Springer Spaniel

Springers can make great family pets! Parents with young children would need to consider whether a lively breed is the right choice for the family, especially with their exercise needs. 

Children that are old enough to engage in training and play would be ideal. 

Springer Spaniels like to be with their family, they are loyal and affectionate, although they don’t cope well on their own with owners out working long hours. 

Spingers can be very affectionate dogs so long as they’re handled sensitively, and their owners understand their need to work. They should not be left alone for long periods of time as they simply want to be with you whatever you’re doing. They love nothing more than to curl up beside you at the end of a busy day, just waiting for the next activity!  

Yes, very! Springer Spaniels love and need to play. They have a natural desire to seek and retrieve - channelling this playful behaviour can be done by hiding their toys for them to sniff out. You need plenty of time to dedicate to your Springer Spaniel, if you’re not able to give them plenty of opportunities to play, then you may want to consider a different option.

A Springer Spaniel from a working background don’t tend to bark too much as they would disturb their prey in the field. They have extremely sensitive hearing, so they may bark in the home when excited or to alert their owner to a strange noise. Generally, you won’t find them barking for the sake of it.

You may see some tricky behaviours if a Springer Spaniel isn’t able to fulfil their desires, or if they don’t have anything to keep them busy. As a working dog, they need to be able to use their brain and keep busy. If they don’t receive thorough training, you’ll find them admiring the birds in the garden, trying to hunt them!

While they’re an incredibly active breed that need stimulation, they also like a bit of time off to recharge their batteries, otherwise, over-stimulation can cause behavioural issues. Just like children, too much excitement can cause problems which would be considered unacceptable for a dog.

You may see chewing, barking, resource guarding, growling and occasional aggression with this breed. But this is often triggered due to lack of learning in their early years, socialisation and over-stimulation.

A Springer Spaniel needs a calm home with owners who are consistent with training. Owners should have a willingness to learn and teach the puppy how to use the natural skills they were born with. This means attending a good positive training class, as well as seeking out someone who specialises in Spaniels. Always bearing in mind, there are many different styles of training, and kindness is always the best.

A relaxing home is ideal, somewhere they can join in with family activities, but also retreat somewhere to relax away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

An enclosed garden for your Springer to play in is essential, along with access to green spaces where they can run and chase sniffs.

Springers can keep going all day, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it's good for them. They need some down time too, even working Springer Spaniels in the field will sit quietly beside their handler, waiting for the next instruction or a signal to say it’s their turn to work.

In a home environment, an average walk should be around an hour twice daily. Playing with the children for a brief period is fine, but repeatedly throwing a ball for them isn’t ideal - you don’t want your Springer to become an adrenalin junkie.

This breed adores the water and allowing them to swim in safe bodies of water will definitely put a spring in their step!

It’s also important to give them lots of opportunities to use their brain. Mental stimulation and problem solving is essential to tire them out. 

All puppies need to learn how to be around people, pets, and other dogs, in a calm and polite way (known as socialisation). They also need help to feel calm, comfortable, and confident in everyday situations like travelling, the sound of traffic, and being in busy places (known as habituation). This is essential to prevent tricky behavioural problems in the future, and you'll be off to a great start with your ongoing training.

Springers are fairly easy to train and will flourish if it’s the right type of training. Kind, fun methods will bring the best out of this breed. Always remember, they can become overexcited or frustrated if the training is rushed, or there’s too much of it.

Short and sweet training sessions will benefit this breed, with the opportunity to rest at the end and process what they just learned. Springers are eager to please, especially if they’re motivated to do so with food and toys. A bored Springer is likely to be destructive and vocal.

It’s essential to teach your Springer how to come when they’re called (known as recall) they’re natural hunters and will dart off to chase after sniffs if you don’t have control. They’re inclined to guard items precious to them too, so teaching them a ‘retrieve to hand’ cue will help reduce the risk of resource guarding issues.

Springer Spaniels are moderate shedders. They have a double coat which can be looked after with a slicker brush, a rake, a comb, and a pair of scissors.

Regular grooming is needed to keep them comfortable and to prevent knots forming on their ears, legs, and tails. Springers have large floppy ears which are prone to ear infections, so keeping them clean will reduce your vet bills.

You may find that you need to bath your Springer more than other breeds. They will happily romp through the countryside in all weathers, they love muddy puddles and swimming. 

Remember to check your Springer Spaniel for grass seeds during the summer months as they can get stuck in their coat, resulting in a costly fees from the vet.

Springer Spaniels can suffer from several hereditary health conditions. These include hip dysplasia, eye problems, epilepsy, and a few more.

If you’re considering getting a Springer from a breeder, always ask what health tests they’ve carried out.

This breed is prone to ear infections and vulnerable to grass seeds which can get lodged in their ears too. 

Regular exercise and a good diet will help keep your Springer in great condition.