Advice please - adopting a springer spaniel.

[cakeistheanswer]

I will be adopting a 10mo springer, who is apparently very energetic and boisterous, next week via our local rescue centre.
He is still living with his current owners, and we're going to meet him/them this weekend. I'm a complete novice. What do I need to know, and buy in advance?
Is there anything in particular I should be asking his current owners?

All I know so far is that they can't cope with his high-energy personality, and due to their working patterns he is left for up to 9 hours in an outside kennel.
Help! I'd be really grateful for any advice you can give.

[DogsBeastFiend]

I'd be asking the rescue what assessments they have carried out on the dog or their reasons for not doing so.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if in this case the reason for rehoming is accurate and truthful - Springers are high maintainance, 10 months old the start of a challenging period and humans can be exceptionally stupid and foolhardy - but I know from experience as a rescuer that all too often owners lie, which is why it is best practice for every dog to be assessed before rehoming, regardless of where he comes from or what his original owners say.

I think that has to be your first move before anything else.

[cakeistheanswer]

Thankyou DogsBeast - good advice. I'll speak to the rescue centre today and sound them out.

[alp]

No advice but we have a 6 month old springer who despite being a bit of a pain by chewing my sons dinky toy cars.....is generally a joy!

She is great with the kids and has never even growled in anger at anything. She hardly barks and is picking up training fairly quickly.

She is a pocket rocket when I take her in a walk and will run 100mph but back in the house is generally happy to mooch about.

Good luck!!!!

[cakeistheanswer]

Thanks alp, we are so excited! :)

Following DogsBeast's advice, I've just spoken to the person at the rescue centre who assessed our springer in his home and out walking. She spent 2 hrs with him, and seems genuinely delighted with how lovely he is. He's been vetchecked, and everything's up to date.

Can't wait!

Anything else I should know? Will my house be wrecked by this time next week?

[alp]

Well we only have a 6 month old so am yet to get to the teenage stage yet!

We haven't had any furniture/house destroyed yet. We have a crate for her when she is in the house alone.

As she is getting bigger she is more able to get her nose onto the work surface so I'm sure that food will be nicked soon!

[FroOOOOOtshoOOOOOOts]

Mine is 3. He eats Lego, Oranges, anything with feathers and any victims the cats leave! He is not a big chewer, apart from lego. He is ball obsessed which would make him very easy to train if he had a more motivated owner
He is fabulous. The easiest dog by far that I have ever owned but maybe I've just been very lucky. i do agility with him but he knocks most of it over!

Brush him regularly to keep him free of tangles and to get him used to it. An unbrushable Springer would be a nightmare! They are prone to knots just behind their ears and sometimes behind their legs.
Also start examining his feet early on too as they do pick up grass seeds between their toes in the summer and this will get him used to it when you need to check/remove seeds or clip his hairy feet!

I love Springers. I'd love to run a Springer rescue if I had the room!

[cakeistheanswer]

Oh dear alp, shows how naive I am, but I had no idea he would be able to reach the work surfaces!

Thanks FroOOOOOts for the grooming tips - another thing I hadn't considered. Oh blimey, I've got so much to learn!

[MercyDulbottle]

loooads here

springthing.3.forumer.com/index.php?s=d8615d5adeb17cdb05b457f07c3c28b9&act=idx

[ExitPursuedByaBear]

My Springer exhibits some dog on dog aggression, which he started when he was about 2 years old. When I have looked at Springer rescue website this seemed to be the main reason for ending up in rescue. We manage it now and he is generally OK, but just occasionally attacks another dog for no obvious reason. He isn't vicious, just very barky and boisterous iyswim.

I let him swim from a very early age and now he likes nothing better than to chase ducks/geese so spring/summer we have to keep away from water where babies are around. It is up to you if you want to have this hassle.

His recall has improved with age.

Very energetic but happy to sleep when home.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[cakeistheanswer]

Thanks Mercy - you weren't joking! That'll keep me busy for a while. Really useful though.

Good point re swimming Exit. There's plenty of opportunity for that around here, so I must remember to ask if he's partial to the odd dip!

[MercyDulbottle]

I'd forgotten about the loons on there who post in baby talk and pretend it's the dogs speaking...

Good info and advice if you can avoid any thread titled something like "I iz havin a wuvwy walk in da tweez wiv mummy"

[kid]

I've got a 16 month old springer and he is adorable.
He is extra hairy, we could make another dog with the amount of hair that comes off him so I hope you have a strong hoover!

