During the 19th century, many of the spaniel breeds were developed by naming them after the country where they were developed or after their owners who were of nobility. The term springer comes from the historic tales of the dogs that hunted, how they would spring to flush the birds into the air. Two strains of the land spaniel became prominent and were said to be the "true springer type". They were named the Norfolk and Shropshire spaniels showing under the breed name of the Norfolk spaniel. The Spaniel Club of England and the Sports Spaniel Society held the first field dog trial together in 1899 leading to the creation in 1902 of the English Springer Spaniel, a combination of physical standards plus ability standards which was then recognized by the English Kennel Club followed by the American Kennel Club in 1910. In 1914 the crown went to an English Field Champion named FTC Rivington Sam, whose registered dam happened to be a cocker spaniel named Rivington Riband. Today Sam is considered one of the founding sires for the modern lines of spaniels we see today.

The English springer spaniel is used today for two purposes; as a hunting dog and as a show dog. It is a medium-sized dog that is both affectionate and excitable. Its hair is moderately long that feathers down the legs and its tail. It is considered a well-proportioned balanced dog. This breed perhaps can represent the greatest divergence between the working and the show lines of the spaniels. Although registered together, the gene pool stays segregated and has been for over 70 years now. Each type is bred for its unique capabilities; the field-bred dog wouldn't be competitive to enter a dog show nor would the show-bred dog have enough stamina or speed to succeed in a field trial event. The field dogs tend to have courser, shorter coats. They are wiry looking and have a feral look about them along with their tails being docked just a few inches rather than a show-bred spaniel which is docked for a short stub where permitted. For both, the coats come in either black or liver with white markings or white with liver or black markings; tricolor, which is black and white or liver with tan markings. These tan markings are usually found on the eyebrows, inside the dogs ears and the underneath the tail itself. Normally these dogs only shed in the spring and summer months but occasionally will shed in the autumn.

The English Springer Spaniel is not limited to just hunting and dog shows; due to their uncanny sense of smell, they also have been trained for sniffing out explosives, to be able to sniff a prison guards phone and tell when an inmate has an illegal phone in their pocket. They have been used to sniff out bumblebee nests that can't be seen from above ground, to sniff out illegal immigrants and even in some areas, they have been trained to sniff out blood. They are used as search and rescue dogs working with manned mountain teams due to the agility and willingness to work over rough terrain making them the excellent choice over other breeds. And of course, they are used for sniffing out drugs by agencies in many different countries such as Sweden and Finland.

Above all, the English springer spaniel makes an excellent family dog. They are friendly and eager to please their owners. They adore children and get along with other animals very easily. They have a lot of stamina and require frequent exercise to keep them from being bored. Once these animals do get bored and are left alone, watch out, they may become destructive and mischievous. Springer spaniels also enjoy water and will take every chance they get to take a swim; beware at all times if you own an in-ground pool! A beautiful dog to make a happy-ending family.