Any Springer Spaniel Owners out there?
Discussion
Hi,
We are thinking about getting a dog and wondered if anyone had any experience of Springer Spaniels. Do they make good pets? Do they get on ok with cats if introduced when puppies? We've heard they have a lot of energy, are they going to eat our house?
Is there anything we should be looking out for?
Thanks in advance.
Chris
We are thinking about getting a dog and wondered if anyone had any experience of Springer Spaniels. Do they make good pets? Do they get on ok with cats if introduced when puppies? We've heard they have a lot of energy, are they going to eat our house?
Is there anything we should be looking out for?
Thanks in advance.
Chris
My family have always had Springer Spaniels and they're great pets, but require a lot of exercise!
Which type are you looking at? I know that there are the English (more of a show dog, stockier with shorter snout), Welsh (more of a work dog,thinner with longer snount)and possibly a few others.
Ours have always lived with cats, and have got on absolutely fine, in fact we believe that one of our Spaniels believed he WAS a cat because he took up stalking mice and birds in the garden
We have found them to be very lovable, fussy and loyal, however I believe it's important to train them properly from a young age because otherwise they can be a bit unruly.
They're fab dogs though, highly recommend them
Which type are you looking at? I know that there are the English (more of a show dog, stockier with shorter snout), Welsh (more of a work dog,thinner with longer snount)and possibly a few others.
Ours have always lived with cats, and have got on absolutely fine, in fact we believe that one of our Spaniels believed he WAS a cat because he took up stalking mice and birds in the garden
We have found them to be very lovable, fussy and loyal, however I believe it's important to train them properly from a young age because otherwise they can be a bit unruly.
They're fab dogs though, highly recommend them
Chris,
We have a now 7year old Springer at home.
have owned her since she was a pup (approx 12weeks old).
She has never got on with our cat - the cat is older and doesnt really like being fussed too much so this is probably the main reason. The dog always wants to play, but the cat isnt so keen on playing and most of the time runs off/hisses at the dog..
They are very excitable dogs, even 7years on she enjoys around 3mile walk in morning and 5/6/7/8 mile walk in the evening plus being out in the garden (approx. an acre) throughout the day. All in all they are very good dogs, she has been great around kids/children/adults a like despite getting a little excited occasionally. She never snaps, and only really bites when playing, but never enough to hurt at all.
It is worth ensuring that you train them early on and well - uncontrolable springers are a pain in the arse at the best of times.
Springers are fairly flexible and are happy living both inside or out in a kennel as a working dog - ours does both.. She works but spends evenings inside and usually ends up falling asleep on a floor somewhere quiet happily.
She is fed on Skinners Field and Trial maintenance dry mix once a day (1.5 scoops) and is perfectly healthy with it. She also gets a bonio treat and dental treat once a day. Occasionally she will get some cat food on her dry food as she has developed an obsession with whiskers recently..!
I would recommend getting a registered (KC) dog and be sure to check parents to look over for hip problem history etc
All in all i would highly recommend - Fantastic dogs, loving, relatively trust worthy and very playful.
Only pic i have on PC:
Not sure if any of the above really helps, but hopefully it will a little
Mike
We have a now 7year old Springer at home.
have owned her since she was a pup (approx 12weeks old).
She has never got on with our cat - the cat is older and doesnt really like being fussed too much so this is probably the main reason. The dog always wants to play, but the cat isnt so keen on playing and most of the time runs off/hisses at the dog..
They are very excitable dogs, even 7years on she enjoys around 3mile walk in morning and 5/6/7/8 mile walk in the evening plus being out in the garden (approx. an acre) throughout the day. All in all they are very good dogs, she has been great around kids/children/adults a like despite getting a little excited occasionally. She never snaps, and only really bites when playing, but never enough to hurt at all.
It is worth ensuring that you train them early on and well - uncontrolable springers are a pain in the arse at the best of times.
Springers are fairly flexible and are happy living both inside or out in a kennel as a working dog - ours does both.. She works but spends evenings inside and usually ends up falling asleep on a floor somewhere quiet happily.
