Talk to me about Springers..

F

flurryjuno

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 April 2013
Messages
379
Location
Co.Down
Visit site
Please! All being well one will eventually be added to the family, but want all the facts first! My dream dog so obviously that may be clouding my judgement a bit, but I feel like they're the dog for me. Grew up with spaniel/collie mixes so not completely shock however have a shihtzu at the minute who refuses to walk the length of herself so it will be a change! Heard a thing about the livers being different than the blacks, is that a myth? What do you feed yours on, what are they, whats your day to day routine etc etc. Thank you! :)
 
How much do you want to know because I could rattle on forever!! I'm slightly biased as well as springers are my breed of choice.

Anyway, there's supposed to be two distinct 'types' of springer within the breed, show bred and working bred. What you will actually find though is 'proper' working and show dogs then this other middling group, that belongs in neither category. Indiscriminate breeding has unfortunately created this anomaly within the breed.

Two out of my three I would say belong to this group. Bred along working lines but far too big and leggy to do a proper day's work in their life. Still gorgeous dogs though and they don't have to work so it's not a problem.

Springers are a ridiculously over bred breed, as any of the breed rescues around the country will tell you so if you are considering a springer, there will be plenty in rescue. You will also get the benefit (with a smaller breed rescue) of being matched to the right dog.

They're not as hard work as some people would have you believe. Yes, they do need regular and consistent exercise and stimulation but not for hours and hours at a time. We've just had a romp round the woods for just over an hour, dogs are fed and they're already curled up asleep. They won't shift now until last wee!!

B/W are no different no L/W apart from colour obviously lol. They all have their own individual personality traits and colour doesn't come into it.

1st picture is of Buddy who was a proper working type springer. Short, compact, not too deep in the chest and built to work all day.

2nd pic is Clyde who was a big chunk of a show bred springer and totally different. He had ears to die for!!

87815E67-40C3-4785-BABF-C6B910A64FCD-574-00000060F9346DE3.jpg


clyde.jpg
 
We have eight working springers, both colours, they are no different!

Fantastic dogs, not mad bouncy things as is often thought - they are happy to exercise as much or as little as you choose :)

I feed ours on raw food, just personal choice, but have found they work and keep their condition really well on this.

At the moment, the working season is over so I take them out for half an hours training/exercise a day - I don't work so I am at home most of the time - five live in the kitchen with our Rottweiler and the other three have access to the porch, and our property.

Lovely, lovely trainable dogs, good luck :)
 
LJR, eight?! Omg!! :eek3:

I too could go on for several hours! I sourced a really nice working bred puppy for my bil last year and dente really wanting health tests in place, have heard that working types are often not health tested. There are various tests (see the KC website) and I hear about lots with hip dysplasia and one of mine has HD. I have one working bred, he's quite small, Duracell bunny, piece of cake to train, keen on chasing birds, very well behaved. I have another two, littermates, pet bred, ridiculously tall. One is the easiest dog ever, one needs stimulation, attention and can be very naughty. We each chose one and the characters were very obvious and deliberately chosen, God help us.

All three are very bonded to us and are lap dogs because we wanted them to be. The worker doesn't bark, the pet bred are noisy when the doorbell goes.

As LJR said, they don't need hours of exercise, mine are all perfectly happy with half an hour retrieving balls, finding dummies, swimming or a bomb through the woods. I also feed raw, they look brilliant on it.

Working type is the l/w, FTCH galore in his pedigree, but never trained. They're 'just' pets, but the b/w are extremely keen on retrieval/searching. Very trainable dogs.
IMAG0177_zpsvjzjw2zn.jpg
 
Last edited:
We have a working bred liver and white bitch and she's an absolute star! She's 2 now and had really calmed down in the last 6 months or so, she's now lovely and chilled in the house. She's always flat out when out on a walk but she's just an angel, incredibly clever and trainable and her recall is exceptional. She puts our cocker to shame :-)

She works once or twice a week through the shooting season and absolutely loves it. The rest of the time they get 30 mins quick run in the morning and a good hour plus walk and training in the evening plus proper training weekends. Both ours are fed raw.

