Training an English Springer Spaniel: what works and what to expect
How the English Springer Spaniel learns, common training challenges and what motivates it.
Springers are among the easiest gundogs to train because they genuinely want to work with you. Food, play and praise all motivate them, and they shut down quickly under harsh handling. The biggest challenge is recall once the nose is down: this is a dog bred to follow scent, so a whistle recall paired with high-value rewards, practiced from eight weeks old, is worth more than anything else you teach.
A whistle stop, where the dog sits at a distance on one blast, is standard in gundog training and very handy for pet owners too. Channel the natural urge to carry by giving your Springer a dummy or toy to hold when greeting visitors, rather than letting it collect socks and shoes. Practice short absences from puppyhood, since the breed can become clingy.
English Springer Spaniel training in numbers
Easy to train
Barking
5 means very vocal
Copes with alone time
Open with strangers
Good with other dogs
Good with children