English Springer Spaniel is known to be affectionate and loving, especially to children. However, there are some small details that make male and female English Springer Spaniels different, and these differences are important if you are looking for your perfect companion.
Although one thing worth noting is that you must always keep in mind that you’re not looking for a perfect pet because it doesn’t exist. You are looking for the best one that would suit you and your lifestyle.
So, which one is best for you, a male or a female? If you want a bolder and more sociable English Springer Spaniel that is always energetic, then it’s best to get a male one. If you prefer an English Springer Spaniel that will become mellow as they age, then it’s better to opt for a female one.
This is only a summary, and you will find in this article that there are many things that differentiate males from females. Read on to look at them!
Male English Springer Spaniels
Overview
Height: 19 – 21 inches (48 – 53 cm)
Weight: 45 – 55 lbs (20.4 – 24.9 kg)
Puppy Price: $700 – $1,000
Lifespan: 12 – 14 Years
Build: Larger built with more muscle mass.
Temperament
Friendly, playful, and obedient
Less suspicious of strangers.
More likely to bond with all family members.
More attention seeking.
Harder to train him to walk off leash and stay close to you.
Easily get distracted and harder to train.
More playful and energetic.
Tends to protect a territory or whole family.
Clumsy around kids.
A bit messier.
Loves to please his owner.
Matures slower.
More stubborn.
Less likely to get along with other dogs or animals.
Easier to socialize with people.
Female English Springer Spaniels
Overview
Height: 18 – 20 inches (45 – 50.8 cm)
Weight: 40 – 50 lbs (18.1 – 22.6 kg)
Puppy Price: $700 – $1,000
Lifespan: 12 – 14 Years
Build: Slimmer built with less muscle mass.
Temperament
Friendly, playful, and obedient.
More suspicious of strangers.
Tends to bond with one person in the family.
Less attention seeking.
Easier to train her to walk off leash and stay close to you.
More focused and easier to train.
Can be slightly less playful.
Tends to protect an individual (her owner).
More cautious around kids.
Cleaner.
Slightly less desire to please her owner.
Matures quicker.
Less stubborn.
More likely to get along with other dogs or animals.
A bit harder to socialize with people.
Physical Differences
Males
Male English Springer Spaniels generally tend to be 1-2 inches taller and 5-10 pounds heavier than their female counterpart. Although, there may be rare occasions in which the female tends to be the bigger dog.
Females
The females tend to be the smaller one of the two, being 1-2 inches shorter, and 9-10 pounds lighter.
Temperamental Differences
Males
The males and females of the English Springer Spaniel breed share roughly the same temperament. Their temperament is generally built around their energetic and alert nature and their constant need for affection.
The difference that the male has from females however, is that most males tend to be more aggressive. Another difference is that males generally tend to be more emotionally stable compared to female ones.
Additionally, when hunting, males tend to be more distracted and often get side-tracked a lot. While males have more energy when it comes to hunting, it is worth noting that this energy tends to be expended, not by hunting, but by running and bouncing around.
This aspect makes it more appealing to choose a male English Springer Spaniel as a home pet, rather than a hunting partner.
Females
As with their male counterparts, the female English Springer Spaniels are also very energetic, sociable, and very much in need of constant need for affection. The females, however, tend to be more mellow in their attitude compared to the males. Females also often experience mood swings, something that is rarely seen in males.
When it comes to hunting, the female English Springer Spaniel is more alert. Their hunting style is more refined than that of their male counterparts.
They also don’t expend their energy running around, instead they are determined to complete whatever task they have to do, making them the more optimal hunter between the two genders of this breed.
However, their determination when they want something might backfire on their owner. They tend to use “puppy eyes” on their owner so that they can have their way, and if the owner doesn’t respond positively to their requests, they tend to become cold towards the owner, perceiving them as a “bad partner.”
Trainability
Males
Generally, training for the English Springer Spaniel is the same for both genders. They both require training for respect, behavior, housebreaking, and need to have a proper exercise schedule.
The exercise schedule is important so that the dog will not forget what he has learned and can expand its large amounts of energy, so they don’t end up running around the house at night.
