strong and sturdy, free from exaggeration, it was a fast and good worker. The earliest Springer kennel in England was Aqualate dating as far back as 1812. The earliest stud book for the Springer Spaniel was in 1812; the first breed club in England was founded in the 1880s. Other prominent breeders developed through the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. First exhibited in the 1850’s as the Norfolk Spaniel, the breed was given its present name after the formation of the Sporting Spaniel Club which was founded in 1885. The first field trial for spaniels, sponsored by this club, was held in 1899, and by 1902 there was sufficient interest in the English Springer to warrant its official recognition as a separate breed by The Kennel Club (England). The following year the breed was shown for the first time at an English championship event.
Although spaniel gun dogs are mentioned in US journals and literature from the time of the Pilgrims through the end of the 19th Century, the breed came to this continent in 1907. It was not until 1910 that the American Kennel Club registered the first dog of the breed and it was first registered in Canada in the years 1913 - 1914. In 1922 the English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association was formed in the US and eventually drew up the original standard which was amended in 1932 and then approved by the American Kennel Club.
Once the breed club began judging the dogs by their appearance as well as their field skills, the Springer began to diverge in type. Dogs bred for the show ring became heavier, stockier, and developed longer, more profuse coats. This was the beginning of the division of the Springer type. Over the past decades the two types of springers have developed and separated greatly in type, appearance and size. Today, the two types are rarely interbred.
Spaniels came from Spain to England, probably with the Romans.
By the late 1500’s the spaniels were divided into two groups - these two groups being land and water spaniels. The land spaniel group was further subdivided into two groups - those that flushed game (forefathers of the present day spaniels) and those that set or pointed its game (forefathers of the present day setters). Pups in a litter of land spaniels were often divided by size; the small ones became the cockers or woodcock dogs and the medium-sized ones became the springers, which hunted by flushing or "springing" birds for the hunters.
In the 1800’s small spaniels were bred to small spaniels and large spaniels were bred to large spaniels. The size of the puppies from early litters varied widely. If a dog weighed under 25 pounds it was labeled a cocker and if it weighed over 25 pounds it was named a Springer. In 1892 the two breeds were officially identified - the English Springer Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel. Still, at this time, size alone was the determining factor as both breeds were actually born in the same litter.
Before the development of the flintlock rifle, the springer flushed birds for hunting hawks and hounds to pursue. When the gun extended the hunter’s reach, the dogs learned to work in gun range, quartering back and forth in the field and flushing birds. From the earliest Springer other spaniels have developed until now there are at least ten varieties of Sporting Spaniels. As the different types of spaniels began to develop the Springer seemed to dominate. A medium sized dog, well balanced, strong and sturdy, free from exaggeration, it was a fast and good worker. The earliest Springer kennel in England was Aqualate dating as far back as 1812. The earliest stud book for the Springer Spaniel was in 1812; the first breed club in England was founded in the 1880s. Other prominent breeders developed through the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. First exhibited in the 1850’s as the Norfolk Spaniel, the breed was given its present name after the formation of the Sporting Spaniel Club which was founded in 1885. The first field trial for spaniels, sponsored by this club, was held in 1899, and by 1902 there was sufficient interest in the English Springer to warrant its official recognition as a separate breed by The Kennel Club (England). The following year the breed was shown for the first time at an English championship event.
Although spaniel gun dogs are mentioned in US journals and literature from the time of the Pilgrims through the end of the 19th Century, the breed came to this continent in 1907. It was not until 1910 that the American Kennel Club registered the first dog of the breed and it was first registered in Canada in the years 1913 - 1914. In 1922 the English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association was formed in the US and eventually drew up the original standard which was amended in 1932 and then approved by the American Kennel Club.
Once the breed club began judging the dogs by their appearance as well as their field skills, the Springer began to diverge in type. Dogs bred for the show ring became heavier, stockier, and developed longer, more profuse coats. This was the beginning of the division of the Springer type. Over the past decades the two types of springers have developed and separated greatly in type, appearance and size. Today, the two types are rarely interbred.
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