Why do some breeds of dog, e.g. Springer spaniels and Weimaraners have boundless energy...

[WildRosie]

...whereas others such as Staffordshire Bull Terriers seem content to just plod along with their owner ? I don't think I've ever seen a Staffie running. Perhaps their legs are too short!

Springers - the clue is in the name 😁
Dogs which were originally bred for work needed a lot of energy.

They are/were bred to be working dogs

I wonder if its the same with people. Maybe I was just bred to be a plodding staffy and not a bounding springer

We are lucky.
We have a four year old Bedlington.
For something that’s supposed to be a working breed, he is more like a cat

I have a staffie (cross), who is 8 years old and can run very fast indeed (especially after a squirrel or a distant muntjac deer). We mislaid each other in the forest a year or two ago and she was running around looking for me (not where she had left me) - I found out later that various other walkers had noticed and tried to catch her but she was too quick for all of them. She and I found each other after about 25 mins.

Because they're shit.

To clarify, although my dog is a staffie CROSS, she looks very much like a staffie though slightly longer legs and she's had her DNA tested - it came back with practically every ancestor being a staffie (just one boxer and one American staff in the line up).

Conversely, I have come across supposedly speedy dogs that were real couch potatoes and very nimble Jack Russells.

My brother used to have a staffie.

He left my Springer in his wake. Actually, we call my springer a sprunger as she’s pretty chill.

Our old boy springer was a bloody nightmare however. He was 100000mph from the minute he got up in the morning until the minute he went to bed at night. He once did a 26 mile walk with me and pulled like a train the whole fucking way. He’d have pulled me the whole 26 miles back given the chance.

We have a Vizsla who is happy curled up in front of the fire.

My Springer only ‘springs’ when reminding me it’s either time for breakfast or supper. Otherwise he is a sun spot worshipping, sofa dwelling lollop who sulks when his basket duvet is washed.

He is a show line though, on his morning beach walk he merely meanders along the shoreline sniffing things and trying to find ‘revolting’ snacks. His partner in grime and crime is a Boxer, now she is a lover of bounding about.

Because they were working/gun dogs on the go all day. Not surprising they are full of energy.

Depends on lines. Some springer lines are ‘hot’ ie keen to work, others not so much. It also depends what they’re used to. If I take mine to the woods, they’re hyper and will motorbike round. We used to be at the vet a lot getting injuries fixed. The park is much safer/calmer. Swimming makes mine hyper but then other times they are proper couch potatoes.

Brigante9 has the best of both worlds, apart from the vet stuff.

My mum’s working lines springer has two modes: 90mph or fast asleep. Fortunately she spends about 80% of the day asleep. I guess she’s just been lucky.

Different dogs are bred to do different things.

They are working dogs . Although I’ve had 2 springers and one was a bundle of energy the other is a lazy sod and will quite happily sleep all day. He’s 5 so not old just lazy

@Mydogisagentleman

We are lucky. We have a four year old Bedlington. For something that’s supposed to be a working breed, he is more like a cat

My husbands family always had beddlingtons and said the same. Would hare about on his walk for half an hour then sleep the rest of the time

He’s been out for about half and hour and now can’t be arsed to get up for his dinner.
He is not remotely prey or food driven.
I heart my boy

There was an English Springer Spaniel at a local rock climbing spot this afternoon. She was bounding about like buggery but managed to avoid falling off any steep ledges, though goodness knows how. She barked at me for having the temerity to be walking on HER outcrop!