Welsh Springer Spaniel Dog Breed

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is a hunting dog whose versatility and adaptability allows the breed to be used for other tasks, but hunting is what they're best at doing. They are not for first-time dog owners as they have a lot of demands and they need the right training to persuade them to be their best. They make great companion dogs provided they have a job, get a great amount of daily exercise and you understand the many Welsh Springer Spaniel facts including:

PROS

• Very playful
• Medium-sized
• Unique-looking
• Highly versatile
• Few health problems
• Extremely intelligent
• Brilliant hunting dog
• Gets along with other dogs
• Perfect for active lifestyles
• Loves to swim and play in water

CONS

• Can be shy
• A bit messy
• Sheds a lot
• Easily bored
• Can bark a lot
• Extremely restive
• Separation anxiety
• Tends to be stubborn
• Destructive when bored
• Somewhat difficult to train
• Requires a well-fenced yard
• Epilepsy is somewhat common
• Requires a huge amount of exercise
• Can urinate when excited or anxious
• Must be socialized early, carefully and constantly

This medium-sized breed requires a very active lifestyle, constant mental stimulation and a lot of personal attention. There is a lot of Welsh Springer Spaniel information and you would be hard-pressed to find any that doesn't mandate a lot of daily exercise to keep this dog happy. It's best for them to experience new people and places to keep them from becoming anxious.

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is recognized the world over as one of the smartest working dogs, and you need to be prepared for the responsibilities if you plan to adopt one. Because they are so sharp, they are highly sensitive as well as a bit stubborn. If they don't feel their work is purposeful, you will have a hard time dealing with this breed.

This dog's versatility in hunting, tracking, and retrieval make them prized among hunters. Once properly trained, they are extremely loyal and will work long and hard to be a superior hunting dog. Once home, they are great companion dogs for the children or just resting from a hard day's work and play. They will look forward to being with the family and sleeping with you.

As a remarkably active dog, exercise and work are necessary for the Welsh Springer. Even with frequent hunting activities, long walks are needed as is time to run free in well-fenced yards or dog parks. A lack of exercise will very quickly prompt this dog to be anxious, destructive and unhappy.

The Welsh Springer Spaniel temperament is best described as excitable, emotional and potentially anxious. They have a great amount of endurance for hunting, and otherwise, they must have a way to burn off the energy that grants them this stamina. They tend to be excitable as puppies and if they are not socialized and trained very early on and constantly, this zeal can be a problem later in their life. Through all this, they are headstrong yet very emotionally sensitive, so it requires a firm yet calm touch to manage these dogs.

Training is typically not easy with this breed, but experienced hunting dog handlers will understand the returns of patient, reward-based training: a fine hunting dog with many talents who will play well with children and other dogs and behave around guests. They also have a strong desire to roam and explore, and this is must be gently curbed.

These clingy dogs are prone to separation anxiety, and they are not served by crate-based training or being left alone for long or frequent periods of time.

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is an exceedingly healthy breed that has some genetic and basic dog problems that nevertheless have remarkably low incident rates. You should be sure to get all your puppy's health papers and all testing for hip, eye and any other health concerns when they come of age. There are also injuries that can happen while hunting or working.

Some of the specific issues that can occur are:

• Epilepsy
• Eye problems
• Hip dysplasia
• Hypothyroidism
• Elbow dysplasia

These dogs usually live to be about 12 to 15 years old.