springer spaniels?

kr15snw

I have 2 springers! Brother and sister (yes we were nuts getting 2 puppies...) but they are amazing. Both have complete different personalities, but both are cuddly, loving, friendly, extremely easy to train, great with kids and great fun!

They love walks and arn't great lead dogs. But they will walk to heel off the lead and love to run (luckily we live near dartmoor). As someone else has said they need somewhere were they can just run and run and run (fields are good!).

Be warned they are natural retreivers and can bring you 'presents'. Our dog is rather good at this and has so far brought us:

*Baby deer
*Pheasant
*Rook
*Eggs
*Stoat (this thought back and hurt)
*Badger (this scarred him)
*Adder (This put him in the vets for a week, thank god for pet insurance!!)

BUT he never ever damages or hurts them as springers have very soft mouths (their bred to bring back phesants in perfect condition).

One thing with springers is you may struggle to keep them off furniture. We have got around this by letting them have the old sofa in the conservatory to sleep on. They know they arn't allowed on anything else, and they keep to this. Even the vet admitted to us that training a springer to keep off the sofa is a huge challenge.

Someone mentioned about crating, we've never done this and had no problems. Neither have ever really chewed (other than the breif puppy stage) but our !!!!! is very broody and pinches things to take to her 'nest' (under dining room table). She'll take EVERYTHING, but doesnt damage them.

I think springers are great and also brill with kids so Id say go for it

ryandj

Springer spaniels are brilliant dogs, incredibly clever, gentle, fun, good with kids, harmless, but also can be incredibly loopy (in a fun way I think!).

We have always had spaniels in our family, first a springer spaniel Gemma who was great. She was house trained almost immediately, and when i was a child growing up she used to let me ride around on her like a horse! She never bit, snapped at anyone or anything. We used to leave her outside in the garden all day when we were out and she never ran away, she would just stay at home, sitting in the drive waiting for us to come home! She survived getting hit by a tractor, and lived to quite an old age but lost her sight, and her bladder control, towards the end.

We had a cocker spaniel as well, and then another springer spaniel, Russel. Now he is a bit different. Indoors he is incredibly obedient, will sit and wait forever, do whatever he is told, but outdoors is a different matter, there are too many distractions for him and he runs around chasing shadows, picking fruit off trees and bramble bushes and just generally racing about. He is harmless (apart from to the plants) but just hard to control outdoors. Also he has a thing for chasing and barking at shadows. We later found out his father was an expert in haring where he would be used to follow hares by torchlight, hence the genetic propensity to chase shadows and flash lights. It would be useful as a working dog, but not in a pet.

Both dogs were and are incredibly affectionate, loyal, loving, harmless and great for family pets, but I think springers can be a bit nutty!

ZootHornRollo

i reckon they are the most fun breed of dog due to their happy, upbeat natures. tho they do have boundless energy. You can take 'em out and give them as much exercise as you can take and it will never be too much for them. You get them home, they pass out. You sit down then get up to make a coffee and they will be at the door wanting out for more.

incredibly tollerent of kids. can't really think of any downsides to a spaniel except their need for exercise, both physical and mental. they need mental stimulation (training and/or a job to do), you can't keep them in the house all day.

vwcampervan72

You cant beat Springers

We had one Bonnie got her when she was 7 1/2 weeks old and had to have her put to sleep May 13th 07 aged 15 1/2 (dreading the 1 yr anniversary as im crying my heart out typing this out) she was an awesome dog, had DD when Bonnie was 1 yr old and they got on FAB dd used to use her as a cuddly and they were inseperable, amazing dogs,

Got another one Tess, when Bonnie was 8 and they got on fab aswell Tess misses Bonnie all the time, shes another amazing dog, and i'll be lost when she leaves me

When we eventually retire we'd said we'll have 2 puppies at the same time.

yes they are hard work we used to sometimes take ours up the Malverns and they can walk all day and still keep going, we trained Bonnie to hold an egg in her mouth and she never once cracked it bless her, very soft dogs the pleasure they give you is second to none, very loyal dogs.

So go for it