Description

The medium built Welsh Springer Spaniel is part of the English Springer and English Cocker Spaniel family. Its circular shaped head is replete with either straight or curly hair. Some parts of its body like its chest and ears have feathering. The round and cute eyes of a Welsh Springer Spaniel can either be red or black in color.

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is highly adaptable when it comes to living environment. It can survive in a highly rocky environment or in a land with abundant vegetation. It should be noted that this breed can very much survive in the wild because of its innate hunting skills. Because of its great hunting ability, the Welsh Springer Spaniel has become a favorite companion for those who enjoy hunting sports.

Aside from its superb hunting skills, this dog can also be trained to perform tricks. Because of its keen intelligence, the Welsh Springer Spaniel became a very popular pet during the 60s. Today, the Welsh Springer Spaniel is often used as a subject in researches and studies for dog training methods that can benefit both humans and other dog breeds. It is often chosen because of its exceptional ability to learn and pick up new tricks.

Coat Description

The distinct characteristic of the Welsh Springer Spaniel is the color of its coat, which is crimson and white. It usually has straight, flat and silky fur throughout its body, with feathering at the back of the legs and on the underside of the body.

History

The breed of Welsh Springer Spaniel first appeared in the country of Wales in 1300. During the early years of its history, it was considered a part of the cocking spaniel family, but the interbreeding that followed made it a pedigree of its own. It was called a Springer Spaniel because of its playfulness. This dog has a habit of wagging its tail whenever it discovers a game. Over the years, the Welsh Springer Spaniel learned new capabilities, and it developed a talent for rescue, entertainment, and other forms of activities.

Temperament

The Welsh Springer Spaniel is well-loved by pet owners because it can create a special bond with its owner almost instantly. It can brighten up any household with its cheerful and affectionate personality. The Welsh Springer Spaniel is highly trainable, and it can even learn to perform errands. This dog will make a great companion for children because it is friendly and gentle by nature. Aside from its energetic and lovable ways, the Welsh Springer Spaniel is also known for its ability to adapt well to a new environment. With proper training, this dog can definitely be a great companion.

Health Problems

Generally, the Welsh Springer Spaniel is known to be a healthy dog, but sometimes, certain health problems cannot be avoided. The most common sicknesses that affect the Welsh Springer Spaniel are hip dysplasia, epilepsy, as well as eyes and ears related problems. Usually, a Welsh Springer Spaniel has a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, but this is very much dependent on its living environment.

It is very important to know that the Welsh Springer Spaniel has good tolerance for diseases due to its high level of immunity. There are immunization programs available for this dog. All you need to do is ask your veterinarian or dog club for information to help you recognize, prevent, and cure the sicknesses that are detrimental to your dog’s health.

Grooming

It is very easy to clean and groom a Welsh Springer Spaniel. A regular bath with the use of a good dog shampoo and brushing of the coat are the things you need to do. It is very important to clean its ears regularly and get rid of insects that can cause infections.

Exercise

Because the Welsh Springer Spaniel is an active dog, it needs constant exercise so that it will not be sluggish and overweight. Exercise is very important because it can strengthen the dog’s muscles and organ systems, so that heart attack and stroke can be prevented. With continuous exercise, the life span of the dog can be extended. You should take note of some precautions when choosing exercises for your dog. Always consider the dog’s heart rate when it is exercising and avoid exercises that can cause injuries.

Training

It is important that you consider the physical condition of your Welsh Springer Spaniel before you decide how long it should train everyday. A normal session usually lasts from 10 minutes to one hour, depending on the goals of the owner. Based on recent studies, it shows that a short 10-minute training session on a frequent basis can help improve the fitness level of a dog. For the Welsh Springer Spaniel, you should use a 30-minute session to help it achieve its maximum potential.

It is inevitable that your dog may experience negative changes in its body when training starts. One thing you have to know is that the Welsh Springer Spaniel is rather prone to injuries and muscle pains. Consulting a veterinarian is the best thing to do regarding these concerns.

There are also some alternative methods that you can use to train your Welsh Springer Spaniel, but these new tactics do not guarantee fast or successful results. A lot of people strongly believe that training is the best way to discover the abilities of the Welsh Springer Spaniel.