The primary difference between a male and a female English Springer Spaniel is that males tend to be somewhat distracted, and tend to be a goof, making it a bit difficult to train them due to their easily broken attention span.
Females
The females share the same training requirements and needs as males. The main difference is that the females are somewhat easier to train as they are more attentive and less distracted.
Females are also quite adept at learning commands and such. They are also considered to be good hunting partners, meaning they can easily be taught more than just household commands.
Health Differences
Males
The males and females of the English Springer Spaniel breed generally share the same potential diseases and the same healthiness. The only major difference is that males tend to have a better chance of not contracting a disease if they are neutered.
Phosphofructokinase deficiency is a disease in which a dog receives a mutation in their muscles. This disease is known to be associated with this breed of dog, however, it is more commonly seen amongst the males.
If your male is struggling to get up and sit down, they may be faced with Elbow Dysplasia. This health problem is more common among males. This disease results from the joints not developing properly.
It is wise to treat this condition as soon as possible, as prolonged periods of time with this condition could lead to joint degradation and malformation, causing pain for the dog.
Though not exactly a disease, the high amounts of energy of the male English Springer Spaniel may cause them to dislocate parts of their body due to their hyper activeness. An example would be a dislocated kneecap after it hits something.
Although they do have the ability to fix dislocations, there may be occasions when they are unable to fix it themselves, resulting in a visit to the vet.
Females
Having the same healthiness and health diseases as their male counterparts, the female has one difference. They must be spayed instead of neutered in order to prevent contracting more diseases.
One disease commonly found in female English Springer Spaniels is the Canine Glaucoma. This disease affects the eyes and is elusive to most pet owners. If you notice that your pet often bumps into things, it might be good to get them checked since it could lead to optic nerve damage and even blindness if this disease goes unchecked.
It is worth noting that both males and females can contract allergies and skin infections. Another, though rare, a disease called Complement Deficiency is something that both males and females have a chance of contracting.
This disease involves having a lack of proteins that are needed for the immune system to function properly. With the immune system not functioning properly, there is a chance that your dog may develop more severe health problems such as kidney disease.
Another potential health problem that these guys can possibly develop is diabetes. Since English Springer Spaniels have low thyroid levels, this makes them easily susceptible to diabetes, so make sure to watch what you feed them.
Although some diseases develop late into the English Springer Spaniel’s life, many of these diseases develop at an early age at roughly about 2-4 years old.
Another sign that an English Springer may develop a disease is if it has had a family history of said disease. This shows that it is important to know the lineage of your pet if you are buying them from a breeder or a pet store.
With Children
Males
Both the male and female variants of the English Springer Spaniel breed generally bond well with children, assuming that they are raised with the children. If they aren’t raised with children, it might take them longer to be accustomed to having children running around the house.
The males, however, tend to be a bit rougher around children and may even potentially harm them due to a sudden burst of energy. These random bursts are a telltale sign that one must exercise their dog more often to avoid these sudden bursts.
Females
The females share the same qualities as the males in regard to children. The difference is that the females are a little more playful and more understanding about perceiving threats from children they’ve been with.
The females also tend to be more maternal, meaning they treat children with a lot more care. They also don’t have bursts of energy like males do, allowing them to be good cuddle mates or playmates with young children.
There may be times that the female would want its alone time and not be around the children. If denied this alone time, they may become grumpy and unresponsive.
With Other Dogs
Males
Both male and female English Springer Spaniels tend to have some same-sex aggression, and this stems from their territorial instincts. For males, however, their sense of territory is somewhat more prominent as they have a constant need to assert their territory in and around the household.
Males are also known to partake in minor fights, but they remain just that, minor. They usually don’t get into anything too serious, unless they perceive something as a threat.
Males also get along well with the opposite gender and neutered males also have the tendency to start fewer fights with other males. So, if you’re having problems with aggression with your English Springer, perhaps neutering may be an alternative.
Females
For females, they are a lot less territorial, and they tend to play well with other dogs. Despite being less territorial however, females also find it a bit difficult to socialize as they tend to be shy and stubborn towards other dogs.
