There are many reasons to have a dog and there are many types of dogs to choose from. Here we will take a look at some of the advantages of owning a dog, as well as the disadvantages, particularly with regard to choosing and training Springer Spaniels.
Most people know the therapeutic value of petting a dog. It calms the elderly and infirm and gives a general feeling of well-being even if the dog is not yours. Quiet dogs, often Labradors, are brought to homes for the elderly or infirm, and locals feel better about being able to pet these cuddly creatures. Low blood pressure and stress decreases. This is a drug with positive side effects. It has a drug-like quality as the patient looks forward to the next visit from his four-legged friend with soft, understanding eyes and wagging his tail.
Consequently, your family dog can do the same for you. No breed more than a Springer. They are generally not used to visit the elderly or infirm, but are probably more intuitive than most dogs. Happy to run all day and excited about anything that happens in the family, they are also ready to hear about any issues you have. When no one else is listening, the Springer will sit and listen, head cocked, straining to understand. He does not disagree or respond to irrational questions or statements. The perfect friend and companion.
However, the perfect friend and companion can sometimes have its drawbacks. Rain, snow, or sleet doesn’t qualify as an excuse for the Springer to miss its hike – it loves water after all. He has more energy than he should for a dog of his size, and if he cannot expend it, he will think of something else to do. Springers, like all dogs, will find something to chew on, and it’s probably not the dog chew you bought them. A more likely target for the Springer is one of the new leather shoes you just bought.
One of the reasons to have a Springer as a family pet is the way he loves to be with the whole family. On the contrary, when you are separated from your family, “packing up”, you will become stressed and anxious. It can be helpful to have another dog as a companion for him, however this may result in you having to clean up two ‘separation anxieties’ instead of one when you get home. You will see that you are left alone as a form of punishment, as in any herd of animals, where a disgraced member will be excluded.
There are two types of Springer. One type has been bred as a working dog, the other as a show dog. One difference between the two is that, very rarely, the show dog may have an anger disorder. A dog with this problem will be happy and friendly in a moment and then, without any provocation or reason, he can suddenly attack blindly. This should not be confused with a dog that gets so excited that he does not listen to commands, this can be fixed with a good training course. Anger disorder has not been identified in Springer’s variety of work.
All in all, Springers make a great family pet. He will try to understand what you want from him, in return you must understand his needs.
