Guess what Breedings getting!

CookiesCream2 · June 2010

For all those that have known me (hi everyone), I have wanted a dog since my Golden Retrieverdied when I was three. Guess what though, I'm finally getting a puppy! She is 4 months old and a English Springer Spaniel Lab Mix. She is so cute. I get to bring her home on Wednesday from the shelter. Eep! I'm so excited! Once I get a picture of her on my camera I wilil uploud it so you can all see her cuteness. Any ideas on what I should get her when i go to pick up things for her. Love ya all, Breeding

NickelbackLuver · June 2010

=O I would absolutely love to see her. My parents had springer/lab mixes (I always thought they were border collies... only saw them in pictures) I should go find pictures of them. They are the whole reason my dad decided he wanted to get a springer spaniel xD Congrats

If she is as amazing as my parents make their dogs sound, she will be an awesome dog for ya ;D

RoyalRaccoon · June 2010

Congrats~ I'm so glad you adopted from a shelter. If you haven't already, it's a good idea to get a collar, leash, food, dog bowels, a toy, blanket or dog bed, dog nail clippers, a brush, dog shampoo and conditioner, and a crate or house depending on where she is staying. I think that's all the basics. You can always go on a shopping spree and add more stuff. I went on quite a shopping spree when I got my newest little dog back in January. If she's getting spayed you'll definitely want a crate, play pen, or room you can isolate her in until the incision gets stronger. I recommend a crate since you probably wont be able to be around her 24/7, and they help a LOT with potty training.

CookiesCream2 · June 2010

Thanks Nickel and PrinceSushi. She will be an outside dog. She is getting spayed and we have a kennel and a dog house for her already. Got her puppy chow and food bowls. I'm really excited and she is so sweet. Two more questions, one what are good toys? and tips for training her as a hunting dog (well as long as she isn't gun shy).

NickelbackLuver · June 2010

You'll want to train her around guns to prevent her from being gun shy, which should be done by a professional as it is a very delicate task. They start with softer/lighter sounding noises and work up through guns to build the dogs courage with noises. If done improperly, dogs can become gun shy very easily. I have hunted with dogs before. If you want to train for hunting, you can do some backyard work with tracking (buying bird feathers and such). The best thing to do is find a controlled hunting range for dogs. You buy like, six birds or so, and the owner of the range will place them in a field. You nor your dog will know where they are at, and its great practice. I'm not sure whether or not those will be easy to find around you or not, we have tons around here though. They can be a bit expensive too if there arent a lot of them around. Most likely, since she has hunting breeds in her, she will be "birdy" naturally. My one springer is very birdy, the other could care less about birds (which is nice for him since I work agility with him... its hard to work outside with dogs that are keen on hunting) My dad does most of this sort of thing though, so if you have any specific questions, I can definitely ask him and he'd be happy to answer ;D Good toys... For my dogs we have a lot of tug toys since my dogs love tugging. Tucker (Springer Spaniel) will tear up normal stuffed animal type toys because he just likes to tug on things. We bought him a kong sort of toy (it has fabric and tails off the end, its for tugging) and it's lasted him a long time. Durable toys are nice for older dogs, but since she's younger you can certainly try some stuffed toys. Our dogs still have them and don't destroy them, but they can only play with them by themselves or else they will get destroyed xD I don't suggest tugging with puppies anyway. Especially not if you are going to have a hunting dog - you dont want them to want to tug on birds. The only reason Tucker is allowed to tug is because I taught him "release". as soon as I say that, he drops his toys. And, tennis balls. Chances are, with the two breeds she is, she's gonna love to fetch. Might want to try a Frisbee once she gets older as well ;D I've never had a dog that can catch them... but it never hurts to try. Chuck-it makes a flying squirrel Frisbee that is soft, that might be nice. whew! Sorry for the long post xD

CookiesCream2 · June 2010

Thanks Nickel. We have plenty of fields that the owners plant the birds in near my house. My dad is planing on having help from my uncle, who has trained several hunting dogs, for help her get use to guns. She has a really good nose already, when we took her out to play with her at the shelter she had her nose on the ground constantly. She also pointed at a butterfly. Is pointing very common in Springers of Labs? ( I thought it was mainly pointers that pointed)

NickelbackLuver · June 2010

Neither are pointing breeds, but I have had my Springer (Emma) Point at things before. The only Spaniel that is supposed to point is the Brittany Spaniel, they rest are flushing dogs. I don't know too much about Labradors though, but I'm pretty sure they are not a standard pointing breed. Pointers and Setters are the main "pointing" dogs ;D Setters are absolutely gorgeous when they point. That's good you have someone to help

My dad trained the springers around guns. They haven't been afraid of loud noises really at all. Fireworks and stuff haven't bothered them, hopefully you will have the same luck with yours. My one Setter was terribly gun shy. If she heard a gun go off she'd go stand in a corner for an hour (was the same way with thunderstorms, fireworks, etc.) it's not fun owning a dog who is afraid of noise like that, lol.

Howdy, Stranger!

Guess what Breedings getting!

Comments