Are springer spaniels the ultimate ‘rooster’ dog? They have a case

Known for boundless energy, keen noses, and loyalty afield, English springer spaniels rank as one of the most enduring gundog breeds in the United States. Ask Dave Nomsen, the retired vice president of government affairs for Pheasants Forever, about the breed and he has a simple take:

“Just to hunt pheasants? That’s the dog. Springers are the pure pheasant dog.”

Between growing up with his dad’s two springers and three of his own, Nomsen has lived with five members of the breed and hunted hard over them all. Though he admits, “a good point is hard to beat,” he believes flushers and pheasants were made to be together, and the motivated springer, “leaves no blade of grass unturned.”

The history of the popular upland canine begins in the hedgerows of medieval Britain and evolves alongside the development of modern game shooting.

As of 2024, out of 201 breeds listed in the 2024 American Kennel Club rankings, English springers come in 28th. Only four sporting breeds rank higher – Labs, golden retrievers, beagles, and German shorthairs.

Today, Nomsen’s most recent springer lives and mostly hunts with his son, Jason, and Nomsen hunts over a British Lab named Belle. She’s an incredible hunter and Dave enjoys the slower pace and more moderate temperament of the small Lab. But he remembers fondly hunting over his springers, especially Annie, who sadly died of hip dysplasia at the age of 5.

“I never lost a single bird to her, and given the way I shoot, she had lots of opportunity to let one legitimately get away,” he said, chuckling. “But it never happened. A rooster came down and she was on it.”

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Origins in the spaniel family

The word “spaniel” likely derives from the Old French espagneul, meaning “Spanish dog,” suggesting the earliest spaniels may have originated on the Iberian Peninsula before spreading through Europe. By the Middle Ages, spaniels were well established in Britain, where they were prized for their ability to flush birds from dense underbrush.

Early spaniels were not divided into distinct breeds. Instead, they were categorized by function. “Land spaniels” worked upland game, flushing birds and small game toward nets, hawks, or early firearms, while “water spaniels” retrieved from lakes and marshes. The English springer descends from the land line.

Springer crossed the Atlantic with British sportsmen and settlers and found favor among American uplanders. In the Midwest, where pheasants and quail dominate, springers can cover thick CRP grass, cattail sloughs, and brushy draws with a nose-down determination.

The English Kennel Club recognized the English springer spaniel as a distinct breed in 1902, and the American Kennel Club followed in 1910.

The defining role of the hunting springer spaniel always has been as a flushing dog. Their work is fast-paced, close-quarters, and demands a well-balanced combination of drive and control.

Ask around the Upper Midwest about top springer people, and a kennel called Pine Shadows quickly comes up. Mark and Sophie Haglin with Brainerd, Minn.-based Pine Shadows, have been breeding and raising springers since the 1970s.

It started when Sophie bought an English springer for her then fiancé, Mark, as a graduation present. Their son, Morgan, works at the facility as a professional trainer today.

Mark Haglin prefers flushers to pointers for his upland grouse and pheasant work, and he believes few other breeds connect as well to their handler as the English springer. In addition to a great nose, the versatile breed has a drive to flush and natural ability to retrieve. He hunts early season ducks with them, though their coats make them less durable for late-season, cold-water hunting.

“They always have that want-to-please attitude,” he said. “Some have more energy than others, but they all want that connection to their handler.”

The ability to work within gun range has made springers especially popular among upland bird hunters like Haglin, particularly in dense terrain. But why springers and not another strong flushing breed, say a golden retriever? Haglin pondered that for a moment, then said, “They’re a little smaller, eat less, take up less space, and probably less maintenance hair-wise than a golden.”

He acknowledged that springers have a bit of a reputation as a class clown thanks to their inquisitive nature and attentiveness.

“They’ll make their own fun if you let them, so that connection point to the handler is important,” Haglin said. “With the right training, they’re just tough to beat.”

Another key trait is their great nose. A well-bred springer has a near-obsessive focus on scent, and they excel at tracking wounded game and working thick cover that might stop another breed. Paired with their natural desire to work with and please their handler, Haglin says the scenting ability makes them ideal for novice hunters and seasoned dog handlers.

WORKING LINES

As the 20th century progressed, two main lines of springers developed: the show line and the field line. Though both stem from the same breed, they differ significantly in appearance and, to some extent, temperament.

Field-bred springers are generally leaner, more athletic, and have shorter, less profuse coats that are easier to maintain in the field. They are bred specifically for performance – marked by a strong prey drive, stamina, quick response to commands, and an ability to work under pressure. Their movement is more frenetic, and their instincts prioritize nose and focus.

Show-bred springers, by contrast, have longer ears, more abundant feathering, and a more laid-back temperament. While some show-line springers still make capable hunting dogs, most serious hunters prefer field-bred dogs.

ENDURING APPEAL

Why do springers remain a favored breed among hunters, even with today’s broad selection of specialized gundogs?

Part of the answer lies in their balance. They’re fast but controlled. They’re enthusiastic but steady. They’re affectionate family dogs around the house and tireless, focused workers in the field. This duality – family pet and field warrior – is increasingly rare in the modern sporting dog world, and it’s a testament to the breed’s stewardship.

Former Minnesota DNR Wildlife staffer and deputy commissioner in the 2010s, Dave Schad has been a springer guy for 50 years. He cites not just their performance but the partnership with the breed. The connection between hunter and dog is at the heart of upland hunting, and it’s something that springers deliver in spades, he said. And the energy they display afield is infectious.

“They understand that it’s a team game. A real partnership out there. They just enjoy it so much,” he said. “They hunt with so much joy, and they’re having a lot of fun.”

Schad has tried other breeds, but he’s a springer man through and through in his retirement. He likes their smaller size, which he finds useful in a duck boat, and he prefers springers with longer legs for handling the uplands. He notes the springer field trialing community is especially vibrant and offers a potential new springer owner a great opportunity to see the breed in action.

The English springer Spaniel Field Trial Association (ESSFTA) in the United States has helped codify and preserve the working capabilities of the breed. Field trials are a prime proving ground for elite dogs, with competitions that test their ability to quarter (sweep back and forth across a field), mark downed birds, and retrieve.

Tom Ness of Oahe Kennels in central North Dakota flat-out considers springers
the most “efficient breed for pheasant hunting. He prefers flushers to pointers, because “pointers point, then the bird runs away; soon they’re both half a mile away.” Also, in November when driving birds from cattails, he prefers a flusher that will enter the cover and drive the bird into the air.

Combined with their easy-going nature that makes them great house dogs, Ness calls springers “the best tool for the job.”