Springer pup!

Hormonal Filly

Hormonal Filly

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We have been offered a pup from a gorgeous litter of working springers locally! Ace working pedigree, heath tested and a gorgeous bitch pup left. They haven't advertised and have sold them all already bar one.

We already have 2 dogs, both work during the shooting season. My entire male cocker whos 2 and my other half has a spayed labrador. Shes 6 but has hip dysplasia so not sure how much she'll be able to do in the future work wise. Puppy will mainly be my boyfriends to train to work etc, but i'll do the caring part during the day while hes at work but she is trained to a nice standard.
I am fortune to work 2 miles down the road, going home every lunch time for a hour and they're only left a few hours during the day on their own.

Only thing I'm worried about is the fact its a bitch, during her seasons they'd have to be kept in separate rooms but not sure how my male cocker would take that mind hes not shown any interest in bitches yet. I don't want to get him neutered and boyfriend wants another bitch. We live in a small cottage. Pup would live a nice life with boyfriend owning a farm, living on site with the horses etc so thats not a issue.

Whats the difference in owning 3, rather than 2? I'd put a pic but your all say go for it, as shes so cute!
Is it the right time? His lab is 6 and thinking she could help train the pup with her traits.
 
*ahem*. pictures straight away! I cannot possibly be made to wait!

the difference between 2 or 3 depends largely on the dogs themselves and how they settle but its not huge if they all get on.

personally id make sure the new bitch is crate trained from the word go. Then when she's in season it'll be easy to stop your entire make getting to her.

yes the older lab should be a useful guide for the pub. and what fun you'll have! I'm well jel!!!!
 
We kept entire dogs and bitches together and yes it is a bloody nuisance for a few days twice a year with the dog howling and not eating but they soon get over it. Many people will tell you it will end up with a pregnancy but it really doesn't have to, as long as you are on the ball and vigilant (and we never left the dogs with anyone else at danger times).

You should really get another labrador though, instead of a springer...(I know I am labrador biased!).
Does your OH want her primarily as a peg dog as I would say they don't tend to be as easy as a lab for that, although there are a lot in the line these days they all seem to need to be tied down!

Oh and 3 is a lot more than 2, bizarrely, but if dogs are what you 'do' then you will embrace it. We have four now and I have to say that is my limit, last month they all went to the vets and my credit card said ouch!
 
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Clodagh said:
Does your OH want her primarily as a peg dog as I would say they don't tend to be as easy as a lab for that, although there are a lot in the line these says they all seem to need to be tied down!
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Interesting, a friend said separate both for 3 weeks during a season?
Well.. OH was a lab bias until I got my spaniel and he met a few spaniels on shoots, a few peg dogs and wanted his next to be a spaniel. He runs his own pheasant shoot, so would like a spaniel from the keeper perspective, some picking up and occasionally sat on peg. I love the lab, but personally am a spaniel person. So much less hair from spaniels too.. the hair from the lab is crazy!

The breeder was keeping this bitch apparently, and has said if shes going to us he'll let her go but if not he'll keep her. I was unsure and then saw a photo.. oh so adorable.
 
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She is so lovely. We did get a spaniel for the dogging in and so on but just couldn't cope, so we have gone back to using the labs. I agree a spaniel would be a better all rounder and if you are a spaniel person then why is there any doubt! :-)

The bitch is only fertile for a few days, although I wouldn't leave them unattended together when she is in season as an inexperienced dog will pester her and she will tell him to bog off, she will only stand and conceive for a small window of that time, which is when you don't even have them together while you are there.
 
It's funny watching the dogs and bitches we have, the young collie dog is not interested in bitches when the old collie is- I think he feels his life is worth more than getting in on the action.
The old collie is only interested in the bitches for 2 to 3 days when they are fertile- he obviously does not feel there is any point wasting too much time on that sort of stuff but it's still very important.
The old spaniel just pees everywhere when bitches are at any stage in their season- this includes in the house😠 on occasions.
The bitches young and old all know the score and tell the boys to clear off unless they are ready.
They are all still worked together and walked together except when the bitches are standing and fertile but they are not unsupervised or kept together at all during a season. They are not worked with other people's dogs though as it can cause such disruption with unknown dogs.
My young pup has yet to come into season though so having to keep a watchful eye.
 
It really depends on the dog - my mum has obviously kept entire dogs and bitches together for years, I’m an expert at shutting doors (and it isn’t just for a couple of days!) but even with cavaliers (the softest breed you will get) some dogs do react really badly when there is a bitch in season. She had one of her boys castrated for that reason a couple of years ago and he is so much happier now 😊

I have to admit I just could not be bothered with it, but then I’ve had neutered dogs for 25 years now so I’m used to an easy life 😄
 
I'd always spay cos I'm petrified of pyo, dunno if that's something you'd consider?

She looks big: how many weeks is she?

Re a third dog, I'd say the older, less needy dog gets a lot less attention, something of which I was definitely guilty.

I don't think you can have a better dog, obviously I am massively biased, particularly after a guy stopped me mid-training in the park yesterday to tell me how fabulous my two are. 😍
 
2 to 3 is not the issue, its really not that different. Its all about the dynamics..not all bitches will accept another bitch even if its a pup. It may be okay for a while then go wrong. But if you have the space to separate them when needed it could work. I think when they have more to focus on than themselves and their own shit they get on better, so a real working home will be best. For the dog part, its all about vigilance and knowing when exactly she is coming in and out and keeping them also apart when you are not physically there just to be safe.
 
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