Field Spaniel Profile

overview

If you and your active family are looking for a medium-sized dog with energy to spare, consider the Field Spaniel. He is larger than the English Cocker Spaniel and smaller than the English Springer Spaniel.

He's a wonderful companion for family that can meet his needs for exercise, training, and companionship, and he will give you years of competition in such dog sports as obedience, agility, rally, tracking, hunt tests and conformation. Hunters will appreciate their ability to quarter in dense cover--that means he hunts by running a zigzag pattern through heavy brush--and flush birds such as pheasants, quail, and chukars.

Field Spaniels love people, and they are eager to please, loyal, and loving. At playtime, their water-loving nature comes out. They will sometimes use their water dish as the local swimming hole, making quite a mess around the house.

While they can sometimes be reserved with strangers, they should never be fearful, shy, or aggressive. Some Field Spaniels bond with just one family member, but most accept everyone in the family as their best friends. They are excellent with children but aren't fond of rough, loud play, preferring to walk away and find a quieter activity. Field Spaniels are alert and will bark a warning when visitors approach, but they are not guard dogs.

Training, whether it's for dog sports or nice household manners, helps prevent your Field Spaniel from becoming bored and getting into mischief. It's important to work around the independent streak that allows this breed to perform so well in the field. If you use motivational methods and frequent rewards, you will end up with a happy dog who is a joy to work with. Field Spaniels are extremely sensitive dogs and do not respond well to loud tones of voice or harsh handling.

Field Spaniels require less grooming than most other spaniel breeds. Even to get them ready for the conformation show ring is not an involved process as they are to be shown looking as natural as possible. No fancy trimming necessary!

The Field Spaniel is a rare breed that can be hard to find. Take the time to research breeders and find one who is willing to help you find just the right puppy. A responsible breeder will ensure that your puppy's parents are screened for any genetic conditions that may exist in the breed and will be diligent in removing from the gene pool any dogs with serious health conditions for which no screening test is yet available.

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