Springer spaniels - Try and put me off General Chat

I thought I would pick your brains...!! I never ever thought I would think about owning one, but after having Codee, the thought is there in my brain...
I take Codee out seperately to my boys, my boys have different needs and are harder to control off lead, so need my wits about me (its an English setter thing;-) ) whereas the Codee wodee is always offlead and has only let me down once, so far...;-) ;-) Thing is she is quite aloof with other dogs we meet, she will let them come to her, but never initiates play.. unless its a springer She has a few she plays with, a male and female and she seems to be happy in their company!!
So, I was wondering what would they be like to live with, I need a dog to run and play with Codee, she is very on the go, but I also need a dog that would be okay with my easy going soft setters (Jamie was attacked by one as a pup and that did put me off - owners fault btw)
Also wouldn't be til next year and would need to be a rescue, as next pup will be a setter!!
So go on... put me off

you're asking the wrong person to put you off, if you're used to setters and a pointer, you won't be far off, they love to run, need to have their brain worked and most are sociable, they are not for the houseproud as mud and puddles are like a magnet to them, really enjoy being with other dogs, if you want more info you could join our forum at Nessr or alternatively there is Itsaspringthing dedicated to all things springy

Welsh or English? If English working or show?!

If Welsh then Morganstar's your girl!

If English I might be able to help a bit.

The workers are generally quite a bit smaller with less coat. They're generally a fair bit more active with a more prey driven mind hunting wise. With some you have to start training early to prevent them going off and hunting on their own as this can become a major problem (please note I say some!). We had a couple of working types when I was achild, lovely, lovely dogs but very much more for the active family types. As I mentioned in another thread our last black and white walked 5 miles a day til she was 13 and lived til she was 15.

The show types are generally quite a bit bigger with more coat. They're not as active in a hunty type way (but not always guaranteed if they have some European blood in them), but still require plenty of exercise/activity. They're still very bouncy and as with most Springers I've met/owned are slightly mad!

And then there's Isla who is bred to be a bit of both, but you can't have her!

Springers tend to live into double figures normally and primary health problems include GPRA, CPRA, MRD, Fucosidosis, PRA Cord-1. Secondary health problems include hip dysplasia, glaucoma (possibly now primary, can't remember now!) and PFK, although they're a pretty healthy breed generally. Health testing will be harder to find in the workers than the show type IME.


Rescue wise you might struggle to find a show type, they do come up but not very often (Lizzy23 may disagree though?) and when they do they tend to get snapped up. You might have more look getting a pup that's been run on instead. Workers are sadly ten a penny in rescue.

It sounds to me like a show type would be more suitable, that or a slightly older rescue working type.

They're a fab breed to live with and certainly keep you on your toes. You need to set boundaries with them though and be firm but fair cos they'll walk all over you otherwise! I love 'em and would never, ever be without one. Ever!

Any other questions just shout. English Springers are a bit of a passion of mine, can you tell!

crazy and loving. I wanted one but only had a one bedroom house at the time so went for a working cocker. They pull like steam trains on the lead, run all day and dont get tired. But are loyal and loving.
ATD x

Oh yes you'll always spot a Springer owner out for a "drag" with their Springer!

Nope don't disagree Show springers are few and far between in rescue

Thanks for the info guys...
Used to the pulling on a lead, I have a Pointer and 2 setters that do that;-) Boundaries being marked, yep the Pointer does that, she needs firm, kind handling... exercise isn't a problem, as she can and will go for hours once she is fully grown
To be honest, I want a dog that does recall, one that isn't so driven to meet any other dog/people and is great with my existing dogs and animals, I have indoor piggies and rabbits.
I will always have an English setter, but they are not the most reliable offlead, even with training (yes, you Deacon!! ) Because of Codee, I would like her to have a mate to go offlead with, but I know will come back!! Also Codee will play with Springers, she is wary of anything bigger or smaller ... so far we have only met English, though we know there is an oldie Welsh round here...
It would either have to be an run on or a rescue with few 'issues' of that is possible... as I am not looking at a pup for a few years, having had 3 in close proximity!!

Regarding the off lead thing we've only ever had problems with a black and white that we rescued some years ago. You could let him off and he was on the next horizon within 30 seconds hunting til his hearts content! Very dangerous mind you cos he wouldn't have stopped for anything.

The two show types we have are fine off lead, but totally different in character. Isla thinks it's her business to investigate every dog, but doesn't wander off coming back once she's satisifed they're ok. Rossi is uber friendly and will go off and say hello to every person and dog he sees. That said he is only 10 months old and he comes back no problem.

