Springer Spaniel rescue dogs and puppies for adoption and rehoming in the UK

The Royal Kennel Club calls the English Springer "the most popular of the spaniels for working in the field". It says Springers earned their name from "springing" forward to flush game into nets, and that the breed was once called the Norfolk Spaniel. Liver and white is the most popular colour, with black and white and tri-colours less common. The breed standard describes a "friendly, happy disposition, biddable", and says timidity or aggression is unacceptable.

PDSA describes Springers as happy, playful and energetic, and says they make good family dogs who love to be involved in family activities. It calls them obedient and keen to learn, so training should be relatively easy, and says they often enjoy the mental stimulation it gives them.

The catch is the energy. This is a working gundog, and The Royal Kennel Club lists it as needing more than two hours of exercise a day. A rescue Springer is also an individual. Dogs Trust points out that every dog has its own personality and prior experiences, so ask the rescue how this dog behaves at home, on the lead and around other dogs.

The Royal Kennel Club lists the English Springer as medium-sized and needing more than two hours of exercise a day, in a small house with a large garden, in town or country. PDSA says Springers need an owner who's prepared to give them over two hours of exercise a day because of their high energy levels.

Dogs Trust calls Springers typically high-energy dogs who need daily walks plus plenty of time and opportunity to explore, burn energy and play. It says the breed could be a great match if you love spending active time outdoors. If you can't offer two hours most days, say so to the rescue: an older Springer, or one with a known health condition, may need less.

The Royal Kennel Club lists the coat as medium length, shedding, and needing grooming more than once a week. The breed standard describes it as close, straight and weather-resisting, with moderate feathering on the ears, legs and body.

PDSA says Springers need grooming once or twice a week plus clipping every three months. Dogs Trust says you will typically groom a Springer once or twice a week, that the shedding is moderate, and that they're also likely to need professional grooming.

The Royal Kennel Club asks English Springer breeders, at a minimum, to prioritise genetic diversity and to have hips and elbows scored for dysplasia and eyes tested, including gonioscopy. Its best practice list adds DNA tests for acral mutilation syndrome (AMS), dyserythropoietic anaemia and myopathy syndrome (DAMS), fucosidosis, phosphofructokinase deficiency (PFK) and progressive retinal atrophy (cord1). It lists no points of concern for show judges under its Breed Watch (Category 1).

PDSA lists hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy (gradual sight loss) and ear infections among the problems Springers are prone to, and says the long ears let bacteria build up and cause infection. It suggests checking that a puppy's parents were screened, and discussing the family's medical history.

A rescue dog's parents may never have been screened. Ask the rescue what vet checks the dog has had and whether any condition is already known, and talk to your own vet about anything you notice later.

Spaniel breed rescues rehome Springers as well as the general rescues. Springer Rescue for Scotland, one of the rescues we list, says it "rescues and re-homes Spaniels across Scotland", and its dogs appear here when they are available. A spaniel labelled "Springer" on a listing may also be a spaniel cross, so read the profile and ask the rescue.

As of 14 November 2026, 6 Springer Spaniels are listed with rescues in the UK on LocalPetFinder: by their listed age, 2 puppies aged 12 months or under and 4 adults.

3 of them are listed as a cross, as the rescue describes it: Springer Spaniel Cross (3). Breed labels on rescue listings are often a best guess from looks.

The rescues mark 3 as able to live with children, 1 with cats and 4 with other dogs. Where a profile says nothing, it doesn't mean no: ask the rescue.

PDSA says English Springers make good family dogs and get along well with children and other household pets. That is a breed tendency, not a promise, and some rescue dogs have a history the rescue will tell you about. Go by the rescue's own assessment of this dog with children, cats and other dogs, which is often noted on the profile.

The two are often confused, and some rescue spaniels are crosses of both. The Royal Kennel Club lists the Cocker as small, needing up to an hour of exercise a day and grooming every day, and the English Springer as medium, needing more than two hours a day and grooming more than once a week. The breed standards give about 51 cm at the shoulder for a Springer against about 38 to 41 cm for a Cocker.

The breed standard calls the Springer the "highest on leg and raciest in build of all British land Spaniels". In practice the Springer is the bigger, longer-legged dog that needs a larger garden and more time outdoors.