She is fed on Skinners Field and Trial maintenance dry mix once a day (1.5 scoops) and is perfectly healthy with it. She also gets a bonio treat and dental treat once a day. Occasionally she will get some cat food on her dry food as she has developed an obsession with whiskers recently..!
I would recommend getting a registered (KC) dog and be sure to check parents to look over for hip problem history etc
All in all i would highly recommend - Fantastic dogs, loving, relatively trust worthy and very playful.
Only pic i have on PC:
Not sure if any of the above really helps, but hopefully it will a little
Mike
Edited by iggletiggle on Friday 4th June 10:00
I had a Springer Spaniel and couldn't understand warnings of them being 'mental' until I had her. She was a beautiful dog but so much energy and just permantly wappy. We would walk her 2/3 times a day and she would still have more and more energy. She did train well but we took her to a proper spaniel school. And they do not sit still ever!
Sadly when I got divorced neither of us could keep her with work so we rehomed her to a couple who already had two and spent most of their days walking them.
Evo
Sadly when I got divorced neither of us could keep her with work so we rehomed her to a couple who already had two and spent most of their days walking them.
Evo
Thanks everyone. They seem to be a good option for pets, all of our existing cats are playful and v friendly so fingers crossed they would get on. We are fairly active too so exercise wouldnt be a problem, and while im no cesar milan we would be getting a pup so would be able to be trained from the first instance.
The pups we might go and see are English Springer Spaniels i think and i believe the parents are more working than show dogs. We would not be showing or anything like that.
Thanks for the replies!
The pups we might go and see are English Springer Spaniels i think and i believe the parents are more working than show dogs. We would not be showing or anything like that.
Thanks for the replies!
Not owned one bur see plenty. Exercise a must and not just a half hr walk around the park with a big walk at the weekend. These dogs can easily do several miles each day.
They are prone to bad ears, keep well groomed, find a groomers that will do a decent job and not just shave your dog! but they should be able to help keep ears tidy, either that or learn to do it yourself.
They can take a bit of time with trsining but peserverance should win through.
They are prone to bad ears, keep well groomed, find a groomers that will do a decent job and not just shave your dog! but they should be able to help keep ears tidy, either that or learn to do it yourself.
They can take a bit of time with trsining but peserverance should win through.
We have one. She is now about 3 1/2 years old. Gets on well with the cat and adores being with our 3 kids.
Wouldn't have any other sort of dog TBH due to her temperament.
Soppy. Playful. Loving. Protective. Gentle. Full of energy and needs constant attention, but worth it.
The complete package as far as being a family pet.
ETA: She also goes in the bin at night, has a taste for wallpaper until we sprayed it with special horrible tasting spray and likes to try and escape from the garden when younger to go on 'adventures'.
On walks she can be trusted to stay with us until she sees a squirrel, then nature kicks in and she's gone. No amount of calling or shouting will bring her back until she has lost the chase. Be warned!
Wouldn't have any other sort of dog TBH due to her temperament.
Soppy. Playful. Loving. Protective. Gentle. Full of energy and needs constant attention, but worth it.
The complete package as far as being a family pet.
ETA: She also goes in the bin at night, has a taste for wallpaper until we sprayed it with special horrible tasting spray and likes to try and escape from the garden when younger to go on 'adventures'.
On walks she can be trusted to stay with us until she sees a squirrel, then nature kicks in and she's gone. No amount of calling or shouting will bring her back until she has lost the chase. Be warned!
Edited by Cara van Man on Friday 4th June 10:55
Our pup is now 4 months old and is utterly unhinged! He is great fun, of wonderful temperament and is always delighted to see you. He gets 1.5 miles in the morning, about a mile during the day and 2.5 miles at night. Even then he is prone to a mad half hour in the garden.
The down side is that he chews everything in sight, although this is getting better daily, he tends to jump at everything and he has teeth that could cut steel.
It took a lot of persuasion from the family for me to get a dog but I wouldn't be without him now.
The down side is that he chews everything in sight, although this is getting better daily, he tends to jump at everything and he has teeth that could cut steel.
It took a lot of persuasion from the family for me to get a dog but I wouldn't be without him now.
