Gunning for gundogs! (English Springer Spaniel)

Member Name: cyberem78

Product:	English Springer Spaniel
Date:	10/11/08 (167 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Bright, intelligent.

Disadvantages: High energy level and prone to silliness.

I have had four springer spaniels during my life and currently own two, an 8 yr old bitch and a 1 yr old dog. They are both pedigree dogs - this means they are registered with the professional body The Kennel club and have a registration certificate with proof of ownership and status of being purebred.

The registration also records the breeding history and bloodline of each dog and the orginisation provides a family tree style booklet showing the dog's Kennel Club name (this to be used at competitions and as a 'breeder signature') and any championship trial successes each dog might have had. My papers are littered with the term 'F.T.C' which is the shortened term for 'Field Trial Champion' and refers to a hunting dog that has passed a set exam or competition.

The website below will inform you about the Kennel Club:

website: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/

My 8yr old bitch is a retired gundog. She was trained to retrieve and to flush and has attended many hunting parties in her lifetime. She began this training at about 9 months old. She now suffers from joint pain and no longer attends hunts. She still has a high energy level though and enjoys fetching, hunting smells in the woods and swimming. She weighs about 16 kg and is a small sized spaniel.

My youngest dog is 1 yr old and he started his gundog training in earnest a few months ago. He can retrieve and will be trained to follow a scent soon. He has a very high energy level and is very demanding. He likes to be mentally and phsyically challenged. He is a large sized dog.

Both of my dogs live indoors and this is often considered to be a bad thing in respect to gundogs. I have a close relationship with dogs though and like to have this relaxed union with them. I do not like the idea of keeping my dog's in a kennel and mesh run.

Every spaniel I have owned has had an extremely high excitement level. They release this energy by spinning around and, well, springing. They can be very boistrous and 'paws on'! They are dogs that must be trained well or their wild behaviour could become annoying and be difficult to handle. They are easy dogs to train but can sometimes be distracted by their own anxiety and inner joy!

Springers need regular grooming as their coat will grow long and thick and their ears will be curly and unruly. I use a double sized wire brush and a flea comb. I also purchased a WAHL trimmer set and give my dogs regular haircuts to keep them cool and tangle-free. Grooming takes practice but there are some good instructional DVDs and classes available.

Both my dogs have their tails docked and their dew claws removed. This is to prevent any injury when the dog is hunting - for instance a wagging tail will be more easily caught on a bramble bush.

My dogs are good with children and quite good, if subservient, to other dogs. Overall they have a friendly nature. My dogs will react to a command given to them by any family member, including the children.

I love this breed although they are very demanding dogs. I would suggest this as a pet for anyone who loves walking, running or engaging in outdoor activities! I would also recommend NOT to get this breed if you are looking for a quiet, cool dog that you don't have to walk much - this isn't it!

Summary: A great dog bursting with energy and happiness!