He has picked up a couple of grass seeds in his paws which were noticed quickly and were easy to remove.

He can run for miles and miles and never really gets tired. He can sleep for England too so a nice balance I think. He also loves cuddles and would prefer to sit on you just so he can get nice and close.

[cakeistheanswer]

You mean I'm going to have to hoover, kid?

[kid]

That depends, how do you fancy creating a new carpet made from springer hair?

[glasscompletelybroken]

I'm gobsmacked that the rescue place would re-home a 10 month old springer spaniel to a complete novice!

They should have asked all the questions of the exisiting owners and given you all the answers. Springers may be lovelt (when they are too old to move much anymore) but they are extremely hard work.

[ExitPursuedByaBear]

My springer is my first dog, so I was a complete novice. Perhaps that is why he has dog on dog aggression.

I was frequently reduced to tears when he was a puppy, by how much hard work he was, but I am sure that had improved by 10 months.

[cakeistheanswer]

Now you're worrying me. [hshock]

Hopefully we can get all our questions answered when we meet the springer this weekend. Rehoming will probably be a couple of days later.

I've got the very best intentions of not being a soft touch but that may all fly out of the window by next week.

[bobkate]

Cake, I could have written your post 6 years ago! We also were total dog novices and adopted a springer as our first dog. Best thing we ever did so enjoy it. Bob was a similar age we think, but we were never totally sure as he was from one of the irish pounds. Hard to think they could have put him down if no-one had stepped in to get him out pronto. Anyhoo - he was very lively and playful, and we have travelled on a steep learning curve, but he was never so nutty that we ever regretted our decision. We then adopted a 2nd 2 years later. She was 8 and was a totally different character. More of a loon than Bob in a way. Sadly she died suddenly last year and we were heartbroken. Decided Bob was in mourning 3 months later and adopted a pup from a mum that had been fostered. She is gorgeous. Just coming into her peak nutbag stage we think, but she gets worn out enough during the day, to be fairly calm in the house.
Each dog is different I guess and there are really nutty ones out there, but if you can put the time in to really knacker them out ( mentally often as well as physically I'd say ) then I reckon you'll be ok.
Mercy - we found our first 2 dogs via ST!!! Your last post made me !!

[cakeistheanswer]

Thanks bob, all very encouraging! I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your older girl, that must have been an awful time for you all.

I fear ours may be one of your aforementioned nutty ones - sadly he's had two homes already, at such a young age. Hoping DCs will exhaust him for me on a daily basis!

[aliedwards]

We've got a 6 year old, rehomed him about 2 years ago. He's still full of energy. We get him clipped fairly regularly to prevent tangles in his hair. Would definitely recommend pet insurance. He's damaged his paws on 4 separate occasions. All due to him running and turning so quick to catch a tennis ball. What our Oscar will do for a tennis ball! He does also need constant reminding of his position, sometimes gets 'top dog' mentality, and with my first baby due in 3 wks I'm a bit concerned he might get jealous. But we'll have to wait and see.

[aliedwards]

We got Oscar from English Springer Spaniel Welfare. If you google them they have lots of advice. They're a really good outfit.

[Spuddybean]

Springers are a lot of work. very very energetic. My sister adopted one years ago and he was just loopy. they had to take him back to be rehomed. Also if he didn't get enough exercise he would become aggressive.

Having said that they usually have beautiful natures and i would have one in a heartbeat if i didn't live in london and have to work.

Good luck

[cakeistheanswer]

Thanks ali - you've reminded me I need to sort out insurance pronto. You're right, it would be foolish not to be insured.

ESS Welfare look really helpful - I'll probably be turning to them for advice within the next few days! Thanks for the recommendation.

Oscar sounds lovely!

[cakeistheanswer]

Like you, Spuddy, many people seem to mention the lunatic nature of the breed. Oh dear! I hope we can give him what he needs. I suppose like all breeds though, you get a full spectrum of personalities.

Only a few hours till we meet him now! Don't remember being this excited about DCs [hblush]

[kid]

It's really exciting when you get a new dog.
My springer totally let's down his breeds reputation. He has been snuggled up next to me for the last 3 hours. He works perfectly as a hot water bottlein this weather!

We have insurance for him, mine is with argos. I've had to claim twice so far, both times for skin conditions. I'm pleased my insurance pay vets directly, saves me forking out loads of cash upfront.

Hope you take loads of photos to share