Chances are we will be getting another springer puppy soon as apparently other half "needs" one to beat and another to pick up :-)
 
Suzie86 said:
Chances are we will be getting another springer puppy soon as apparently other half "needs" one to beat and another to pick up :-)
Click to expand...

Absolutely! My two youngsters are a heck of a tag team: if one can't find the pheasant, the other can. Bear lost the ball yesterday, so Zak spent 10 minutes looking for it. Definitely need two, minimum!

IMAG0684-1-1_zps4cfc3eec.jpg
 
Last edited:
We have a puppy from LJR actually it's his birthday today . He is the most trainable , loyal little dog ever . Cuddles like a lapdog and hunts like a mad man :) love him
 
Ive got 2, both working bred but quite different in looks and character. The girl is a very quiet, refined little dog, hates getting wet and dirty, the boy is a typical springer, loves the river and would be in it every day if I let him. They are both incredibly loving and loyal dogs, both have brilliant recall, both love to curl up on the sofa next to me and are just the nicest dogs you could wish for. Biased.....well just a little bit.
 
I have two working bred ESS (Irish bred, which are notorious for being hot to handle - how I like mine to be). They're not dogs for everyone and I firmly believe if they're working bred they shouldn't be without a job be that as a gundog, agility, flyball or S&R. They live to work and "a walk" does nothing to tire mine out. Mental stimulation does. One of mine is a rescue, the standard Springer story - he was bought as cute pup for a small town house despite being heavily working bred. Fast forward to nine months and he's chewing furniture, running away, pulling his elderly owner over on lead, has chased livestock, food aggressive and barking incessantly as left in the garden alone. The landlord wanted him gone so he was put in the local pound. He was sent to me on day six (they PTS on day seven). Six months on he was working his first season as a gundog.

I would say have a look at Pippa Mattinson's website - she explains spaniels very well.

http://pippamattinson.com/understanding-spaniels/

Mine are fed on a mix of raw and Taste Of The Wild kibble, they also get salmon oil and seaweed.When working they get tripe.

Day to day routine? As one is a pup he goes in the garden for a twenty minute hooley once a day and is taken to a paddock/wood/moor for a twenty minute training session on his own daily (he's learning to quarter and working towards memory retrieves). The older dog does not retrieve anything but game (relic of being told off for having objects in his mouth/chewing) so he goes for a garden play and is taken for a good 45min+ "walk", he is either at heel or being actively hunted. He's never allowed to just wander around and self hunt.
 
My dog of a life time was springer x lab reteriver(we think) best dog ive ever had. He was a springer in looks just a bit chunkier and had a lab head. (B&W) he had the best personality and very trainable! He was also a rescue from a pound in Ireland!

Now I have a sprocker, who is gorgeous and is more springer then he is cocker, very trainable, loves agility and if trained i think he would make a class search and reterive dog!

I love them, i had many springers when I was younger who were all great, but Charlie (springerxlab) stole my heart! I always want a springer now for the rest of my life! One is never enough :P
 
I love my Springers. Would have no other dog/bitch.

I have owned and worked Springers for over 50 years. Each one has been different.

It is a myth that they need a lot of exercise Mine get an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. Although they are down the yard with me when I do the horses.

When I know the woods are going to be quiet I will take them with me while I train the horses. The horse does 15 miles the dogs do 20 miles.

They are just as happy lying around the house as out running around. At the moment I have 2 around my feet, 1 on her bed and 2 on the sofa. The 2 puppies are asleep in the Kitchen,
but when the adults go to bed (In the Kennels) they will join them. I have a mixture of Dogs and Bitches. Five Dogs and 2 Bitches.

They are great dogs and very biddable. They are fun dogs to have round.
 
I have a Springer x Boxer and all of these stories are making me realise just how Springer he is in attitude and temperament.

I agree though - we need pictures!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top