Springer Fans?

[Hornseeker]

I have owned several labs and a mutt springer/gp.... he was a fantastic dog and so were the labs, but I am just thinking I'd like to try something different. Anyone a springer fan? Can you tell me a bit about them? I've been around a few, I enjoyed them. I like the versatility... I love their looks...

Pros

Cons???

Thanks!

[FC]

Very hyper, very friendly. Whimper, whine, howl when you come home etc. always happy to see you, great kid's dog. Mine had to be put down when she was 19 after being knocked down by the neighbors truck, she broke a hip. They can be excitable house pissers though so you have to watch it if they start doing that and ignore them when you first get home until they settle down a bit.

[Bluemoon]

If I could only have one dog it would be a Springer....IMO they are the most versatile of all the hunting breeds...If you do decide on one however do your home work and research the breeding...Don't be afraid to ask for help and opinions....If you want to watch some work come on down...

[Hornseeker]

Good lookin pup there!

As far as research and such, I will put some time in, however, i am not going to put all my eggs in the pedigree basket. One thing I'm looking at right now is a litter a guy had not far from here. There are some questions I need to ask, but evidently they are not "registered".... I'll fill ya in when I get info. Thing is, this springer/shorthair cross I've got right now is the best dog I've been around aside from some hounds I grew up with.... so Im not stuck on registrations and pedigrees... Hell...I guess he was a design dog... a Springer Pointer or a German Spaniel or somesuch???

 

[CamoDup]

I have had 2 springers and they have been the best dogs!  they both had (i say had but one is still kickin) the best personalities, very mellow and GREAT bird dogs.  I just got my new pup (which is a lab), he is hunting behind and learning everything from our female springer. i just hope that he turns out to be the bird dog as she is! she will turn 10 this year so i needed to get a pup so he could learn the ropes from her.  hopefully my dad will soon get another springer!! great dogs!

[SpringerFan]

Well, as you can see by forum name, I kinda like Springers. 

They are great dogs. Very smart, loyal and want to please. They can also be a little talky (mine talks beack if he hears no). Not much of a barker. Can piddle when he first sees me. So when I get home I go right out the back door to the yard. After that, much fun and very loving.

Every morning we share a solid 30 minutes sitting on the couch (him in my lap) just getting his love.

As for hunting....holy crap!!! You have to watch them in the field. I need to make mine rest at times. All he wants to do it hunt.

As mentioned, watch the breeding. I can put you in touch with some good breeders through WWESSC

[Stilly bay]

this is one time where you may want to pay close attention to a pedigree, as there are field bred springers and show springers. sometimes you may get lucky with a show springer  that will be a good hunter, but you would be much better off with a dog from a proven field line. I grew up with a field bred springer and she was nick named the bird bomb. my brother has a show springer and while the dog has a great personality and more hair than fabio.... its dumber than a box of S&%T.

other than that, springers are outstanding upland/waterfowl/family dogs.

[Hornseeker]

Well, I know a lot of you will not recommend this, but I have a line on some pups and am pretty excited about them actually...

Just a tad bit of background...I grew up with a lot of dogs....a few labs, but mostly hounds. I never put a lick of stock in a pedigree... I saw papered dogs that had pedigrees 50 feet long that were worthless or ended up with bad hips...I've seen mutts that were 3-4 breeds mixed together that were as good a dogs as walked the earth. I also have this shorthair/springer cross that I LOVE... bought him at a feedstore in Spokane for $50 back in 98 and his 13th birthday was a few days ago...

Anyhow, I found a guy a few towns away that WON a puppy at a banquet 4 yrs ago. A male, black and white springer. The breeder was out of Idaho, field dogs, and was selling the pups for $750. According to this guy, this dog has a fantastic demeanor and though he only hunts a bit, has proven birdy and useful. However, he couldnt care less about papers and never registered the dog (I know, this is where I have to "trust" the guy that his whole story is true? Could have picked up this rez dog off the street and is "claiming" it was from a pedigreed litter??)