The last worker we had was no problem off lead, she liked a good hunt but wouldn't stray far from you and spent most of her life off lead. She was quite shy mind you and wasn't interested in other dogs or people.

So in short I think an older, hand picked, working type rescue Springer would suit you down to the ground!

No chance of me borrowing Isla then???!!! Thats a shame!!
My main worry and I will be honest here, is, I wondered if the spaniels can be dominant? Setters, well English ones, don't really do dominance and are walk overs.. the Pointers can be food snappy, but easy going.... I have always liked springers, I really love your Isla and Pidge's Woody, though I know one is show line and the other working line.. But Jamie was attacked by one aged just a few months and then one growled at him, but then so did a Cocker... and it sort of put me off, but meeting these ones who play with Codee have made me think about if we could have one?
Also having indoor rabbits and guinea pigs makes me think hard as well, if they have a high prey drive?
I will give it serious thought, not that I can do anything til after September, as I have a setter houseguest then!!

the indoor small furries will be more of a problem than dominance, i tend to find mine get on with anything and rarely try to dominate, we regularly walk between 9 and 14 srpingers and cockers on a weekend and we very rarely have a cross word between them

Thats okay, then, as the dominance is my main concern, especially with my nutty boys!! The rabbits and piggies have 2 rooms of their own, and the dogs pass through this to get outside, but accompanied by us hoomins!!;-)
We also have 2 sets of woods/fields on tap and if we walk further we have a common (20min walk away) in one direction and a huge nature reserve or recreation ground in the other direction...
Mmm definately food for thought.. is there a south east springer rescue? I know you help run NESSR and I have had a good look on there, but I am without transport so would need to be nearer home, not that there is any rush anyway, need to do my research first!!

Hmm the prey drive thing might be a problem if you go for a worker, but then they're all different and sadly there are plenty to choose from.

I've just got two Degu's and I expected some problems as both my two have a very high prey drive. My last Springer would spend all day sitting by the rabbit run drooling if she'd been allowed! However I've had no real problems this time, Isla likes to go up and check on them every now and then but is quite happy to leave them be most of the time.

I don't think Springers are particularly dominant, they're supposed to be biddable (I should be so lucky) and I've generally found them to be quite easy going temperament wise. Isla is definitely top dog, but I knew she had fire in her belly when I watched her pick a fight with her Mam at 5 weeks old and win! That said she knows I'm in charge and what I say definitely goes.

You can borrow Isla, but she's absolutely barking mad (ask Kel, she can vouch for that) and it might put you off! She also not your typical show type, more an inbetweener.

If you go by the spaniels (springer and cockers) on our shoot most go off and hunt for themselves but I am not so sure about the training they've had, one of them pinned down a hare and was made to let it go (the hare was fine) another I know has apparently caught a small roe deer and has caught squirrels and the springer x cross cocker at out dog training club is 2 years old plus and still behaves like a four month old puppy and wants to play ALL the time and finds it very very hard to sit still but he is very funny. Am not trying to put you off and I've also seen very well behaved spaniels but I have seen many more mad ones than calmer ones (am talking about working type) but just telling you what I've seen and heard I think I'd spend time seeing different lines to see what would suit, can't quite remember what was written but I don't thing you'd have dominance probs esp with a pup.
Good luck

I have boarded a few springers and they have all had a fairly strong hunting drive. Etta has had her moments and does go off but so far except for the first couple of times as a pup she has always returned---albeit sometimes not first call!

On the plus side I always know where she is as she screams when she actually has a hunting run!

She is brilliant fun but I have to make sure she has had a stimulating day or she is wittery in the evening. She has between 1/4 and 1/2 hour training every day with longer formal sessions twice a week, all meals in a pyramid and various walks. Bones and kongs are a godsend and she has lots of dogs to play with---usually friends dogs or dogs staying here but at a pinch she will entice Celt to a game.

Re 'dominance' she will push her way in if I fuss any other dog---everything is hers that is on the floor and I have been quite hard when she has gone for other dogs who have come near me---so she doesn't do it any more. She knows which dogs she can be pushy with and which to respect.

Generally needs to be made to focus before she can think straight if she is in springer mode but one of the quickest dogs to learn and great at inventing stuff for free shaping.

Very different from the deaf English pointer pup and totally different from my Gordon I had years ago.

rune