English Springer Spaniel Forum:
Buying a Spirnger Puppy Part I

These guidelines apply whether you are buying a field bred or show bred puppy. Both sides of the breed share these common problems. English Springer Spaniels can have hereditary defects, so health screening in parents and knowledge of pedigrees are very important. You need to find someone that does a minimum of checking eyes, hips and PFK. I will not go into all these problems, as there are other sites that give detailed descriptions and consequences of these problems. You should be able to receive a certificate that the parents have no signs of these problems. These certificates are not covered by a "health certificate" from the local vet. They take expert evaluation and testing.

Buy from lines that are "proven." If you want hunting Springer, go to a breeder that has field dogs. The pedigree will show that the puppy is from a line of proven hunters. There will be field trial champions throughout the pedigree. One FC in the 5th generation does not cut it. If you would prefer a show bred, again the pedigree should have many champion dogs. Even if you are looking for a companion animal, you want one that has all the appropriate health checks. Your average hobby breeder has one maybe two litters a year. They seldom make a profit and are happy to "break even." Their reasons for breeding include looking for their next champion and always with a goal of bettering the breed.

Choosing the correct pair to breed is not an easy task. You need to know what problems are in both pedigrees and this takes a lot of research as some people don't know and others just won't tell you. No animal is free of all genetic problems. You do your best to minimize the potential problems and pray for healthy puppies. For anyone interested in purchasing a puppy, I would advise you to go to the English Springer Spaniel Field Trail Associations' (ESSFTA) web site. This is the parent club for all Springer Spaniels. They can be found at www.essfta.org The site has a wealth of information. Please read it carefully before you purchase any puppy. An alternative to purchasing a puppy is adopting a rescue dog. The English Springer Rescue America, Inc. (ESRA) is a non-profit organization devoted to finding homeless Springers new homes. The dogs are screened before placing in new homes. You can find out more about these folks at www.springerrescue.org