Gundog group · England
Field Spaniel
What makes them remarkable
Exaggerated show breeding nearly ruined the Field Spaniel; later breeders worked to restore a practical sporting dog.
- Sensitive
- Docile
- Sweet
- Fun-loving
- Adaptable
- Size
- Medium
- Weight
- 16 to 23 kg35 to 50 lb
- Lives
- 12 to 13 years
- Energy
- Moderate
- Trains
- High
- Barks
- Moderate
Training
Training a Field Spaniel
Gundog breeds. Quick to learn and quick to get over-excited. The work is calm around distractions, not obedience.
Sensitive Nature
Start here
Field Spaniels are extremely sensitive: reward generously and keep any correction to a quiet word, or you lose their trust.
Bond First
Build a strong relationship before intensive training. These devoted dogs work best with trusted handlers.
Variety and Fun
Keep training sessions varied and enjoyable. Their playful nature responds to game-based learning.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Field Spaniel and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to find, flush and retrieve game alongside a person. Biddable, busy, and happiest with a job.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsHigh
- StrangersModerate
- CatsModerate
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1 hour daily. Moderate activity needs, walks, play, and outdoor adventures.
- Grooming
- Moderate. Regular brushing 2-3 times weekly. Professional grooming every 6-8 weeks. Ear care essential.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Medium length, Flat, Silky, FeatheredBlack, Liver, Golden Liver, Roan
- In a flat
- Can work, with enough exercise outside it.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Hip Dysplasia
Moderate
Joint condition requiring health screening
Ear Infections
Mild
Long ears require regular cleaning to prevent infections
Hypothyroidism
Mild
Thyroid deficiency affecting metabolism
Where they come from
History
Developed in England in the mid-1800s from Cocker Spaniels. Nearly ruined by show breeding that created exaggerated, impractical dogs. Revived in the 1960s as a balanced, functional sporting spaniel. Remains one of the rarest spaniel breeds.
Similar breeds
All breeds
Boykin Spaniel
The breed’s story begins with a stray spaniel found near a South Carolina church.
Medium · Gundog
Brittany
Despite once being called a spaniel, the Brittany points at game rather than working like a flushing spaniel.
Medium · Gundog
English Springer Spaniel
Springers and Cockers once came from the same litters, with size deciding which job each puppy would do.
Medium · Gundog
Sussex Spaniel
After the Second World War, the Sussex Spaniel’s survival depended on a tiny handful of remaining dogs.
Medium · Gundog