Calm spaniels

[TeenLifeMum]

We have a working cocker spaniel who is 4.5 years old. Good as gold but his first year was intense with lots of training and we didn’t sit and watch a full programme on tv for the first 6 months because he had to be watched because he chewed etc. now, he’s the perfect dog. We now have a 14 week old sprocker and she’s super calm, obedient, amazing recall, very snuggly so in the evening we can watch a film with both dogs on the sofa. Most she’ll do is get up and tap the bells on the back door to ask to go outside for a wee, but then back in for snuggles. She has zoomies around the garden but she’s so calm in the house 85% of the time.

So many non spaniel owners keep saying we’re nuts to have such bouncy dogs. Neither are bouncy 🤷🏻‍♀️

Is our spaniel experience different to everyone else?

I think a lot of spaniels are badly managed and under exercised/stimulated, a working cocker getting two 30 minute street walks on a lead and left for a full working day is not going to be an easy dog to be around.

Dogs that are calm in the house are generally calm because their needs are being met imo.

Puppies aside, puppies are jerks

Completely agree with all of the above. We have an ESS and he is on the go when out and about, but completely happy chilling at home.
I agree with the other poster saying that they are always looking to please you.
I was talking to some people about dogs the other day and they said they wouldn’t have a springer, because they’d be too hectic and now I wish I’d argued their case a bit more!
It is so lovely reading about all of your lovely spaniels. 😍

This.

We have one of the aforementioned "oodle crosses". 90 percent of those we see out on walks are an untrained pain in the arse...ours is fine because we've put the effort in. Her recall is great, she will leave other dogs alone if they're on their lead, she sits calmly before being given permission to cross the road even if we're going somewhere very exciting...!

She is energetic outside the house - will chase her ball for ages, run on the beach for hours - but also sleeps at my husband's feet all day while he wfh (occasionally coming out to have a chew on one of her toys).

She is a show cocker cross but that was a deliberate choice...we wouldn't have the lifestyle to tire out a working cocker!

Our girl is 18 months now and it is so reassuring to read this thread. She's a lovely show cocker. Very chilled at home but high energy out of the house.

Great in the car, loves being around people. Will happily snooze all day in her fave armchair. Loves watching the goings on in the house. And particularly enjoys sitting in the sofa with the kids watching football.

On walks all I hear is "Ooh she's bouncy/lively/a handful/etc etc". No, she's a spaniel being a spaniel. Inquisitive, led by her nose but constantly aware of where I am. She's great with other dogs but doesn't like dogs who bark in her face which I think is understandable. We do a lot of training but she's a spaniel. Leave her be.

She is also unphased by fireworks and roadworks and thunder

Same with our Springer @ElsaSnow . On Bonfire night/NYE she stands out the front with us watching them and we walk her as normal in the evening...barely even glances at huge bangs going off next to us even when they've made me jump!

We have a spaniel (wc) and he's as good as gold he was raging that I was up earlier this morning and he's gone back to sleep, it's just just me and him during the day we potter and do a bit of training here and there, don't get me wrong he has his moments hates cats and men in caps that pass the window, he does have a crate that he goes in for a nap in the afternoon because they can become over stimulated , but in general he's a calm dog.

My springer is currently snoring on his back next to me! But we’ve had a long walk with some fairly complex retrieves this morning so he’ll happily potter and snooze for the rest of the day.

Like so many others on here he’s 100mph and in ‘work’ mode when we’re out but chilled as anything at home. However I give him decent walks with training, plenty of mental stimulation so his needs are met. If I only did a short walk round the block and left him for long periods I know he’d be a very different dog

I had a show cocker. Loved him to bits but he was an utter nightmare, both in terms of energy and being the most stubborn dog I’ve ever come across. I did the whole puppy training both group settings and one to one and he would drive the trainers to despair! Even when I lost him just before his 13th birthday he was still a challenge. Definitely a malfunction somewhere!

Bloody adored that little dog and his character though. Not a bad bone in his body and I miss his utter exuberance and zest for life.

I work with wcs and they are busy fast non stop dogs ........when working.

They have bene taught to be calm and chilled in the house and in the vehicle.

However they do need to be doing things to be able to be calm. The need to have an outlet for their intelligence and their enthusiasm and fitness.

I do see a lot of wcs in pet homes that are totally unsuitable for them.

My 5 month old Springer Spaniel from working lines is amazing indoors- happily sleeps or entertains herself with her toys. I do get a lot of the mad comments from people who see her out and about which I understand- she does look mad as she tears about everywhere! It's such a sharp contrast to my terrier who happily potters behind or ahead of me with frequent stops for sniffs. But she knows that inside we rest.

My cockerpoo is busy, busy outside - inquisitive and excited to be on a walk, still quite bouncy around other dogs but decent recall and on a lead where need be. At home he’ll spend most of the day sleeping under my desk - folk don’t believe he’s so chilled at home but it’s because he is well exercised and trained. He’s a cracking little pup.