| By :
Phil Marks
You have decided on a springer spaniel puppy. What are the next steps? You'll need to find suitable breeders with litters ready, and then pick out one puppy and prepare your home for his arrival. But how do you pick the best puppy for you? What should you check? Using a trustworthy (Kennel Club registered) breeder is a good place to begin. Then, you must check the parents before you even look at the litter and pick your ideal springer spaniel puppy. This short article will tell you how to check the parents. But why look at the litter's parents? Two reasons. Firstly, like mother like daughter as the saying goes - the appearance and conformation of the parents is a pretty accurate indication of the way the pup will look when fully grown. Secondly, you will avoid the emotional trap of falling for a pup that may eventually prove to be a poor choice (this is a particular problem if your children are with you at the time). With the choice springer spaniel puppies, the parents should have a good pedigree as shown by prizes won within the last two generations. Ask the breeder. A good breeder will be proud of their dogs' achievements. The pup's sire may not be at the breeders to look at, but if he is, then for both sire and bitch check the following: - Is the dog's body basically square - length equals height at the shoulders - not looking either 'stretched' or compressed. - Hindquarters should appear strong and muscular, with rear paws pointing forward. - The rear legs should have a slight backward rake (angle). This provides the dog's power for 'springing'. - Front paws should point straight ahead, or no more far apart than 'five to one' on the face of a clock. Pigeon toed is not good. - Paws should appear to be a continuation of the legs. - Look at the tail. The base should run parallel with the dog's back and not rise above it. - Their coats should look healthy, not coarse or curly. If you don't intend to breed from the dog's offspring, then coloring is less important. - For an English Springer Spaniel (black and white or liver and white), tan 'ticking' should not be excessive. There is much less room for color variation in the Welshie (Welsh Springer). Finally, do check out a couple of spaniel breeders - it will help improve your 'eye' as you start compare different adult springer spaniels and their litters. The lucky dog may be with you for many years, so it's worth taking the extra time to make the right choice for your home.
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlesbacklink.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
