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I've been asked to take in a Springer Spaniel pup, sadly unwanted by owner who can't cope with the walks. Is a nice friendly dog. Trouble is I've had a few dogs, inc a spaniel over the years but never a Springer. My kids are all school age but I work part time. My concern is I always thought these dogs were a bit like Border collies i.e. need constant company, stuff to do and plenty of runs, and she won't cope with being in the house alone. Anyone had one, can you advise? If I take on this dog it will be for life (as with my other pets) so I need to know what to expect. Thanks

My sister has a springer and he is a really lovely, soppy dog. He does need a hell of a lot of walking - they're into five mile rambles though which suits him - because they're working dogs.

He's also not too keen on being left alone, but radio 4 on seems to keep him happy when they're out.

They can get quite big - so you may want to check that out - and can suffer from joint problems. My sister's dog is on supplmented food which can be quite expensive.

Overall though, he's a lovely dog and my sister wouldn't be without him. Having said that, she doesn't have children, so can do more running around after him. It's a bit like having a kid around the place as far as I can see - but that may be my sister, not the dog

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I want I want I want!

Mine is great fun if a bit neurotic - we do walk and run for miles each day so in the evening and on days off he is a total couch potato. They tend to get on very well with other dogs, are easy to train and always merry.

You will never have enough time to give a Spaniel, enough walks to give a Spaniel, enough attention or enough food to give a Spaniel!

They are lovely, friendly, good natured dogs but they are also attention seeking, needy, food obsessed exercise machines. Of course, I have one, so I mean that in a nice way but do not underestimate what they need.

If you suspect you will not be able to give them the time or exercise, don't get one.

Thanks everyone, I'm going to take her. Can't not really, am soft-hearted and have had 'needy' dogs before so hopefully know what to expect. We live next to open farmland so plenty of runs pretty easy. I can work from home a bit more too.

I have one - he is the most amazing dog, gentle, loving, gets on well with all the cats/chickens etc.

The only thing is he gets upset if left alone - so you have to really, really do the separation anxiety training.

Mine is still not right (cos I'm lazy and am here most of the time).

He has done the most amazing, soft things - he sat one day in a park while a little girl put crisps in his mouth (and then she took them out) - she was about 3. He just sat and waited til she'd finished and then she told him he could eat them. <I had tears in my eyes it was so sweet>

What lovely stories, I am getting quite excited now. Have to keep reminding myself what it's like to have a pup (the chewing, whining at night, incontinence, etc )

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

They are fucking mental!

They race round and round the garden if you haven't taken them out.

You can walk it for 6HOURS and it will still want more!

It will drag half the garden in on it's fur.

It will malt HAYSTACKS on your carpet

It will follow you constantly around the house, sleep on your feet, be lovely with your kids and god those soft silky ears....

Sorry HuwEdwards you haven't put me off. Every single one of you who have replied to this post seem completely in love with these dotty, high maintenance, but lovely dogs. So I am taking her in, yay!

well don't say we didn't warn you

they are the lager louts of dog world

I do love them. The ones I've known have been farm dogs with boundless energy, but they are fab.

lol @ lager louts, btw

Springers are fab! Just keep all food out of reach (and they can reach a lot further than you might imagine). They are very food motivated and have little self-control. Mine ate lots of uncooked rice last week just because it was there. <<sigh>>

Mine (7 yo) has very so-so walks on weekdays and then 4 long walks at the weekends to make up for this, and copes just fine.

Mine is never left for more than 3 hours (4 very occasionally) but has never been worried about being left. I think he enjoys the peace and quiet and has a sleep.

god yes, mine ate a pack of butter yesterday which was well out of normal reach on the work surface

and he follows the cats around hoping they will shit in his mouth or they will let them lick their butts <bleurgh>

and he likes sleeping on dirty washing

lovely boy

Mine eats whole packs of butter if we are not hyper-vigilant, and follows the chickens around hoping they will poo - and he can bring eggs in without cracking or breaking them, and recently I had to pull him out of a tree where he got stuck pretending to be a cat

We had a rescue Springer named Sam (sadly no longer with us ) who was the loveliest dog ever. Soft as butter with everyone and exceptionally friendly. He would walk off the lead but god forbid somebody had left their front door open as he would bustle his way in and make himself at home, there were many times I had to shamefacedly ring on some poor strangers doorbell to ask if I could have my dog back please! I would have another Springer in a heartbeat- enjoy!

Twas a springer that made DH and I take the plunge and get a dog after 9 years of deliberation !

We didn't get a springer, it was being around my friend's springer that finally did it.

Two things exasperate me about my springer - the way his brain shuts down when he sees cats (even though he has lived with cats since the day he was born), going into a total frenzy of excitement if they crop up somewhere unexpectedly around the house or garden (even though he sleeps in the same room as them, eats side by side with them). The second (and I secretly admire this) is his ability to scale any sort of wall or fence and get through any sort of dog guard (even my ££££££ professionally fitted heavy duty cargo land rover one) - our 6' wall is nothing to him. I have access to a large area enclosed by an 8' fence with an extra foot at the top, tilting inwards, and he patrols it daily, testing for weaknesses. It is just a matter of time before he finds a way through.

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this thread makes me so sad.
my in-laws (both in their 60s, retired on health grounds) are just in the process of taking on two rescue springers.
they already have 8 cats (which are kept indoors most of the day) and a border collie, which gets 2 x 10 minute walks a day and is overweight. they like peace and quiet.
wish i had the balls to suggest they take on a more suitable breed, but i don't.

fab story, bedlam

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bedlambeast - is springer rescue a specific rescue centre, or are you talking about rescue centres generally?
they are from a rescue centre, that's all i know and my in-laws have been checked out by people from the rescue centre. we aren't that close to them tbh and my dh doesn't really have close conversations with them. relations between them and with myself are somewhat frayed (of which i won't go into detail here!) i know, it makes me feel so sad. after reading this thread, it seems the springers will probably go a bit 'loopy' in that type of enclosed environment and i know that will just aggravate my in-laws and they'll just shout at them. i've spoken in depth to my dh about it. they wouldn't listen even if we did talk to them about it.
last time i visited, my fil is building a 15 ft enclosed bird like cage for the cats, so they don't need to let them go outside (for fear of them getting run over). i was so shocked.