Spaniels as a family are hunting and retrieving dogs.
Getting ready for a new spaniel begins before you bring it home.
Sometimes picking a spaniel is the most difficult part, as many traits only effect one type of spaniel.
Each of today's purebred dogs began as a calculated experiment in selective breeding by a fancier with a definite purpose in mind, to engineer a new breed to suit a specific need.
Here are a few common traits for different spaniel breeds:
American Cocker Spaniel average height is 13.5-15.5in average weight is 26-34lb bred for Small game retrieving Now mainly used as Companion dog and family pet.
Sussex Spaniel average height is 13-15in average weight is 35-45lb bred for Game Tracking Now mainly used as Companion or family pet.
Welsh Springer Spaniel average height is 17-19in average weight is 35-45lb bred for Game Flushing and Retrieving Now mainly used as Companion, or gundog.
Field Spaniel average height is 16-19in average weight is 35-50lb bred for Game retrieving Now mainly used as Companion or hunter.
Irish Water Spaniel average height is 21-24in average weight is 45-65lb bred for water fowl retrieving Now mainly used as Companion, or water fowl retriever.
Choosing the trait you would like in your spaniel pup should be foremost in your mind. You don't want to end up with a lap dog when you really wanted a hunting companion.
A puppy means a big change in your life and it helps, as the Boy Scouts say, to be prepared. Taking time now to plan and get things in order will make a big difference in the long run.
Here are a few Tips
Once you have located several breeders who produce the breed you desire, we recommend that you visit all of them before deciding on a puppy. Compare their facilities, and beware of the hard sell. Do not be pressured into buying a puppy because the breeder says there are three other prospective buyers on their way over. Also, do not buy a puppy simply because the breeder isn't planning to produce another litter any time soon.
Pay attention to first impressions. Which of the breeders is open, informative, and friendly? Which are closed-mouthed and cautious? A good breeder will be honest and will want to place the puppy in the best home possible. Breeders should also want to know about you. Are you responsible enough to own a dog? Do you have a house with a fenced yard, or do you live in a studio apartment? Do you own other pets? A good breeder will want to ensure the welfare of his or her dog, for the animal's sake and for the future success of the breed.
The friendliest dogs are usually those that have been handled by humans from the time they were only a few days old. Successful breeders understand this and will have regular handling sessions with the puppies every day. Many bring the puppies into their home each day to acclimate them to this environment. Avoid those breeders who keep their puppies isolated from people.
No breeder should allow a puppy to leave the litter before it is seven weeks of age. Proper socialization within the litter is ensured during this important period. Puppies that leave too soon often become dog-aggressive and antisocial. Breeders who are willing to let their puppies go too early are not doing their job properly. Avoid them.
Proper record-keeping is an essential part of the breeding process. Breeders should have the pedigrees of all of their available dogs and should provide you with the accurate date of birth as well as all vaccination records. The breeder must also give you a blue AKC registration application for your puppy. You will fill this out and mail it to the American Kennel Club; the AKC will then send you your puppy's registration certificate. A sales contract should be provided as well. Read this document carefully; some contracts specify co-ownership between you and the breeder, and some require you to alter the pet within a certain period.
Remember
The kind of relationship you want to start as soon as you bring the puppy home, even before you take him to puppy kindergarten or start your training is to get him under control. Don't physically force your new pet to do things that he's not ready to do. Let him get used to one room at a time. Make sure that you keep track of when he is getting overly excited. This is your cue to say to him, "Settle!" or "Outside!" The word or phrase you use is up to you.
Start out with the right attitude. The first weeks of your new puppy's life with you will be busy and demanding. There may be times when you wonder if getting a puppy was such a good idea. Things will go better if you have patience and keep your sense of humor. Remember that puppyhood only happens once. The extra effort you put into it now will pay off in the future.
A note on discipline:
Physical discipline should be reserved for serious dog crimes only, and not to be used for every episode of bad behavior. Verbal correction will suffice for many dogs, but you should know more than one method of discipline before the unfortunate necessity of using one arises.
For an extreme situation the best and I feel the only method of physical punishment is the shake down.
The shakedown is simply grabbing with one hand the scruff of the neck and giving it a good shake. This method approximates the technique a mother of a litter uses to keep order in the litter, to stop fighting between litter members, or to help wean her pups away from her to solid food. Discipline methods that reflect instinctual canine behavior will communicate displeasure in ways a dog can understand. Other corrections like throwing or hitting the dog with objects, spanking with newspapers, or simple pleading only serve human, not canine, ends, and do not communicate displeasure clearly to the dog.
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