thinking about a Springer Spaniel, can anyone help?

[MarriedToTheGrinch]

We lost our beloved collie in April, and the house is just so empty without her. DH and DS both go beating on our local shoot and they've talked about springer spaniels but I don't really know anything about the breed.

Does anyone have a springer spaniel? Are they prone to health issues? Are they a nippy breed? Are they constantly barking? Do they need to go to the Beauty Salon for grooming? Do they jump up alot?

TIA

Springer Spaniels love mud and wet. They are hairy, shed and do need trimming. They can suffer from hip dysplasia and finally the clue is in the name.
Any breed can be nippy good bite inhibition training and socialisation help to make this much less likely.

Agree with Liz, but also very trainable (well, mine is so far, anyway).

Mad as a march hare..but just lovely. They do get very knotted..esp after big wet walks but nothing a good brush won't fix.

I grew up with 3 (gun dogs) none jumped up at all. But my father spent a large amount of time training.

Probably not a dog for the houseproud. Mine just loves mud and wet.

We have an 8 month old springer spaniel who like other posters have said loves mud and wet but equally lives curling up for a snooze! Come 7.30 and she is asleep and won't move for much.

She hardly barks - our neighbours have very yappy dogs who yap and yap and yap and she has never 'replied' over the fence

She will do anything for food so helps with the training, will run like a loon in the woods and often miss judges jumping a ditch so comes back black.

If your family shoots then I can imagine having your dog accompany and join in would be great!

YY to the nuttiness of Springers.

I grew up with a Springer in the house and she was adorable. Loved long walks as much as curling up in front of the radiator with the cat, or lying on my feet. She was a living breathing alternative to <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=footwarmer&hl=en&nord=1&biw=1600&bih=785&tbm=isch&tbnid=UHu_6ysc1YAQDM:&imgrefurl=www.wideshoe.co.uk/electric-footwarmer-i601353.html&docid=UQ65JY8PRWsjTM&imgurl=www.wideshoe.co.uk/thumbnails/electric_foot_warmer.jpg&w=301&h=300&ei=98flTv_sOIqbOr356bAE&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=535&vpy=136&dur=1029&hovh=224&hovw=225&tx=123&ty=112&sig=111439346351319771401&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=137&start=0&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">these

She would steal food from the table if you didn't watch her like a hawk, but was otherwise pretty well behaved and trainable.

Our dog didn't have particularly long hair, so wasn't bad for grooming.

I have a springer - he is the sweetest dog ever. When my baby cries, he runs straight to her to try to cheer her up. I adore him. He pads around the house after me and can sleep for England.

He is a messy bugger tho - loves mud and wet weather! You do need to brush them regularly.

Springers do like lots of attention. In the family there are two one has lots of hip problems. The other is a bit stressy and likes diving into anything dirty and smelly.

They also give that dog smell in the car as invariably you wash them down when you get home.

They are loyal and like cuddles, training as everyone mentioned is important. I agree with the love of food, they do flop out tired though after long walks.

Oh yes stealing food - unguarded food on a table is basically a foolish and silly thing to do - pup has eaten sour cream and chives, horseradish(!!!!) bread, lasagne....

IME - Excellent family dog, but completely nutty! Quite easy to train - intelligent like collies. Need good walks and love being muddy and dirty.

Friend has 3 (and 2 cockers) and doesnt get any of them clipped professionally, he does however have to keep their tail hair short (the undocked ones), but that is easy to do yourself.

Can be greedy, but good training solves that - again IME I've found that Springs respond really well to whistle training.

I'd always choose another Springer - so maybe I'm biased!

Some lovely ones HERE now, Many tears have some in too, and 'Its a Spring Thing' is a great website full of Springer Advice.

HTH

thanks for all the advice, our collie was mad as a hatter so am well used to that

my job is at risk (just found out) so am going to wait until January until I know what's happening with that before I committ us to anything.