Females are also somewhat more intelligent than their male counterparts, so fights with the same sex don’t happen as often. If they do happen however, they have a tendency to become more violent than that of the male fights.
Females also have a tendency to compete with one another, which is why if you plan to have two females in the household, have at least a two-year gap. The two-year gap will ensure that neither will see the other as competition.
Which Is Better for a Family?
The main takeaway of this section is that the betterment of the gender of the dog for your family really depends on the lifestyle of your family. The English Springer Spaniels are generally energetic, and this gives them the need to exercise a lot. Families with busy schedules might struggle with this and might have a dog bouncing around the house at night.
Advantages of Male English Springer Spaniels in a Family Environment:
Extremely hyper.
More sociable.
Cuddly and loves to play.
Bonds well with the opposite sex.
Very outgoing, but also loves staying at home.
Very territorial (protective of home).
Advantages of Female English Springer Spaniels in a Family Environment:
Extremely gentle around children.
Enjoys alone time, but is playful when it’s in the mood.
Gets well with the opposite sex.
Like staying indoors.
Easy to train.
Cautious of new people.
The English Springer Spaniel is a good breed for families because of how gentle they are around children. They are also quite the sociable dogs, meaning they can get along well with new dogs they meet after a while.
This would allow the owners to get together with other dog owners with no problem. Their social skills don’t only extend to other people and dogs, but also to other animals. Having other animals at home wouldn’t be a problem for owners of this breed because they are generally friendly towards other animals as well.
The male English Springer Spaniel is a good choice for families that stay at home often. Families with energetic children are also compatible with the males as they possess the energy to keep up with them.
Families that are also fond of cuddling their dogs would love the male version of this breed because these guys love a good cuddle. Families that already have a female English Springer Spaniel would most likely love to have a male, as opposite genders get well with one another.
If the lifestyle of your household is more centered around being outdoors, then the female version of the English Springer Spaniel is more suited for your family. They’re very obedient and are easily trained.
If your household also has young children within it, a female would be the better choice as they are gentler around children. Females also love their alone time, so if you value yours as well, then having a female is the way to go.
They are also far less hyper than their male counterpart, making it easier around the house. If you already have a male in your home, it’ll also be easy for the two to get along.
Which Is a Better Guard Dog?
The English Springer Spaniels are generally cautious of people that they haven’t been introduced to. There are advantages unique to the specific gender for this breed which are listed below. It is worth noting that choosing a gender should be relative to what kind of guard dog you would use them.
Advantages of Male English Springer Spaniels as Guard Dogs:
Larger build.
More territorial (meaning more protection for the home).
Harder bite.
Extremely loyal.
Advantages of Female English Springer Spaniels as Guard Dogs:
More aggressive.
Wary towards new people.
More maternal (meaning more protection for a person).
Easier to train.
Male English Springer Spaniels are very territorial, and if you want a dog that protects the household, they’re your best bet. Their virtue of being territorial would allow them to protect your household from intruders and protect everyone inside.
Male English Springer Spaniels are better guard dogs when it comes to protecting the home due to their need to guard their territory.
The female English Springer Spaniel is more proficient in personal protection. Their maternal nature allows them to protect individuals rather than a territory. They are also very proficient in hunting, so they are also great partners in this regard.
Being easy to train also allows them to easily learn commands and such, and they can easily be taught safety protocols. To sum it up, female English Springer Spaniels are better guard dogs when it comes to personal protection, and this is due to their maternal instincts and their high trainability.
Final Thoughts
The English Springer Spaniel is a medium-sized dog with large amounts of energy. They need to have a lot of exercises every day so that they don’t spend the night making noise or running around.
They must also be properly trained at a young age to mold them into sociable dogs. Although it is possible to train them at an older age, it might be a little difficult to do so. The males and females of this breed are nearly identical when it comes to their physical appearance; only the female is often smaller.
Their temperament is generally the same, with the males only being a bit more aggressive than the females when it comes to territory and having interactions with the same sex. Overall the English Springer Spaniel is a good dog that is often playful albeit a little bashful at times.
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