The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: Marches Farmer on August 07, 2016, 08:35:14 am
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As the title says - we may have a chance of an ESS pup from working lines. Before I commit I thought I'd ask around as we've never kept a spaniel of any variety before. All info welcome.
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I've always had spaniels - two ESS and two cockers, so far. All lovely, but the springers have definitely been easier to train than the cockers! Lovely, lovely dogs. Where many people go wrong is trying to tire them out by lots of exercise; they just get fitter and fitter ;D They live by their noses, so give them a field full of interesting sniffs to potter around for a minimum of 40 minutes twice a day and you'll have a happy, relaxed dog who's content to snooze the rest of the time.
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My mum had a springer spaniel, lovely dog. My brother also had one and they are absoloutely gorgeous to have around. Very good with children, depending on breeding, they are very bouncy and love attention. A perfect family pet too and excellent workers. I have been tempted to buy one myself in times past, but have always stuck with collies ::)
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Working bred bspringers are totally different from show ones, but as I said in a previous post most working dogs can have their brains exercised to keep them busy - just takes a little thought. It depends on whether this one has already been worked or not. If it has then you may have more to contend with, but if it's a very young pup - say under three months then you'll be fine. I had a Brittany pup that gathered sheep for us. She just died a few weeks ago.
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I have 2 springers. Personally I think they are fantastic, but my fella thinks otherwise. He can't cope with their busy-ness compared to the labs. I think you do need patience and a good sense of humour!
Agree with them needing a job and lots of nose work. It also helps if you can teach them to relax. It doesn't do them any favours being wired all the time.
Having had 2, I would certainly have another, but I appreciate they aren't for everyone.
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I have 2 springers. Personally I think they are fantastic, but my fella thinks otherwise. He can't cope with their busy-ness compared to the labs. I think you do need patience and a good sense of humour!
Agree with them needing a job and lots of nose work. It also helps if you can teach them to relax. It doesn't do them any favours being wired all the time.
Having had 2, I would certainly have another, but I appreciate they aren't for everyone.
Agree about relaxing. I have added another command to Missy's vocabulary - 'settle' This means that she can wander around at will within a yard or so of me, no further, isn't allowed to jump around and get excited, can sit, lie down, roll on her back at will, again, so long as it is within a yard or so. Working well so far.
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We have a Sringer. She is of a lovely temperament and is quite chilled for a Springer. Her sister is on eof the 'wired' types - I'm glad we've got the quieter one1 She is very intelligent and understands loads of commands. She is always anticipating our movement before we've properly thought of them. Lovely dogs.
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I have a working springer and have been unable to teach him to relax. I find it waring.. think relaxing walk, picnic, watching birds, maybe a nap in the sun, camping, or working at desk, and he is always on the go!
Easy and fun to train - In his day he'd sit and stay for an hour while I left him to shoot bunnies and not move, or walk to heel at a glance and half a nod, and even try herding sheep (doesn't work, has no presence, but did follow my "away/come" commands and arm signals for direction. The happiest, most grateful dog in the world, but being in the presence of a coiled spring, who's just about holding his breath, nearly whining, because he wants to go, Go, GO, GO! is tiring when you want to do any of the things above.
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Cracking dogs if you are prepared to put in the training. They never go for a walk they just hunt so you HAVE to put in lots of training before you can do off lead relaxing walks! Also I've never known one that doesn't pull on the lead like a steam train! Good family dogs and very loyal.
Check out any blogs by Pippa Mattinson (Mattison?) Some really good training tips and explains spaniels very well.
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I have a working springer and have been unable to teach him to relax. I find it waring.. think relaxing walk, picnic, watching birds, maybe a nap in the sun, camping, or working at desk, and he is always on the go!
Easy and fun to train - In his day he'd sit and stay for an hour while I left him to shoot bunnies and not move, or walk to heel at a glance and half a nod, and even try herding sheep (doesn't work, has no presence, but did follow my "away/come" commands and arm signals for direction. The happiest, most grateful dog in the world, but being in the presence of a coiled spring, who's just about holding his breath, nearly whining, because he wants to go, Go, GO, GO! is tiring when you want to do any of the things above.
So if he sat still for an hour 'in his day' why isn't he still doing it? Have you changed the command for that? If not, then retrain it with the command 'settle' - that's effectively what i am doing as I can't go shooting with my dogs any more.
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So if he sat still for an hour 'in his day' why isn't he still doing it? Have you changed the command for that? If not, then retrain it with the command 'settle' - that's effectively what i am doing as I can't go shooting with my dogs any more.
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Same, I don't go shooting any more and he's now deaf :-\
That's kinda my point - even though he would sit/lie down and stay, he'd STILL be right on the cusp of 'doing', straining to hear any noise, or whistle; never just be wasting time, contemplating life. He does this now, he's old and after getting run over last year hangs about and sleeps a lot (but took more than 10years to settle down!)