English Springer Spaniel

English Springer Spaniels are one of the better choices for a family with children. Expect a medium-sized dog that is high-energy, sheds a normal amount and needs regular brushing. The big catch is company: this breed genuinely struggles when the house is empty all day.

Source: American Kennel Club breed standard.

The name is a job description: Springers worked ahead of hunters and "sprang" birds out of cover, which is why a modern one still quarters back and forth in front of you on a walk rather than heeling. They are famously merry — the breed standard actually uses that word — and famously attached, following their person from room to room. Two practical notes owners raise repeatedly: those long low ears trap moisture and want checking every week, and the feathering picks up every burr and mud clod in a field. Split lines matter here too. Dogs from working stock are considerably more driven than show-bred ones, and a family choosing on looks alone can end up with far more dog than they planned.

Day to day. High-energy — this is a dog that needs a real outlet every single day, not a stroll. Skip that and you get chewing, barking and digging, which is not naughtiness, it is boredom. On noise, it is about average for noise.

The coat, honestly. This breed sheds a normal amount and needs regular brushing. A brush a few times a week and the occasional tidy-up keeps it in good order.

Being left alone. Struggles on its own. If your house is empty from the school run until the evening, this is the breed most likely to be unhappy about it — and separation problems are one of the top reasons dogs end up back in rescue.

Training. Eager and easy to train. That makes it a forgiving choice for a family training their first dog, as long as everyone is consistent.

• You want a dog with a reputation for putting up with children
• Someone in the house genuinely wants to run, hike or train most days
• This is your first dog and you want one that makes training feel possible

• Your daily walk is really a quick trip round the block
• Your house is empty from the morning drop-off until the evening

Rough running cost: $$ (middle of the pack) — because there is no single expensive thing about it — just the normal food, vet and insurance costs every dog brings.

Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.

Rescues do have English Springer Spaniels and English Springer Spaniel crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.