Then, 2 yrs ago his daughter begged him to get a female so they could have a litter of puppies... They found a local litter with 2 registered parents and picked one up. Again, he did not register the female... Anyhow, They now have a litter... I am going to take a look at both parents and see what I think, but its about what I'm looking for. For $100 I can get a pup with his tail docked and his first shots... they are ready to go in 15 days from now!

Since tehy are not "guaranteed" or pedigreed.... what would you recommend I look for when I look at the parents??? I'im pretty excited really....

[buckhorn2]

If they don;t work out on birds Ernie you could still try them on that bigfoot.

[Hornseeker]

 

[jetjockey]

I get to hunt over springers in PA for pheasants.  They are meat springers who see 40-50 days in the field a year.  They are great hunting dogs with close range and great retrieves.  IMO they are perfect for hunting milo, corn, and other kinds of fields with rows that really allow pheasants to run.  They might just be the perfect all around pheasant dog.  However, with that said, Id still pick a brittany over a springer any day.  I don't like boot lickers, which means Im not a huge fan of labs either for upland birds.  I want a big running dog that covers a ton of territory, and knows how to handle, and pin wild birds.  If you like close ranging dogs that you don't have to train much, then by all means, go with a springer.  Its pretty easy to put one down and kill lots of birds over them.  However, if your like me and are kind of lazy, then get a big running pointing dog.  I prefer a dog to do the hunting, not me. I don't like to walk within 30 yards of every piece of cover I can find. 

[SpringerFan]

If you like close ranging dogs that you don't have to train much, then by all means, go with a springer.  Its pretty easy to put one down and kill lots of birds over them.  However, if your like me and are kind of lazy, then get a big running pointing dog.  I prefer a dog to do the hunting, not me. I don't like to walk within 30 yards of every piece of cover I can find. 

Uh.....wow. Don't have to train much? Really? Now if you get a good dog from a good line I would agree a lot of what they do is natural. But training is required. All the time for any hunting dog. Not sure where you are coming from....

If you like a dog to hold a bird by pointing so you can walk right up and blast it from 15 feet.......go pointer. If you like to see animation and enjoy the challenge of actually having to aim to hit the bird, go with a flushing dog.

Just my opinion of course. Different hunting styles require different dogs.

[jetjockey]

Im not saying there is no training required, but a springers naturaly trait is to flush birds.  They do it naturally.  A pointer will point naturally as well, but it takes a lot more training to get one to hold a bird.  A pointing dog busting birds at 100 yards is a really big problem.  A springer busting birds at 30 yards is pure shooting enjoyment.  Thats all I was trying to say.  Its the exact reason some guys with pointing dogs don't like them to run more then 30-40 yards.  An untrained pointing dog will bust lots of birds, its not a problem if they are close ranging dogs and you can shoot over them, but pointing dogs tend to run a lot bigger then flushing and retrieveing dogs.
 
As far as blasting a bird from 15 feet, well thats the nice thing about a good pointing dog.  Shots are easier and you don't lose nearly as many birds. 

[SpringerFan]

Im not saying there is no training required, but a springers naturaly trait is to flush birds.  They do it naturally.  A pointer will point naturally as well, but it takes a lot more training to get one to hold a bird.  A pointing dog busting birds at 100 yards is a really big problem.  A springer busting birds at 30 yards is pure shooting enjoyment.  Thats all I was trying to say.  Its the exact reason some guys with pointing dogs don't like them to run more then 30-40 yards.  An untrained pointing dog will bust lots of birds, its not a problem if they are close ranging dogs and you can shoot over them, but pointing dogs tend to run a lot bigger then flushing and retrieveing dogs.
 
As far as blasting a bird from 15 feet, well thats the nice thing about a good pointing dog.  Shots are easier and you don't lose nearly as many birds. 

Got it. Wasn't sure what you were implying. And I have seen what you described. A nice looking pointer running 100 yards out in front flushing birds left and right. Not a pretty sight.

[ecnclan]

Best dog we've had.  Great Family dog and a pleasure to hunt with.