Ive got a question with regards to Working Dogs!!!

[Kelly27]

Hiya x

 

Everyones opinion is welcome with regards to this question : -

 

Do Springers make good family pets or just working dogs or both???

 

The reason i ask is that i have 2 Springers of my own and they are family pets but my neighbour has 5 Springers which he uses for hunting and are always kept in an outside kennel.

 

He keeps telling me that Springers don't make good pets?? But mines are great and i wouldn't change them for anyone - even through 1 of them rips the pee out of me and only listens to my partner xx

[lurcherboy]

Thats ***** girl. Springers are fine indoors once you have sorted out the potty training but the only downside is they like to bounce off the walls 24/7.

 

 

LB

[Mrs Sweepy]

Hi Kelly and welcome,

As you must know for yourself like all spaniels. Springers are one of the most loyal and loving dogs you could wish for.

My springer would spend the whole evening on her back have her tummy tickle. Lapping up the attention.

But once out working shes proving to be the little star.

personally i think its all down to the way you treat any dog, pet or even Child.

The more time,care or effort you put into them. The more love and devotion you get out off them.

 

Unfortunately i am having more success with the dogs then i am with the children.

Yes i think they can be both Working or pet.

 

 

xxxSuzy

[foxshooter243]

Hi Kelly. ive always kept a springer spaniel as a gun dog since i was a young fella, i also got involved in training them up to a good standard as in they were field trial capable, my normal method was to buy a pup from good bloodlines and home the pup in a good run , with the pup just being looked after by myself for the first formative months of his life, then the pup would be introduced to all and sundry including animals and stock as he progressed. This worked well and i had a few extremley good gundogs who were very biddable and capable in the field.

 

However as i got older and my need for another young dog came along, i began to think about having a family pet /gundog and wondered if the training could be done with the dog having an enviroment of dog/run/basket in the kitchen type scenario, whereby the dog would remain in the run whilst i was away and would be a companion and family pet whilst i was at home. To put my mind at rest about this new way of working i was thinking about i contacted a top field trial handler in Northern

Ireland by telephone one evening and asked if he thought a springer could be trained as a gundog

and kept as a pet, his answer was "well my new pup is lying at my feet here at home", so my next pup was trained as a gundog and ended up with his place in the kitchen in his basket, he made an excellent gundog and pet, although they are lively as said, but as long as the usual good training practises are adhered too, not being spoiled by young children etc and the pup is given time to make the handler the centre of his world during his first few formative months up until about 20 weeks then

theres no reason not to have a good gundog and pet ..thats been my experience..hope this helps.

[Shootingman]

Hi Kelly, as Lurcherboy as said, your neighbour is talking a load of -----, I breed ESS & Labs & I run 2ESS &2Labs, all are superb dogs in the field, but are the best family pets in the world. They are 100% loyal, loving, soppy pets that spend more time on our laps cuddling/watching tv etc, forever under our feet where-ever we go, BUT like most gundogs when they see me getting ready to go shooting, see a gun, or smell the gun oil, a switch in their brain clicks into work mode & they all change up a gear (work time ), where they will do all I expect & more, at the end of the day when all the shooting gear is put away, the switch reverts back to silly pet mode. In my opion, thats how it should be.

[Kelly27]

Hiya x My 2 Springers have never been worked x they are both family pets x 1 of them is off gundog stock and the other is off show lines x i would never change my dogs for anyone and they both like nothing better than to cuddle up next to me on the sofa at night xx

[bobt]

My old springer and the current bitch live in the house, Would not have it any other way, even when not shooting they are constantly being trained,

 

I have 2 new pups at 8 weeks old and yes they too will live in.

 

bloke on our shoot berated me for dogs living in, his live in a kennel, funny that my dogs walk to heel, and never stray whereas his are in the next drive and deaf to him

[pigeon master]

Kelly they must be very happy springers.

 

Q..Springers that live in house can be very good gun dogs, apart from mine!!

[Wemerick]

Silliest thing i ever heard course ther good Pets. Therer bloomin good Gun dogs too if u train em right. Tell u what though ther flippin bonkers i got a Brittany Spaniel and she ccccrrrrrrrrazy wenever i get the gun out shes boundin off the walls. Shes worse wen i take her out with the birds.