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All you spring spaniel owners - would you get a springer again? what are the pros and cons?
We are looking at potentially getting 2 pups in early may and looking for any reason why not to get them.
We have looked a GSP but decided not to progress down that line. We prefer springers
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'Labradors are born half-trained, Spaniels die half-trained'
'Inside every well trained Spaniel is an idiot trying to get out'
^^ Kinda sums up the breed as a whole
I can't remember who it was on here that said it, but I think someone's trainer recently got a Springer because she reckoned you couldn't call yourself a Dog Trainer until you had trained a Springer
Springers are lovely, happy dogs, they love people and always have a waggy tail for you. However due to their love of company they can suffer from extreme seperation anxiety, and I wouldn't say are suited to a household where they are likely to be alone for a long time.
Teaching them to be alone from the start is very important, otherwise they will eat your house!!
Springers are never happier than when they are bramble bashing and as such can suffer from deafness when their nose takes over, so lots of work on recall is essential.
They are very high energy, they literally will not stop as long as you keep going.
Mine would run himself to death if allowed. But as long as he gets enough good runs everyday he is as quiet as a lamb in the house - skip a walk here and there and I end up with a raving loony - he jumps onto the kitchen worktops, jumps out the garden, steals things, does wall of death around the sitting room, hurdles the sofa, etc etc
Personally I think when getting ANY breed it is really important to understand what they have been bred for generations to do. That way you begin to understand the behaviour they exhibit and how best to harness it. Springers are bred to be tough dogs, they have to hit cover hard and keep going through the thickest bits. It means they can be hard headed. Not sure if you plan on working them, but I think even if you don't, looking into Gundog training is definately worthwhile.
I wouldn't advise getting two springer puppies at the same time.
Because Springers are full of energy, fearless and suffer from selective deafness, unless you plan on putting a lot of work into taking them out seperately and training them you could end up with a lot of problems.
Personally I prefer a gap of at least a year, preferably 2 years between my dogs, mainly because I am a lazy sod and would end up with two tearaways!
No matter what dogs I end up with, I will always have a Springer. I love the breed, but then my sanity has been questioned for some time now:
Henmeister, get advice thank you maybe we'll only get one!
My OH and I are hyper active loonies too
so maybe a spaniel would be perfect for us.
We are looking to do agility and some basic gundog work. I run, so would want a dog to run with me when it is old enough. Runs are anything up to 2.5 hrs.
MM I have to agree with Hen, 2 pups at once might be a bit much to deal with. Obviously dont know your personal circumstance but you will need to put a lot of time in with each one separately. I have had 2 springers so far, just lost Soph after 11 fantastic years and have already chosen a new ESS to fill the gap she left. I have had a labrador, a goldie and a boxer in the past. We do have an IWS as well but could not be without a springer now, they are the most fantastic, happy dogs with great personality. Mine are pets only but they are bred to work and even in a pet home you can see their instinct to work. They are not the ideal dog for everyone but in the right hands they are just the best. Good luck with your search for a pup, there are a lot of really helpful folk on here if you need help and advice.