<Tr> <Th> UKC </Th> <Td> Gun Dog </Td> <Td> standard </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) </Td> </Tr> <P> The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog in the Spaniel family traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game . It is an affectionate, excitable breed with a typical lifespan of twelve to fourteen years . They are very similar to the Welsh Springer Spaniel and are descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century; the breed has diverged into separate show and working lines . The breed suffers from average health complaints . The show - bred version of the breed has been linked to "rage syndrome", although the disorder is very rare . It is closely related to the Welsh Springer Spaniel and very closely to the English Cocker Spaniel; less than a century ago, springers and cockers would come from the same litter . The smaller "cockers" hunted woodcock while the larger littermates were used to flush, or "spring", game . In 1902, The Kennel Club recognized the English Springer Spaniel as a distinct breed . They are used as sniffer dogs on a widespread basis . The term Springer comes from the historic hunting role, where the dog would flush (spring) birds into the air . </P> <P> The English Springer Spaniel is a medium - sized compact dog . Its coat is moderately long with feathering on the legs and tail . It is a well proportioned, balanced dog with a gentle expression and a friendly wagging tail . This breed represents perhaps the greatest divergence between working and show lines of any breed of dog . A field - bred dog and a show - bred dog 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 dog would not be competitive in a modern dog show, while a show dog would not have the speed or stamina to succeed in a field trial . </P>

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