Labrador or springer spaniel???

maypole

You cannot tire out a Springer, :eek: they are lovely dogs, but need loads of excercise. I would go for a labrador and while you will still have to excercise a dog every day, it will not have the energy of a Springer, they are typically working dogs and not for people who can't get out with them regularly.

Also just on another matter, I would never buy a dog as a present, for christmas for instance, they are living breathing creatures, they are not "gifts". Right, that's that off my chest:p

Firefly

maypole wrote: »

You cannot tire out a Springer, :eek: they are lovely dogs, but need loads of excercise. I would go for a labrador and while you will still have to excercise a dog every day, it will not have the energy of a Springer, they are typically working dogs and not for people who can't get out with them regularly.

Also just on another matter, I would never buy a dog as a present, for christmas for instance, they are living breathing creatures, they are not "gifts". Right, that's that off my chest:p

Labs are working dogs too and the same applies to them.

Jummy please please check out information about hip scoring and make sure you get a well bred dog.

babiebeany

Definitely dont get a Springer - they are absolutely nuts.

My brother has one and it is terrible with visitors, always barking and growling. Then if you go to stroke it, it will practically jump into his arms.

It has spent to much time at the vets for one thing and another as well.

Labradors are much more stable.

We have a boxer - yes they are mad, but not absolutely hyper and nuts. Walk them and they get tired, love people and are great with kids.

Think very carefully before you saddle yourself with something that is going to totally take over your life and your social life probably.

suki1964

SVM wrote: »

Lets play fair - is this based on your experience with one single springer? I have never come across an aggresive springer. Lots of trainers believes most of dogs appalling behaviour is down to the owners. I'm not saying this is the case with your brother but please don't be cavalier about claiming Springers are aggresive and spend all the time at the vets!:p

jeez if the springer I have is anything to go by - then aggression is being licked to death and flattened when he wants cuddles :rotfl:

virgin_moneysaver

nothing like broad generalisation! - my springer is an absolute darling, nothing nuts about her - her way of getting attention is to lay her head on your lap & just look at you with her huge chocolate eyes & if she needs to powder her nose she sits back on her hind legs & puts her paw in the air, like shes asking permission

red-boxer

We have been to see a litter of labs today, as i have promised my husband one for his birthday after years of him going on at me to get a dog. Well i chose a little black one he is 12 weeks old and i can't wait to pick him up next Friday after we have got everything ready for his arrival. The breeder only breeds them every 3 years when they want another pup, and both parents could be seen as they were working dogs.

If you want a quiet life go for the lab....... you might get a different opinion of me in a few weeks after he has arrived and chewed most things in the house.

catkins

Out of the two I would go for a springer. I know a lot of labs and a lot of springers and the springers are much more fun. A couple of the labs are very bad tempered and it seems that once they get to about 3 or 4 they become like old people plodding along and never wanting to play. I would hate a dog like that.

If you cannot give a springer the exercise it needs why not go for another breed altogether?

kellyplanet

It concerns me the amount of people on this thread who are saying that Springers need a lot of exercise. Giving the impression that labs don't. Labs also need a lot of exercise. I have had 2 labs. Louie is 8 months old and he needs to be out for well over 2 hours a day so he is content and happy. It saddens me when I see people with labs and dogs in general that are overweight they look so sad. If a dog is overweight it is prone to getting arthritis and other conditions. The obesity epidemic is not just affecting humans!!!! Whatever dog you choose remember exercise,dicipline and reward in that order (as the dog whisperer says!). And good luck

You are doing the right thing getting it after Christmas. Introducing a dog into an unstable environment is a bad idea(we all must admit getting a bit stressed around Christmas New Year time).

WeirdoMagnet

kellyplanet wrote: »

It concerns me the amount of people on this thread who are saying that Springers need a lot of exercise. Giving the impression that labs don't. Labs also need a lot of exercise. I have had 2 labs. Louie is 8 months old and he needs to be out for well over 2 hours a day so he is content and happy. It saddens me when I see people with labs and dogs in general that are overweight they look so sad. If a dog is overweight it is prone to getting arthritis and other conditions. The obesity epidemic is not just affecting humans!!!! Whatever dog you choose remember exercise,dicipline and reward in that order (as the dog whisperer says!). And good luck

You are doing the right thing getting it after Christmas. Introducing a dog into an unstable environment is a bad idea(we all must admit getting a bit stressed around Christmas New Year time).

I agree with everything you say, apart from that about the Dog Whisperer. Sadly, his training methods are quite outdated and harsh, and in many cases downright cruel. There are much kinder and more efficient ways to train dogs than using the force that he suggests.

poppycracker

I've had a lab X something, a pure bred springer with a pedigree as long as my arm and a springer X Collie and they've all been wonderful! The springer came to us at the age of 7 after she'd gone through my three uncles (who were producing children) and got to my mum (who had stopped producing!) because she was so active. I once saw her chase an otter down a 45 degree angle slope from the road to the sea and actually INTO the sea! And this was at the age of 10. Even damaging her back didn't slow her down much, the only thing she couldn't do was steal food from the table .

I think it just depends on the dog myself.

Good luck with whichever you decide!