Springer Spaniels *Update post 22. She's home!

[weixiao]

My dog search continues. I’m still looking around and narrowing down what I’m really looking for and waiting for the “right dog at the right time” sort of thing. Last night through a friend I found out about a springer spaniel looking for a home. She is 7/8mo old (my friend couldn’t’ remember the exact birth date, so it may have ticked over to 8, but the owners have her papers etc so they know for sure), has quite good start on obedience training and is apparently a really sweet well adjusted dog but due to the owner’s change in circumstance needs a new home with someone more active than they are now able to be. I have no experience with springer spaniels and don’t know anyone who has one. I’ve read a lot, but I’m curious to get some more first had accounts! The appeal is that they seem to be great family dogs, trainable, and up for physical activity and adventure (I want a dog that can go hiking/to the farm/maybe running (depending how annoying it actually is to run with a dog and the distance I’m running) etc.

My concerns are: all that hair. Are they crazy shedders? Is it manageable with regular grooming? I’ve read mixed things. How much of a prey drive do they have for small animals? It is helped by the fact that this is a slightly older dog that can be cat tested (there are dog savvy cats at the barn) but I don’t know how much that might change and develop as they age? Anything else I should know?

[going_gray]

Growing up, my family owned and raised English Springer spaniels. My dad was a pheasant hunter and used our dogs to flush and retrieve birds he shot. Our dogs were pets and absolutely loved. They have wonderful, sweet personalities and crave human interaction. Our dogs were great with me and my siblings.

They loved our winter weather here in Michigan and would pull a sled or flying saucer with kids sitting in them. My dad used to take us sledding and our springer would come too. I remember once being at a small lake and my dad rowing us all out to a raft. We looked back and there was our springer swimming behind the boat. She didn’t want to be left behind on the shore! Such great memories associated with these dogs! (I have one old pix of me sitting in our front yard covered with springer spaniel puppies! I didn’t want to sell any of them but, alas, my dad found homes for all of them. So much fun to have had these litters.)

Yes, they do shed but regular brushing helps a lot. Getting a summer trim can help too. These dogs are bred to be hunters so we never left ours unleashed or loose. They will go off on their own if loose. We had a dog pen for summer and kept them in the house for the winter. I would be very careful with them around cats as our one dog killed a cat but she had gotten scratched and retaliated with a bite and a shake. We never had cats until after these dogs were gone. I expect this is more of an individual dog situation, though.

My brother has had Brittany spaniels and they are delightful dogs too. Smaller than springers but wonderful hunters and great family dogs too. I think less hair as well.

I would check out the Horse and Hound website and go to their forum on dogs. Do a search on springers. There are so many people in England and Scotland who have springers and talk about them in various threads. I love reading the posts about one of my favorite dog breeds. My DH and I have border collies and I love reading the posts on these dogs too. Good luck as you make your decisions! (So glad you started this post! Loved thinking about our family pets again.)

[S1969]

I don’t have Springers but have Brittanys and know a few people with Springers.

Yes, they shed. Bathing and blowing out loose hair is the best thing I’ve found - it doesn’t keep them from shedding but it does eliminate loose hair faster. Trimming will make their coat shorter and more manageable - e.g. feathering and ears - but won’t make it shed less. But people who tend to groom their dogs do tend to keep ahead of the shedding better.

They would make a good hiking or running partner if you train them and work up to it. I personally find it hard to run with my Brittanys because they are just too fast for me, and I haven’t trained them to pace with me but it is possible and a lot of people do it. Just start slow because they should not be compelled to run until full grown. You can ask your vet about safe distances/surfaces at different ages.

As for off leash running - mine are all trained on e-collars and are very reliable. With good training you should be able to trust a Springer off leash - maybe not everywhere, but in controlled environments for sure.

Breeding matters, not just breed. Hopefully the breeding was a good one and the temperament is stable and cheerful, as they are supposed to be. Well bred Springers are great dogs.

[GoodTimes]

I’ve personally never owned a springer, but I’ve encountered a lot of them hunting. Most have been very friendly and obedient.
I disagree with the above poster who mentioned that they weren’t reliable off leash because of the hunting. That’s actually totally backwards for a good bird dog. While you may need an e-collar or a whistle if they’re wound up and out hunting, around home they should listen well enough to be off-leash.
The ones I’ve met have been fairly comparable to a working Labrador or similar retriever, not quite as high drive as many of the setters and pointers out there.

A lot of the temperament, energy level, and obedience depends on the breeding though. A dog from conformation lines will be very different from a dog bred from working lines.

If you’re interested then it’s probably worth going and meeting the dog.

My last few dogs have been rescues that kind of fell into my lap. I’d like to have another hunting partner though, so my next dog has been narrowed down to a lab, springer spaniel, or a blue Picardy spaniel. Current dog is only five so I haven’t spent a ton of time researching breeders and lines yet.

