Advice please - adopting a springer spaniel.

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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.

Erm, I'll have to work out how to do it first [hblush]

If all goes well at the meeting tomorrow, I'll try to sort out insurance before we bring him home (prob Tuesday.) [hgrin]

I had a springer for 16 years, she was wonderful. My technique in the early days was basically to walk the legs off her. Long walks and then she was too knackered to do anything but sleep when she came home.

When we worked she had dog walkers come in a couple of times a day.

She was super intelligent and really easy to train. She loved water and our house always smelled of pond life.

She would play with a ball in the garden but when she went out it was nose to the ground and enjoying the smells. I've said this on mumsnet before, she once chased a squirrel or a cat up a tree when she was about 2 years old and the fire brigade had to rescue her as she got stuck over 6feet up.

She was a greedy bugger and would eat anything left on surfaces. She could also get the lid off the tin of roses and once made herself very ill by scoffing 1kg while I was out at work.

I'd have a springer again in a heartbeat.

How did it go today? Another vote for insurance here. Our 2nd springer was by far the worse...she was always in the vets for something or another. Usually to do with running around like a loon out on her walks. There were lots of puncture wounds, she almost went blind from running through a thorn bush at full pelt and a thorn went into her eye. Missed the iris ( I think - not a vet! ) by a millimetre if that. We had numerous flourescent bandages for ripped dew claws, oh and she knocked most of her bottom teeth out at various points when chasing her ball and crashing into things. Loony, but worth every penny.

Well, we met our springer yesterday and he's gorgeous! Absolutely bonkers, but wonderful with it. I was surprised how big and strong he is - wasn't expecting such a large mass of energy!

He's living with a lovely couple, who have taken the selfless decision to rehome him as they both work long hours. They have only had him for 6 weeks (was totally untrained before then) and in that time he's learnt so much. He was previously with an elderly lady who couldn't even walk him because he pulled her over!

He's been doing some clicker training and is impressively obedient, given the short time he's been learning. He's got so much potential to expand on that.

chick - at my mental picture of your springer stuck up a tree!

Thanks for reminding me bob - have now put insurance on today's list of things to do!

Just going out to buy a cage for the back of the car now. May need some advice on the whole car thing, as we're told that he hates the car - current owners have never managed to get him into theirs. Oh dear, he'll need to come in mine quite often!

So pleased the meet went well. He sounds lovely, they are really gorgeous doggies . Looking forward to hearing how he settles in . Sure someone more experienced than me will be along to assist with the car thing

Crikey - that was a bit overload

I think to help with the car thing, you will need to just get him used to getting in to the car without travelling anywhere. If he is food motivated like my springer, give him some treats next to the car. Progress to treating in the car and then progress to very short journeys.
I've been lucky with my dog as he experienced car journeys with his mum while with the breeder.
Best of luck with your bundle if energy

I am very of your springer. I love springers - grew up with them. They love to swim and bounce He will need a lot of exercise but you're obviously prepared for that. Do you have one of the dummys they use for gundog training? You chuck it and they get it and bound back - fab sight!
Watch out for grass seeds though - recurring problem for ours.

bob [hwink] [hgrin] [hsmile]

Thanks for the tips kid. Thank goodness it's half-term next week, so we can hopefully try what you've suggested in a fairly relaxed manner, without having to force the issue at school-run time.
Hoping to take our boy on the sch run in due course, as it's a very short car journey (about 5 mins max), followed by a long walk between car park and school, culminating in a lovely big field with plenty of space for running and playing after dropping off DD. Hopefully this will lead him to believe that the car is a good thing fairly quickly - being a small amount of torture for a large reward.

Then he can come home and sleep all day until afternoon sch run. (Yeah, right. )

Have just googled the gundog dummies lurker - they look fab. I'll try to buy one tomorrow so he can start using it straight away. Better not get a rabbity one though - don't want him getting any ideas about DD's pet bunnies!

No you can just get the canvas ones which are pleasingly anonymous They are fab - just heavy enough so that you can lob it a really long way even if you're feeble like me!

Ooooh exciting cake!!!

I've been out this morning (without pup) and seen 5 springers in the space of half an hour!

To get used to car - try putting the dog in car with a treat/kong etc and just let him sit there with it, build up time and then progress to switching car on, going for a drive etc. Having a lovely walk at the end will definitely help! Our pup is much happier in a crate in the car than just left to wobble about in the boot. We found this out the hard way

OMG I am sooooo excited! [hgrin] Sorry, that sounded like DCs (Epic fail.)

Leaving here in about 15 mins to pick him up from rescue centre - they have collected him from his previous home this morning, so he didn't have to spend a stressful night in their kennels.

I think I've dogproofed all the bits of house I need to. (famous last words)

Ikwym alp, since we've known we're getting him, have seen springers everywhere!

Wish me luck!

Good luck!!!

Good luck!

There aren't many other springers around here, think I've seen 2 in the last 3 years. Never seen a tri-colour one like mine either, apparently they are quite rare.

Good luck, and have fun! Lots of springers (and cockers) around here, and spaniels are the Dogmouse's favourite pals - always up for a play and run around

Loads round here too! Never really noticed before.

Our boy is gorgeous and we're in love. . Some challenging behaviours (no surprise there then!) but he's the cleverest dog on the planet (pfb much?) and is learning fast.

Love him!