Springers

Toad

Toad

Active member
Does anybody in NE Kansas hunt over springer spaniels? I am intrigued by the hype the breed gets on TV and in magazines. Does anybody in the area have any experience with them?

My golden only hunts upland birds in order to get something to retrieve, and it shows. He is pretty laid back, and just kind of wanders around until a gun goes off. You couldn't ask for a better retriever... but it would be nice to have a flusher with some intensity before the shot instead of just after.

I'm not in the market for a dog at the moment, but I have been curious about springers for some time.
 
I don't have a springer but I know alot of guys that do! They have a great nose and an amazing will to hunt! If you like hunting phez flushers with good noses are awesome! I have brits and when those phez run it kinda messes with them some but they are young too. Just my .02 ! Are goldens known for having noses for game or just retrievers!!
 
jcfd129 said:
I don't have a springer but I know alot of guys that do! They have a great nose and an amazing will to hunt! If you like hunting phez flushers with good noses are awesome! I have brits and when those phez run it kinda messes with them some but they are young too. Just my .02 ! Are goldens known for having noses for game or just retrievers!!
Click to expand...

Well, please pardon me in advance for offering my truthful, honest opinion that might step on somebody's toes...

I would say (from my experience) that goldens are best known for being fluffy, cuddly, friendly foot-warmers. There are probably goldens out there that are excellent hunters, but the vast majority I know of are house pets. (Please don't lynch me if you hunt with goldens.) That being said... My golden was extremely easy to train, and has been a joy to own as a house dog, buddy, and a hunting companion. He's a pretty good waterfowl dog and is decent on upland birds when the action is good.

My only complaint about him is that he tends to get bored and lazy if he's not finding a ton of birds and pretty much quits hunting. I don't think he has the best nose, so even when he's quartering well, I think he's kind of going through the motions... Once the gun goes off, it's like a switch has been flipped. All of a sudden he will run through a brick wall to get whatever bird is down and he retrieves with a lot of intensity and a gentle mouth. He's pretty much perfect after the shot... I would grade my golden as a D+ for hunting and A+ for retrieving. If that makes sense...

Anyway, that's my 2 cents about goldens. I got a versatile breed dog last year and she is a great hunter and decent retriever, but I'm not sure I have landed on the ultimate dog breed for my personal taste.

I like what I've heard about springer spaniels, but I haven't ever seen one in the field. I don't have room for another dog at the moment, but I would like to find out more about springers possibly for next time.
 
I had Springers for the better part of thirty five years. I trained and hunted with all of them. They were all fine hunting dogs, but more importantly they were all great companions and always at my side. They have incredible noses and there hunt drive is incredible. In addition, they are extremely easy to train. At least that was my experience with mine. Although I now have a Vizsla, I still have a special place in my heart for Springers, and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a flusher, that is willing to put the time and energy into this very energetic breed. As a matter of fact, I will most likely have another sometime in the near future.

Good hunting.

Paul
 
Well I am not in KS but like to go there with mine, They are for me the way to go, all I can say. I have hunted with some verry nice Goldens though, these were realy great dogs oppisite of the earlier opinion but thats to be found with any post, no needeling intended. I raise Springers and have had allot of other dogs that were fantastic too but with what I want in a dog now I will probably be with the ESS Field bred dogs for a long time to come, but I mean the real field bred ones though. good luck to you and the goldy you have now:cheers:
 
FCSpringer, do you keep any in the house with you? Are they calm if kept inside, or are they too wound up in your opinion? In the field, do they hunt with a lot of urgency? Do they crash into heavy cover to get birds out?

Our 2 yr old shorthair/wirehair is a maniac in the field, but also is pretty antsy in the house. We haven't had any problem with her since we started kenneling her when we leave, but she ate a couch before that... Leaving shoes on the floor is still not a good idea either.

I didn't mean to sound too negative about either one of my current dogs. Lots of guys would be happy to hunt with either of them. Honestly, I am pretty happy with both of them too, but the golden is getting older and I can't help but wonder what kind of dog to get when it's time to retire him. I want to find a dog that will hunt with a lot of intensity and a sense of urgency if that makes sense.

Thanks for the insight about your springers. I will definitely have to find some to hunt behind in the next year or two so I can see them in action.
 
they can be as calm as you want in the house, they will need training like any pup, it just depends on how much you want to let them get away with. I have 3 in the house. and yes they are powerful hunters for any bird. and will hunt in any cover it does not mater, woods brush, crp, cattails water foul whatever. I like the versatility of them.:thumbsup:
 
Toad... there have been many articles and books suggesting the field bred ESS is perhaps the best all-around dog for upland hunting. Whether or not thatâ??s true is debatable.

I am convinced though that Springers are just driven to hunt. IMO, the caveat is that that drive has to be harnassed and the dog has to be taught to hunt for you and not merely for the pleasure of flushing birds. That may seem like an obvious statement but I think itâ??s especially true with Springers because of their inherent drive and stamina. Itâ??s sorta like saddle-busting a mustang. :D

Btw, most Springers make excellent house dogs. Well mannered in the home. Good luck with your decision.
 
I had a springer for 16 years. She hunted solid for 13. Great family dog and great hunter. Equally good on pheasants and ducks. Although she was happiest chasing pheasants. It was a blast to just follow her and watch her tail when she got on birds. They or at least she quartered at about 20 yds. She was a house dog and did fine after she got through the puppy stage (about 3 years). The only downside I had was picking cockle burrs out of her hair after duck hunting. The place I hunt is covered with them.

She died last January and I now have a Drahthaar. I was going to get another springer but was afraid of comparing a new dog to what she was able to do and wanted a shorter hair dog for the cockle burrs. The Drahthaar is great in her own way especially for only 9 mos but is not near as family oriented as the springer. She seems to have power struggles with my wife and kids but is very obedient to my commands.
 
Toad, Just like to add to the replys regarding springers. I hunted over 2 springers for a span of 16 years, one male and one female. One I rescued, and one i bought from a local breeder in WI. Both were great dogs, strong hunters and great family pets. The male hunted a little closer than the female, but because I trained them myself, that might of been the problem. I agree you have to keep them trimmed or you will pulling out burrs constantly. Good Luck!
 
Ah yes the burs, I agree if you give them the field trim you can all but eliminate the problem. Plus they don't shed as much as some other breeds do and when they start to you can give em a shave for that too. a hair cut will last quite some time on em.
 
We have had springers in our family longer than we have had children. We have always had them in the house and it is hard to find a more fun dog to hunt with than a springer. We now have 2 and they are great family and hunting companions.
 
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