We had one when I was growing up. He was as mad as a hatter but lovely natured and good fun.
Definitely true about the walking. I used to take him for long walks most days, he'd always run many times as far as I would walk, up and down hills and never EVER get tired. Never chewed stuff and usually got on well with other animals. He was a very good swimmer too.
He was mad about fetching things too. He would chase chippings from a chain saw, cricket balls, branches out of the river. Anything. Then run round in a circle with it and stop to chew it. Ours never chewed stuff like shoes, or anything important.
We had a big garden and used to give him the run of that all day. Couped up in the house he would have been miserable and possibly destructive.
Definitely true about the walking. I used to take him for long walks most days, he'd always run many times as far as I would walk, up and down hills and never EVER get tired. Never chewed stuff and usually got on well with other animals. He was a very good swimmer too.
He was mad about fetching things too. He would chase chippings from a chain saw, cricket balls, branches out of the river. Anything. Then run round in a circle with it and stop to chew it. Ours never chewed stuff like shoes, or anything important.
We had a big garden and used to give him the run of that all day. Couped up in the house he would have been miserable and possibly destructive.
Road2Ruin said:
Cut it's nuts off that calms them down a bit.
Didn't work with my year old Sprocker!! Hasn't calmed him down one bit.Agree with everything posted so far, especially the bit about nature kicking in on seeing a "prey" animal. Although we've trained ours pretty well, if he sees a pheasant, or any bird for that matter, he's gone. Nothing will get him back. Not even his whistle (which under normal circumstances he'll respond to immediately).
He'll still be chasing it until it's 50ft in the air. Stupid animal!
Not sure how the Cocker element in his genes differs him from a pure Springer, but all I can say is his temperament is absolutely perfect for a family pet . . . oh and since he was about 6 months old I've discovered why they're called "Springers" - when he's "working", ie if he's looking for birds, every third or fourth stride, he'll literally "spring" vertically in the air, all four feet simultaneously off the ground. Absolutely hilarious to watch!!!
dangerousB said:
Road2Ruin said:
Cut it's nuts off that calms them down a bit.
Didn't work with my year old Sprocker!! Hasn't calmed him down one bit.Agree with everything posted so far, especially the bit about nature kicking in on seeing a "prey" animal. Although we've trained ours pretty well, if he sees a pheasant, or any bird for that matter, he's gone. Nothing will get him back. Not even his whistle (which under normal circumstances he'll respond to immediately).
He'll still be chasing it until it's 50ft in the air. Stupid animal!
Not sure how the Cocker element in his genes differs him from a pure Springer, but all I can say is his temperament is absolutely perfect for a family pet . . . oh and since he was about 6 months old I've discovered why they're called "Springers" - when he's "working", ie if he's looking for birds, every third or fourth stride, he'll literally "spring" vertically in the air, all four feet simultaneously off the ground. Absolutely hilarious to watch!!!
Ours calmed a bit after we had her 'done'. She still has mad moments.
Cara van Man said:
Ours does this. Funny when in long grass and she disappears.....it's almost like a dolphin jumping out of water.
I can only assume it's to try and get a better view, but ours'll still do it in a perfectly flat field. I've never seen any other breed do it.Like you say though, in long grass it has me in stitches . . . he must get a good couple of feet off the deck!
Girlfriend has one, it's bonkers and although she's quite old now she's still full of energy. We take her to Beacon Fell regularly and she can literally spend hours diving into the pond there to retrieve her ball. When we get tired of throwing it in for her she'll drop it from the top of the embankment where it'll bounce into the pond... at which point she goes bounding after it again.
She also likes to steal shoes and bury them outside in the garden. Oh, and she has a knack of sniffing out chocolate regardless of where it's hidden.
ETA: Her reaction to frogs is rather amusing... when the frog hops, she'll 'hop' (sort of tries to mimic it)
She also likes to steal shoes and bury them outside in the garden. Oh, and she has a knack of sniffing out chocolate regardless of where it's hidden.
ETA: Her reaction to frogs is rather amusing... when the frog hops, she'll 'hop' (sort of tries to mimic it)
Edited by Oakey on Friday 4th June 12:12
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