[S1969]

@GoodTimes

I disagree with the above poster who mentioned that they weren’t reliable off leash because of the hunting. That’s actually totally backwards for a good bird dog. While you may need an e-collar or a whistle if they’re wound up and out hunting, around home they should listen well enough to be off-leash.

My dogs are always hunting if they are off leash; in their mind there is nothing else but hunting or “in the yard” and even that is usually a hunting event as well. I suppose it depends on where you run but mine are running in fields, woods and underbrush, so we may (and often do) encounter game. I also tend to run 3 at once so I like to have backup. I personally think it’s a good idea to use an e-collar for off lead running unless we’re in competition. Obviously if you’re competing you can’t use it so you need to practice mixing that up. In that case I never do that with 3 at the same time. It’s not really a matter of “understanding” - obviously they know the command or we wouldn’t use a collar. It’s a matter of compliance.

[weixiao]

Thanks for the input, guys! I’m going to try and arrange to meet her. She seems like a really great dog. The timing isn’t perfect, but it never is I suppose! haha She is about 2 hours away from me so just need to figure out coordinating the meet. The community I live in has a “dog grooming” station and it has a wash station and a blow dryer, so hopefully that and brushing (and trimming and going to the groomer) and regular vacuuming etc can keep things under control. I don’t mind some shedding, I just don’t want my house constantly covered in hair despite all efforts like my friend who has yellow labs haha She is field bred rather than show bred, so slightly less dramatic hair which helps as well, I think/hope.

[Foxtrot_s]

Retrieving dogs are usually the ultimate family dog, happy, kind, level. All breeds need someone to give them time
and there’s no perfect dog with perfect temperament, genes, and all desirable characteristics…Some people love the collie/herding breeds - they are far too intense for me…give me my dumb Boxer any day.

Like 1969 says - it is a matter of compliance than lack of intelligence, in my book.

Meh - what’s a bit of dog hair with you have love and loyalty in return.

[GoodTimes]

@S1969

My dogs are always hunting if they are off leash; in their mind there is nothing else but hunting or “in the yard” and even that is usually a hunting event as well. I suppose it depends on where you run but mine are running in fields, woods and underbrush, so we may (and often do) encounter game. I also tend to run 3 at once so I like to have backup. I personally think it’s a good idea to use an e-collar for off lead running unless we’re in competition. Obviously if you’re competing you can’t use it so you need to practice mixing that up. In that case I never do that with 3 at the same time. It’s not really a matter of “understanding” - obviously they know the command or we wouldn’t use a collar. It’s a matter of compliance.

Sorry, I wasn’t trying to start anything. I just wanted to point out to the OP that lots of bird dogs can safely be off leash. I also use an e-collar as back up when hunting, but I also don’t need a fenced yard. They don’t wander, and they don’t chase, and one whistle stops them in their tracks.

Now, my uncle still uses dogs for deer hunting. Those dogs are on leash unless they’re hunting, and when they are hunting they wear e-collars and GPS collars.

[S1969]

@GoodTimes

Sorry, I wasn’t trying to start anything. I just wanted to point out to the OP that lots of bird dogs can safely be off leash. I also use an e-collar as back up when hunting, but I also don’t need a fenced yard. They don’t wander, and they don’t chase, and one whistle stops them in their tracks.

Now, my uncle still uses dogs for deer hunting. Those dogs are on leash unless they’re hunting, and when they are hunting they wear e-collars and GPS collars.

I didn’t take it as you trying to start anything. It’s important that people realize that some hunting dogs are never “off.” That’s not a bad thing, but if someone expects them to be 100% reliable off leash (not under direct supervision) they might regret their choice. My first Brittany was 100% reliable, and my 2nd one stayed with him most of the time. We thought we were awesome trainers and didn’t fence our yard until Brittany #3…who also required us to stop up any gap larger then 3" under the fence, around gates, etc. LOL. Brittanys #3 and #5 have made us realize that #1 was truly exceptional and we were lured into a false sense of security I remember taking him off a leash to play in a parking lot at a dog show and other people nearly died. I distinctly recall thinking “geez, maybe you should consider training your dogs.” Hah. Boy I eat those words often…I would never do that with either of my two males.

I know there are a lot of dogs that can be in the yard without a fence, or running open fields without a backup, but I would never tell people to expect that level of compliance/reliability in my breed, and Springers are quite similar. A lot of that is temperament which is hereditary. Better to err on the side of caution and then be thankful if you get lucky.

