Springer Spaniels

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DiNozzo

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We already have a 9 year old Yorkshire Terrier, and have seen an advert (rescue) for 2 14 month old Springers.

We (I mostly) would like another dog after our other Yorkie had to be PTS (blindness and kidney issues).

Family have raised valid issues around time and money, so having never had a dog this big before- how much do they eat and roughly how much does it cost to feed two?

I know their very active busy dogs, but currently the Yorkie is walked for a good hour and half in the morning, and then two short walks during the afternoon/evening.

There will also be someone home most of the day during the week and the weekends so won't be left alone for more than 5 hours.

How much more exercise will they need?

Do you think its madness?
 
I think it is madness if you take on both! I know not everyone agrees but 2 springers are born hunting buddies and they will be much, much harder to do anything with. One, go for it, your exercise sounds fine, a bit of brain work helps them too - hide the ball for them and so on.. :-)
 
Clodagh said:
I think it is madness if you take on both! I know not everyone agrees but 2 springers are born hunting buddies and they will be much, much harder to do anything with. One, go for it, your exercise sounds fine, a bit of brain work helps them too - hide the ball for them and so on.. :-)
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I think that's why their up for rescue! Apparently their twins that were born in the sack and are not happy living apart :(
 
My springer would be fine on that level of exercise, most days she gets an hour twice a day, some days once rarely not at all. She and my beagle have access to the garden all day should they want it.
Two together also means they play and occupy each other
I feed mine twice what I feed my beagle who is virtually the same weight. She is raw fed and gets 450g a day. I think she is unusual though as she is naturally lean
From what you say they would be fine, but,

Having two that close in age would worry me and presumably these are litter mates so would be hard to get them to focus on you not each other


They are busy dogs with busy brains, you might need to think about signing up for some sort of training

Would your yorkie cope with two large bouncy adolescents suddenly moving in?
 
My Springer is crazy! He can work all day on the local shoot and still be up for a walk when I get home. He is loveable and cuddle and a lovely pet though.

Like Clodagh says, the chances are these two are bonded and will be very difficult to work with, you will have to separate them to train them. They will possibly be too much for the yorkie too. If you like the idea of a rescue spaniel have a look at Spaniel Aid. A cocker may be a better fit for you.

He is small and skinny, 18kg but eats more than my Labrador.
 
Roxylola said:
My springer would be fine on that level of exercise, most days she gets an hour twice a day, some days once rarely not at all. She and my beagle have access to the garden all day should they want it.
Two together also means they play and occupy each other
I feed mine twice what I feed my beagle who is virtually the same weight. She is raw fed and gets 450g a day. I think she is unusual though as she is naturally lean
From what you say they would be fine, but,

Having two that close in age would worry me and presumably these are litter mates so would be hard to get them to focus on you not each other


They are busy dogs with busy brains, you might need to think about signing up for some sort of training

Would your yorkie cope with two large bouncy adolescents suddenly moving in?
Click to expand...


Yes they are twins- not sure about the yorkie, although his joie d'etre is being bouncy and playing, not sure if he would cope with dogs, but don't want to get to introductions in case its madness!
 
DiNozzo said:
I think that's why their up for rescue! Apparently their twins that were born in the sack and are not happy living apart :(
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They could learn to live apart, but it would take time. I never understand why rescues/fosters don't insist on it. If you had both you would need to walk/train them apart, do you have a second person who will help?
 
Clodagh said:
I think it is madness if you take on both! I know not everyone agrees but 2 springers are born hunting buddies and they will be much, much harder to do anything with. One, go for it, your exercise sounds fine, a bit of brain work helps them too - hide the ball for them and so on.. :-)
Click to expand...

This.
 
We have lots of Springers, working bred, and ours don't need a lot of exercise. They are mostly asleep in the kitchen :)

Feed wise, the bitches have one mug of Skinners biscuits and the dogs get two a day.
 
I was offered two Springers a few weeks ago from Just Springers, wonder if it same ones. I said no as I was looking for one dog to be with my old lad, thought two would be far too much for both of us !
 
Are the dogs currently used to being left for up to the five hours that you mention? Yes, they may have each other (plus Yorkie) but sometimes it is the human presence they require. Also, moving house is likely to unsettle them to some degree so previous good behaviours may go out of the window....you should be prepared to give them time to settle and be aware that you may not see the 'real' dogs behaviour/personality-wise for six weeks or more, depending on how long it takes them to become confident in their new surroundings and with their new management.
 
Thanks everyone!

We will probably not go forward with this- we have 'just enough' time for them which isn't really fair if anything goes wrong, or changes.

Gunnerdog, yes my daughter and husband will be around so they would only be left for a maximum of two hours now, and then when my daughter moves to London for her internship in a couple of months that would increase to around 5 hours.
 
Is this the pair that they're struggling to re-home because the adoption fee requires a second mortgage?

If it is, they seem (at first glance) to be a couple of steady dogs but reading between the lines, they may have some dependency / separation issues as they're so obviously bonded with each other. This is not necessarily a bad thing but would need to be handled very carefully.

Not all springers are bonkers idiots. Mine are as lazy as they come but you may want to take into account size difference between a springer and a yorkie. Most adult springers weigh in at 20+ kg and could unintentionally hurt a small yorkie with their over exuberance.
 
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