Labrador or springer spaniel???

Jummy

Hi!
We have decided we are ready to have a puppy join our family.
I want a lab,hubby wants a springer spaniel.
He is reluctant to get a lab because he says it will grow too big for our house/car (citroen c4).
I dont think there is much in it sizewise between the 2 dogs or am i wrong?
I have done lots of research on labs but not really looked into springer spaniels yet.
Do spaniels need lots of grooming?
We live in a 3 bed terrace with a medium size secure garden and we have 2 kids 10 and 9 yrs.
There are lots of woods/parks nearby so lots of exercise will be given and i am at home all day so the dog will be left alone very rarely.
I had my heart set on a lab and I'm now not sure what to get.
Any ideas welcomed.
Thanks:D

mumoftwins

A springer will need LOTS and LOTS of exercise!!!

allycat999

I would choose a labrador every time over a springer spaniel but bear in mind that you need to choose a labrador thats parents have both been hip scored and have really low scores. Springer spaniels need lots and lots of exercise easily get bored and the temperament is not usually as good as a labrador

geranium72

We have a Springer/collie cross - gorgeous dog - lovely temperament BUT as others have said needs lots of exercise and despite lots of training is , let's say, wilful (and that's a nice way of putting it). I think labs are more amenable to training (probably because they do anything for food). Saying that, she is significantly smaller than a normal size lab - depends on the sex and the parents but labs can be pretty big dogs

lolarentt

Why don't you both go along to your local dog rehoming place and both fall in love with the same pooch? You'll no doubt find near perfect labs there anyway. My daughter had 2 near-labs as pups from Wood Green Animal Shelter and they've both been a joy - one of them died last year aged 12 but Charlie's still going strong(ish) at nearly 14. My other daughter has recently got a chocolate lab which is also a delight, and the best behaved dog I have ever met!

Penny_Watcher

My Dad had a Springer about 10 years ago and it was an absolute nutcase . He was a rescue dog from a home where he wasn't being exercised enough and therefore had developed behavioral problems.

He needed so much exercise my Dad (a very fit and active 60ish at the time) could hardly cope. Springers are by all accounts very intelligent and need lots of attention to stop them from becoming bored and destructive. Labradors (I have 2 Lab crosses and am therefore biased :rolleyes:), whilst needing lots of exercise, aren't quite so intense and a lot more 'laid back' around children.

So it's another vote for the Labrador option here

davsidipp

my friend has just lost her springer who was 7 years old with a heart condition would she get another no too hyper and loopy ,he only calmed down a year ago which was a shame lovely nature but mad . as for labs also very hyper and can be distructive when young quite a hard choice but if you have the time and knowledge then probably not a problem good luck in your choice.

gremlin

Labradors every time.

we had two black labs and they were the most loving intelligent dogs ever. One used to still climb on my lap and put his paws around my neck for a cuddle even fully grown.:D

I had them when my boys were young and not once did I have to worry about their temperement around little ones.

They act daft but easily trained and intelligent. They are very obedient and the best part is they are very, very loving.

Like a previous poster says - make sure they are hip scored, this is a common (and expensive) problem.

Jane

oldMcDonald

Springers win for me. I have two - aged 2 1/2 and 4 months and they are adorable, fun, intellegent and fun (know i mentioned fun twice, but they are just so playful and fun, fun, fun)

I have 5 kids and the dogs are fantastic with them. They play together for hours and eventually manage to tire each other out! Yes, they need loads of exercise but the long family walks and the fun the kids get out of playing with the dogs more than makes up for this. However, they also REALLY need people with them, they don't like to miss anything and don't like to be in the garden if you are indoors - and really aren't happy if left on their own for very long, so you must bear this in mind and how that would work within your family.

I love having springers and can't imagine ever getting another breed, ever. My friend has two 4 year old Labs and I find them a little boring (they get taken for a long walk and then laze around and sleep all day - wheres the fun in that ). I guess in the end it comes down to who you are as a family - if you don't go in for long walks or if there is no one at home much for several times a week, then Springers probably aren't the dogs for you.

Firefly

If you want a well bred, hip/elbow scored lab, then you'd better put your name down now as there will be a long waiting list with any breeder worth their salt. Buying dogs is not an moneysaving exercise and your research should take you a long while. Beware that there are far more labs born each year than any other breed; in 2006 that was 45,700 dogs and as you can imagine, finding a good dog who is likely to live a long and healthy life out of that bunch is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. The link below might give you some idea about potential health checks you should ensure breeders carry out.

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/473

Springer Spaniels, the same a Labradors, are working dogs and bred originally for the purpose of standing in a shooting field all day long running after pheasants, and retrieving them out of water. During the shooting season my Spaniels will spend up to 8hrs a day on the run (sometimes literally!) and is more than happy to volunteer for a nice walk when they arrive home. Two walks per day (1hr each) isn't anywhere near enough to occupy their very active minds and even more active bodies. They need constant mental stimulation and regular physical activity. They are perfectly well behaved but that takes an awful lot of hard work and effort on our part.

Of course, in both breeds, you get a 'working' variety and a 'show' variety too and although some people will tell you that show spaniels aren't hyper in the same way working ones are, remember that they are the same breed in origin.

A working spaniel will tend to be slightly smaller (in my experience) than a show type, but again it depends on the breeding. Labs are definitely bigger and have a beautiful rudder-like tail which is useful when retrieving game from the Canadian lakes in their country of origin, but can be less beneficial when manoevring around a 12 x 12 living room with cups on the coffee table! However, with the strict legislation around tail docking, you may struggle to get a spaniel with a docked or tipped tail and IMO and experience, full tails are very prone to damage.

Lolarentt's suggestion of a visit to the dogs home is a good one. You'll know what dog is right for you and your family when you see it. Please meanwhile give some thought to how you'll manage when you want to go on holiday (kennelling is expensive), want to go out for the day (can't leave a dog in the car) and need money for very costly vets bills.

Any reputable breeder will ask how you will cover all these eventualities, and if they don't ask, then they may not be as reputable as you'd wish they were.

Good luck with your choice.

hjb123

spaniel without a doubt! you can prob see my avatar is a piccie of my spaniel!

Ive had a spaniel for the last 8 years and I wouldnt swap it for a labrador at all! they are so eager to please and loving, dont know what I would do without it, cheers me up no end.

Yeah they have alot of energy but they are so eager to please and lovely looking dogs