[GoodTimes]

@S1969

I didn’t take it as you trying to start anything. It’s important that people realize that some hunting dogs are never “off.” That’s not a bad thing, but if someone expects them to be 100% reliable off leash (not under direct supervision) they might regret their choice. My first Brittany was 100% reliable, and my 2nd one stayed with him most of the time. We thought we were awesome trainers and didn’t fence our yard until Brittany #3…who also required us to stop up any gap larger then 3" under the fence, around gates, etc. LOL. Brittanys #3 and #5 have made us realize that #1 was truly exceptional and we were lured into a false sense of security I remember taking him off a leash to play in a parking lot at a dog show and other people nearly died. I distinctly recall thinking “geez, maybe you should consider training your dogs.” Hah. Boy I eat those words often…I would never do that with either of my two males.

I know there are a lot of dogs that can be in the yard without a fence, or running open fields without a backup, but I would never tell people to expect that level of compliance/reliability in my breed, and Springers are quite similar. A lot of that is temperament which is hereditary. Better to err on the side of caution and then be thankful if you get lucky.

You bring up another great point actually. Gender.
I tend to avoid this stereotype because every dog is an individual. And neither is necessarily better. But I’ve personally never owned a male. I find that once the females have their basic training down that they work with me, they aren’t getting distracted or deciding that they know better. They also don’t stray as far from home or their people. I had one female though where that was a bad thing, it was hard getting her to swim out to ducks if she felt they were “too far”.

The best upland dog I ever hunted with was a male wire hair. He belonged to my grandfather who had slowed down quite a bit, the dog unfortunately outlived him. Anyway that dog would hold a point all day, and could work a grid in his sleep.
He wasn’t super reliable off leash until he was 3 or 4. Mind you, he was fixed. We kept in touch with the breeder and ran into him at a few trials. He kept a different male from the same litter for breeding, and yup that dog was always on.

I hunt with a woman who has springers. Her male is 6 now and is pretty reliable. Her female is 2 and has been rock solid off leash since she was 6 months. A rabbit ran by during our last hunt and she didn’t even change her pace.

[Callista17]

Ear infection central!

My Grandma had one that would scale her chainlink fence in 5 seconds flat and run the neighborhood. She was constantly trying to discourage her, which didn’t phase “Happy” at all.

[Irish_Ei_s]

Fabulous dogs. Yup, keep those ears immaculate.
Yup, they shed, sporting dogs tend to blow their coats in the spring.

But sporting dogs live to obey. If she has strong bird instincts, she will track, then halt and point.
This is also trainable to your needs.
You can decide how far ahead she gets before she looks back to you for instruction.

My poodle mix tracks, but he`s now conditioned to 25 feet, the length of his retractible leash.

I had spaniels as a kid, then an English Setter and Weimariner together.
How I miss my upland Sporting boys.

[MsM]

Please be sure she has good breeding. Around here there were severe temperament problems among backyard bred or puppy mill Springers. They tended to be fine as puppies and youngsters but then become unpredictable or aggressive when older. I’m sure lack of training, exercise, and structure often played a role, but I do know of a couple that were treated appropriately and still developed issues.

[chestnutmarebeware]

@MsM

Please be sure she has good breeding. Around here there were severe temperament problems among backyard bred or puppy mill Springers. They tended to be fine as puppies and youngsters but then become unpredictable or aggressive when older. I’m sure lack of training, exercise, and structure often played a role, but I do know of a couple that were treated appropriately and still developed issues.

Great advice—google “springer rage”. I understand it’s now believed to be caused by partial seizures, which can usually be controlled by medication, but an honest look into her breeding would be critical.

[Magicboy]

I have a friend whose 4 year old springer suddenly attacked their baby and was then pts. I thought the whole springer rage thing was an urban myth. So it is attached to certain breeding lines?

[chestnutmarebeware]

I haven’t has a chance to go back and do more research, but if I remember correctly, it absolutely seems to have a hereditary component. Problem is, most breeders are loathe to admit it’s in their lines.

It’s also documented in English cockers, but more so in solid colors than broken ones (or it could be the other way around). Definitely not an urban myth—it’s a known medical issue in these breeds, and probably others.

[S1969]

Springer rage is a real thing but it’s not common. As I said above, breeding matters and whenever possible I would choose a breeder rather than a rescue so you have more background. But I wouldn’t avoid considering a seemingly well-adjusted 7-8 month old just because you can’t definitively rule it out. You can’t rule out a lot of things, even when you know the breeding history.

[Irish_Ei_s]

Update pl3ase ??

[weixiao]

Still arranging a meet and greet. We are a bit of distance apart so it’s been harder to schedule than we hoped. It’ll either be this Saturday or the following weekend. I’ll keep you guys posted! Thank you so much for all the information!

ETA: I do know her breeding and from what I’ve researched now on some Springer forums I found we should be ok there

[Foxtrot_s]

Watching the coverage of George HW Bush this morning - many shots of their dog - a Springer Spaniel.

There you go - glad to help.