[craig12]

have posted before, but am seriously looking at a springer pup in september 2012, does anyone know where the natural springers come from in south yorkshire, looking for a springer that can be trained to walk off lead next to busy main roads,, become very well house trained and not snap/bite at strangers, and not be shy and bark for no reason at strangers ........good re call and very well tempered

[john t]

Originally Posted by craig12

have posted before, but am seriously looking at a springer pup in september 2012, does anyone know where the natural springers come from in south yorkshire, looking for a springer that can be trained to walk off lead next to busy main roads,, become very well house trained and not snap/bite at strangers, and not be shy and bark for no reason at strangers ........good re call and very well tempered

All that your looking for in that type of breed, comes in time, and patience...It's called training. So unless your prepared to pay a fortune and buy from some one who has a fully trained one, i'd set aside a couple hours a day, and a good few months of training, to go to a good dog trainer who specialises in that field.

jt

[H_Hounds]

do you mean a working springer? I'm not sure what you mean by natural. that kind of behaviour is from good training and isn't exactly natural but I think spaniels are easy to train.

I would recommend looking at a working springer. Make sure you look at their eyes and preferably choose from a litter with parents that have had eye tests. Spaniels are prone to bad eyes.

My cocker has one eye that is smaller in size than it should be so she'll get dry eye when she's older, had deformed blood vessels at the back of her eye, a curved retina, and she's only two and it's already going silver. Her other eye is good but she sometimes misjudges things or can't see things on her left. she often walks into door frames. there's some info here

http://www.ariel-ess.com/essfaq/health.html

when you look at a litter, go for the pup that isn't the first to come and greet you, nor the last as you don't want an overly confident springer or a really nervous one which can turn aggressive. one with necessary caution but not fear.

because you are looking so early, you can talk to good breeders who are planning a litter around that time. theres some info here

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/2101

good luck.

Terri

[H_Hounds]

contact these accredited breeder to see when they are planning their next litter

http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/se...outh+Yorkshire

[Evei]

Originally Posted by john t

All that your looking for in that type of breed, comes in time, and patience...It's called training. So unless your prepared to pay a fortune and buy from some one who has a fully trained one, i'd set aside a couple hours a day, and a good few months of training, to go to a good dog trainer who specialises in that field.

jt

Great post. Most dogs can be trained to do the basics and springers are no exception. I find them too full of energy for my liking. I like to go for a whole days walk and my dog be knackered at the end of it not running around wanting more!

I've met some quieter ones but the majority seem to be mental and that tail never stops wagging, I've only ever met working strains.

[spiritangel1]

My friends dog KC registered ect has just had a litter of springers ready in about 8 weeks

[vwkittie]

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to walk it near a busy road off lead?

[billicasper]

Updated posting

[H_Hounds]

I think springers can make lovely pets but you should consider how much time you can put into training and exercise. It is really important because if they aren't mentally and physically stimulated they will start to have anxiety problems and can become aggressive/destructive etc. They like routine too.

I would consider puppy classes a must and would recommend agility to keep your dog happy and healthy.

You can have a happy life with any breed if you do your research and keep up good habits. You seem to be doing your research, unlike a lot of people who want a dog so I think if you feel you could give the dog what it needs and can commit to it then you should make a good responsible owner.

You might be better off rescuing one though, if you haven't had a dog before. Just a thought.

Good luck with it

[Berkana]

As long as you're prepared to put a LOT of time and effort into your dog then a springer can make a fantastic family pet. They're very loyal to their family and can be very affectionate. Just bare in mind that they need a lot of mental and physical stimulation thoughout their lives, and they're not the type of dog who calms down after a few years and mellows with age... mine's 11 and still as active, agile and nutty as a two year old. Obviously they can't be walked for long periods of time when they're pups (too much exercise interferes with bone development which can cause problems in later life), but you can tire them out with enough mental stimulation.

As a breed they do tend to be very good offlead and be very responsive to recall (as opposed to, say, a beagle or a terrier which will happily ignore you if it's picked up an interesting scent!). However, I really would not have any dog offlead next to any road, expecially not busy ones, no matter how well trained they are. It just isn't worth the risk at all. They do tend to be very strong on the lead though, so make sure you teach him/her to walk to heel on the lead as soon as possible - never, ever let her pull, not even once. If she pulls on the lead, stop immediately and never let her learn that if she pulls she gets there faster. If you teach her this from the off then she'll pick it up quickly and not get into bad habits, as once they've learned to pull it can be a very hard habit to break, especially in a springer.

