Home / Breeds / Compare / English Springer Spaniel vs Field Spaniel
The English Springer Spaniel is England's classic flushing spaniel, a medium sized gundog that works tight to the gun, putting game up from hedgerows and thick cover and bringing it back. The Field Spaniel is a medium sized English spaniel built for the same close flushing work as its springer cousin, quartering hedgerows and cover and retrieving what falls. This page compares the two on the numbers that actually differ: size, exercise, grooming, what each costs to keep, and the health tests a breeder should show you.
The biggest gap is monthly cost: the modeled total is about $98 a month for the English Springer Spaniel against $76 for the Field Spaniel.
The next biggest gap is lifespan: the middle of the English Springer Spaniel range is 13 years against 12.5 years for the Field Spaniel.
The third gap worth noting is size: the middle of the English Springer Spaniel weight range is about 45 lb against 42.5 lb for the Field Spaniel.
| English Springer Spaniel | Field Spaniel | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Sporting | Sporting |
| Origin | England | England |
| Height | 19 to 20 in | 17 to 18 in |
| Weight | 40 to 50 lb | 35 to 50 lb |
| Lifespan | 12 to 14 years | 12 to 13 years |
| Coat | Medium length double coat, silky and close lying, with feathering on the ears, chest, legs and belly. It sheds steadily and needs regular brushing to keep the feathering free of tangles. | Silky coat of medium length, flat or slightly wavy, with feathering on the chest, belly, legs and tail. It sheds moderately and needs brushing a few times a week. |
| Temperament | Gentle, cheerful, active and devoted | Gentle, cheerful, active and devoted |
| Energy | 4 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Trainability | 4 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Grooming needs | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Shedding | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Barking | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| With children | Good with children | Good with children |
| With other dogs | Good with dogs | Good with dogs |
| With strangers | Friendly with strangers | Friendly with strangers |
| Apartment fit | With enough exercise | With enough exercise |
| Daily exercise | 60 to 90 min | 60 to 90 min |
| Food per month (model) | $30 (2.8 cups a day) | $29 (2.7 cups a day) |
| Insurance per month (model) | $50 to $85 | $34 to $61 |
| Monthly total (model) | $80 to $115 | $63 to $90 |
| Yearly total (model) | $963 to $1,383 | $753 to $1,077 |
| Lifetime total (model) | $11,561 to $19,368 | $9,037 to $14,003 |
| Breeder health tests | 5 recommended tests | Panel not published yet |
| Health watch | Hip and elbow scoring and annual eye checks are the backbone of gundog health testing, and most gundog breeds also have DNA tests for the conditions found in their lines. Ask the breeder for the full panel, not just a vet checked claim. | Hip screening and eye checks are the standard panel for this small, sound breed. Ask to see health test results for both parents before you commit to a puppy; a good breeder will offer them before you ask. |
The two are level on the first-time-owner score, so daily temperament and the sections below decide this one.
Field Spaniel: matches the English Springer Spaniel on the apartment rating ("With enough exercise") and edges ahead on the tie-breaks: barking, then daily exercise, then size.
The two are listed the same way for children and tie on the tie-breaks, so supervision matters more than the breed label here.
Level on shedding. Shedding is only a proxy for loose hair in the home; no breed is allergen-free, so time spent with the breed matters more than this row.
Field Spaniel: runs about $22 a month less than the English Springer Spaniel on modeled food plus insurance ($76 against $98 at the midpoints).
Scoring rules behind the English Springer Spaniel and Field Spaniel verdicts: a first-time-owner score of 2 x trainability + (6 - energy) + (6 - grooming) + (6 - barking); the apartment verdict ordered by apartment rating, barking, exercise, then weight; children ordered by the children rating, trainability, then stranger friendliness; allergy by lowest shedding, then grooming; budget by the lowest monthly modeled total. Level scores are declared ties.
On the modeled figures the English Springer Spaniel costs more month to month: about $98 a month at the midpoint of food plus insurance, against $76 for the Field Spaniel. Over a lifetime, run across the lifespan ranges, the model gives $11,561 to $19,368 for the English Springer Spaniel and $9,037 to $14,003 for the Field Spaniel. All of these are planning estimates, not quotes.
The two are level: both plan on 60 to 90 minutes a day, and energy is rated 4 of 5 for the English Springer Spaniel against 4 of 5 for the Field Spaniel.
On our ratings, yes: both are rated 3 of 5 for shedding. The coats still feel different in the house. English Springer Spaniel: Medium length double coat, silky and close lying, with feathering on the ears, chest, legs and belly. It sheds steadily and needs regular brushing to keep the feathering free of tangles. Field Spaniel: Silky coat of medium length, flat or slightly wavy, with feathering on the chest, belly, legs and tail. It sheds moderately and needs brushing a few times a week.
Not equally. The Field Spaniel is the better fit for an apartment: it matches the English Springer Spaniel on the apartment rating ("With enough exercise") and edges ahead on the tie-breaks, barking, then daily exercise, then size.
Choosing between more than two? Open the comparison tool and put up to four breeds side by side, or read all written breed comparisons.
Breed facts on this page follow the standards and club guidance summarized on the English Springer Spaniel and Field Spaniel profiles. The cost figures are modeled planning estimates, each labeled with its basis. None is a quote, and none is veterinary advice. The health test panels follow what the breed clubs and CHIC publish, as set out on each breed's health testing page.