English Springer spaniel health

The English Springer Spaniel (ESS) is known for his high activity level. If you just adopted an ESS, or is planning to adopt one, here’s a question you need to ask yourself: Can you cope with an English Springer Spaniel? You’ll find everything you need to know about English Springer Spaniel training and health concerns that may arise.

TRAINING

The English Springer spaniel needs as much exercise as he can get. For the ESS to be healthy and happy, they have to become mentally and physically active. They require plenty of time to play and run off the leash. However, since the ESS was bred to stay close to their owners, handlers should always lead the way and walk, jog or run in front of the canine. If the dog has been trained to recall, walks in fields or in the woods can be a good exercise for the English Springer spaniel. However, these dogs prefer retrieving games, swimming, hunting, agility skills training and obedience competitions, so a simple walk around the block would not satisfy their need for exercise.

Training English Springer Spaniels is easy because this breed is high intelligent, attentive, skillful and obedient – four important traits that make them easy to train. Whether the English Springer spaniel is a performance show, family pet or hunting companion, lack of exercise may lead to unwanted weight gain and boredom, which can sometimes be destructive, obsessive and extremely energetic. When dogs become hyper indoors and search for ways to entertain himself, such as playing with a sock or a plastic bottle, this is often a sign that they don’t get enough exercise.

When English Springer Spaniels undergo training, be aware that this breed is very emotional and can get their feelings hurt easily. As such, it is always good to use positive reinforcement, since negative or forceful training can make the ESS unwilling to participate in training. Sometimes, this dog can pick up on his owner’s mood, becoming impatient and agitate just as his handler does. In this case, it is best to keep a positive attitude throughout training to encourage the dog to learn new tricks.

English Springer spaniels can easily pick up on their owner’s language, so speaking to them on a daily basis can work to your advantage. The more owners talk to these canines, the better the ESS can understand what their handlers are saying. Communication also creates a stronger bond with the dog and owner. In fact, dogs have better respect towards their owners when taught how to communicate early and if given the time, dedication and patience in training.

They can be trained by both adults and children. In fact, children with their dogs can compete on shows and field trials. Some of the common tricks English Springer Spaniels are known to learn easily include obedience, agility, tracking, flyball, soft mouth, quarter, scenting, flushing, steady and blind retrieve, among others. They can also learn how to follow hand signals and retrieve to hand. Whether you train them for a show or a trial, these dogs can become an enjoyable member of a household.

HEALTH & OTHER CONCERNS

Like other dog breeds, the English Springer Spaniel require special care. Here are the things you may need to look out for:

• Grooming – If you have a show-bred English Springer spaniel, his coat needs more attention and thus require ample time for grooming. If he is a field-type, his coat would be easier to maintain by regular brushing, particularly in the feet and ears. Generally, a show Springer requires about an hour of grooming. Remember that since it takes a very long time for feathering and ears to re-grow when cut badly, it is better to hire an experienced person to do the clipping. Hair under the ears may lead to chronic ear infections. Of course, both types require baths regularly.
• Shedding – Although the show-bred type doesn’t have much coast compared to the field ESS, they are both constant shedders. All dog breeds lose some of their coat at some point during the year, but these hairs are long enough to vacuum easily. Be aware that health problems and extreme stress can also lead to excessive shedding, but daily brushing can help prevent this.
• Training – Obedience training is important for an English Springer spaniel puppy. Some people use laser lights to entertain these highly active dogs. Although this may keep the dog physically active, the English Springer spaniel may become obsessive with this kind of toy, especially if exposed for some time. When this happens, the dog could literally bounce off against walls and chase after any kind of light, which may be dangerous if they happen to run after a speeding car. Experts recommend training the ESS by playing fetch or Frisbee, swimming, hiking or hunting.
• Health problems – Not all English Springer Spaniels will end up with health issues, but problems such as hip dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) are more likely to appear on these Springer Spaniels due to their genes. As such, it is important to adopt or buy puppies from responsible breeders who screen both the mother and father prior to breeding. Some of these dogs are also prone to ear infections, so it is important to have their ear canals cleaned at least once a week to prevent the growth of bacteria and yeast. Other issues that an English Springer Spaniel may face include allergies, autoimmune diseases, and blood clotting disorders.