Get her well socialised with people and other dogs, take her to puppy classes etc., take her to busy areas, into town, pubs etc. and get her used to strangers and dogs from a young age and you should hopefully not have any problems with aggression (can't say I've ever met an aggressive springer though, either to humans or other dogs. Mine is completely oblivious to dogs and people when we're out ).

I would also think about taking her to flyball and/or agility when she's old enough as a good mental and physical outlet. And if you work fulltime I would certainly consider a dog walker to take her out while you're at work to break up her day and give her that extra it of exercise and stimulation.

Also try this forum:
http://www.englishspringer.org.uk/smf/index.php

They seem to be a decent bunch and have plenty of advice to give. There are also breeders on the forum who can give you advice on selecting a good breeder/puppy. There may even be some in the area

[Gemima]

I have a Springer of working type and as with all working springers she has bags of energy and stamina and will carry on and on and on and on until you drop and not her, they are not for first time dog owners. No dog should ever be walked off lead next to a busy road however well trained you think you have your dog. It is irresponsible and endangers your dog and other road users. No dog is 100% bomb proof as no dog has ever encountered everything life throws at them ( including a double decker bus crash, that could happen in a street near you at any time).

Check out SYESSR who do a fabulous job and will offer excellent Springer advice and also point you in the right direction and may just have the right dog for you.

Good luck in your search

[craig12]

no im not saying its clever to walk a springer near a main road, i envy owners who can do it and wonder how they did it, i had a cocker spaniel some years ago and he got out and made for the main road , our heart was in our mouth , but lukily he crossed on an empty road, we have met alison from the springer rescue, and at elsecar heritage centre, i would love a springer that would have fantastic recall, and very loving and playfull, our relations have a springer that when approaching the edge of a curb , stops..then sits ...looks round to its owner....as if to say ...is it safe to cross now ..... i suppose im looking for a dog that listens to you , rather than being in a giddy world.......which is training i suppose, i didnt know if the working class had more advantages than show class....regards

[H_Hounds]

I wouldn't personally say the show lines would differ too much in temperament and ability to be trained to working lines, would everyone agree?

I would think the main differences are in their appearance, physical build and coat.

I think it's great that you're putting a lot of effort into finding the right dog, Craig, good for you. Don't be fooled, though, as people have said before temperament in breed should be taken into consideration as much as individual temperaments. And these results are from thorough training and most definitely consistency in delivery. Dogs will get away with anything if you let them, even if they know it's naughty. Mine certainly do Only with me though, not with my husband

[Strix]

The only advantage I can see in looking for working over show, is if you're prepared to take a part trained/failed working dog - as you say, one that sits and waits for permission to cross the road is all down to training, not really breeding

[billicasper]

Updated posting

[claire1976]

As an owner of 2 working springers I would certainly not recommend them for a first time owner. I've had 3 springers now and not even sure I would have another! I love them to bits, they are great with my kids but boy do they drive me potty!
I've never known a breed with such intense energy, no matter how many hours off lead walking mine get they are still full of beans when we get home. I've done a fair bit of training with mine and it certainly helps. Both of mine are from working backgrounds but one of them is still a little selective when it comes to recall, his instinct to chase is very high and sometimes he just switches off. The other one however is very driven to please and this does make training easier. Neither of them enjoy being on the lead and off the lead they are 90% good, would never trust them off near a busy road as they love to chase too much.
If you are prepared to spend plenty of time training and at least 2-3 hours a day exercising them then certainly consider one, otherwise, look for another breed. One of my springers is 7 and hasn't altered in energy since being a pup, they don't really grow up!

[Grandad.Malky]

Originally Posted by claire1976

I've never known a breed with such intense energy, no matter how many hours off lead walking mine get they are still full of beans when we get home.

After owning one for a few years I said to the vet “he is still a bit boisterous when do you think he will quieten down” … the vet said … “the day before he dies” …............ And he was right.


As for the show v working debate I was told that generally speaking working breeds are usually bigger / stronger,

[rachels1980]

I have a working and a show stock and there does seem to be a difference in that the show stock one tends to be slightly calmer - not much but tires out a bit more easily.

After about an hour of coming home from a couple of hours out, he's the one that's still asleep. The working stock one is wanting to play ball!

We rescued both of ours and with lots of time and patience, they're both ace dogs and probably listen to us 90% of the time. Would never let them off lead near a road though - there are far too many distractions!

Wouldn't be without them either

With regards calming down, we have a 17 year old Springer in the family who still hasn't really calmed down... lol