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Springer Spaniel Sheepdog | Breed Info, Pictures & Traits

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By Nicole Cosgrove

Springer Spaniel Sheepdog

Height: 19 – 24 inches
Weight: 50 – 90 pounds
Lifespan: 10 – 14 years
Colors: White, blue, red, brown, gray, black
Suitable for: Active outdoors families, those with a yard or plenty of room to run, families with children
Temperament: Loyal, loving, eager to please, intelligent, cautious

There are some dog breeds that are perfectly suited for indoor city living and can be left alone in an apartment all day. The Springer Spaniel Sheepdog is not one of those breeds. The Springer Spaniel Sheepdog may be the quintessential country dog.

They’re a super loving breed that’ll make a welcome addition to any family with an active, outdoorsy lifestyle. This pup can be your best companion on a long hunting trip or hike through the woods. Or if you’re looking for a pup to roam your lands and look after your stock, the Springer Spaniel Sheepdog will happily spend all day outside working.

But they’ll be just as excited to go from sheepdog to lapdog when the day is through. The Springer Spaniel Sheepdog is as loyal and loving as they come and make for great watchdogs for the ones they love. This also extends out to the children in their family. Their protectiveness and patience make them great playmates even for smaller children.

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Springer Spaniel Sheepdog Puppies

Springer Spaniel sheepdog puppy
Photo Credit: Lori Minette, Pixabay
Energy
Trainability
Health
Lifespan
Sociability

Before you go rushing out to find your new Springer Spaniel Sheepdog puppy, there are a few things you need to take into consideration.

First, are you going to be able to provide adequate exercise and space for your new pup? Springer Spaniel Sheepdogs can’t thrive in a small, inactive environment. These dogs were born to run and go on adventures—not spend all day watching daytime TV. If you have to leave them home alone in an apartment all day, they may grow very bored and become destructive. Also, if you can’t let them free run, do you have the time to provide them with 2 hours of exercise every single day? If not, you might not want to get a Springer Spaniel Sheepdog.

Next, do you live in a noise-restrictive area? This is important because members of this breed are notorious barkers. They just love to let you know what’s going on, and they’ll do so with a loud, piercing bark. Again, this doesn’t make them an ideal apartment or inner-city dog.

And lastly, do you have a firm but gentle hand and patience when it comes to training dogs? The Springer Spaniel Sheepdog can be relatively difficult to train due to an independence streak they tend to exhibit. But if you can handle all of these requirements, your new Springer Spaniel will be thrilled!

3 Little-Known Facts About the Springer Spaniel Sheepdog

1. They’re a hybrid of the Old English Sheepdog and the English Springer Spaniel.

The Springer Spaniel Sheepdog isn’t a pure breed and therefore isn’t recognized by the AKC. The English Springer Spaniel has roots in Spain but found its way to England via merchant ships traveling between the British Isles and Rome. The Old English Sheepdog is a herding dog that originated in the UK as a farming companion that helped their owners run efficient businesses.


2. The Springer Spaniel Sheepdog was first bred during the 2000s.

Although both parents of the Springer Spaniel Sheepdog have been around for hundreds of years, the breed was first intentionally bred in the 2000s in the United States. This makes them relative newcomers to the designer dog scene.


3. Springer Spaniel Sheepdogs can have two different eye colors.

Springer Spaniel Sheepdogs can have blue, hazel, or brown eyes. Or in an uncommon condition known as heterochromia, they have two different colors!

English spring spaniel and old english sheepdog_censored
Left: English Spring Spaniel Left: Old English Sheepdog

Temperament & Intelligence of the Springer Spaniel Sheepdog 🧠

The Springer Spaniel Sheepdog is an extremely well-mannered pup. They love pleasing their masters and seeing them happy. The breed is also exceptionally kind to children and will go out of their way to protect them at all costs. They are often cautious of strangers—yet not unkind—until after they’ve proven not to be a threat.

Springer Spaniel Sheepdogs are quite brilliant as well. However, this can lead to some issues that very many intelligent dog breeds go through, such as immense boredom or stubbornness.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡

This is honestly one of the best family dog breeds out there. They are deeply loyal to their families and, given the chance, they would stay by your side forever. And they just adore children. They fashion themselves as protectors and nannies looking over little ones with a watchful eye and endearing patience.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽

The Springer Spaniel Sheepdog also gets along with other pets. However, early socialization is recommended. This will help them to improve their relationships as they get older and become more tolerant of other animals and pets around them.

springer spaniel standing
Photo Credit: onthegoTam, Pixabay

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Things to Know When Owning a Springer Spaniel Sheepdog:

Like any dog, owning a Springer Spaniel is a big responsibility. They have their own special needs and no breed is alike. Here’s what you need to know regarding the basics of raising a Springer Spaniel Sheepdog.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

These pups are super active and require highly nutritious food to ensure they receive all the energy they need to make it through the day. We recommend Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food. It’s a high-protein food source (32% protein content) with six different protein sources to help build lean muscle. It also contains sweet potatoes and potatoes for complex grain-free carbohydrates to build up energy stored.

You’ll probably want to feed your pup 2 to 3 cups of food a day based on their size and amount of energy spent that day.

Exercise 🐕

If you’ve decided to raise a Springer Spaniel Sheepdog, you’ll quickly realize just how important exercise is for them. They have an endless amount of energy and will need plenty of playtimes and daily walking to keep them satisfied. This breed needs an average of 2 hours of exercise per day to keep them in happy spirits—that’s a lot!

However, look on the bright side. At least, they’ll help to keep you in shape too!

springer spaniel running
Image Credit: TheOtherKev, Pixabay

Training 🦮

Training your Springer Spaniel Sheepdog can be moderately difficult for those who are new to dog training. Due to their brilliance, Springer Spaniel Sheepdogs can have an independent streak. This can make them very stubborn and a bit nerve-racking to train.

However, once you’ve broken through their stubborn barrier and demonstrated who the master is, they’ll happily go along with whatever you have to say.

Grooming ✂️

The Springer Spaniel Sheepdog isn’t a low-maintenance dog. Unfortunately, they’re expert shedders and can ensure your entire living room is covered within mere seconds with a quick shake. Daily brushing will be required to combat this. However, if your Springer Spaniel Sheepdog will be more of a barn or outdoor dog, brushing once a week should suffice.

And you don’t want to bathe them too often, as that will begin to break down and destroy their natural oils, which help to keep their skin nice and healthy.

Health and Conditions ❤️

Being a mixed breed, the Springer Spaniel Shepherd has inherited diseases and illnesses from both of its parent lineages. Fortunately, they’re mostly minor concerns. But these minor veterinary bills can add up quickly depending on the breadth of their malaise.

Minor Conditions
  • Deafness
  • Diabetes
  • Cataracts
  • Entropion
  • Ectropion
  • Progressive retinal atrophy
  • Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia
  • Wobbler syndrome
  • Ataxia
Serious Conditions
  • Retinal dysplasia
  • Seborrhea
  • Hip dysplasia
  • PFK deficiency

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Male vs. Female

There are no real discernable differences between the sexes. The individual characteristics of your Springer Spaniel Sheepdog’s personality will be much more influenced by their particular set of parents than by their sex.

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Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for an excellent family dog for your active lifestyle, perhaps a Springer Spaniel Sheepdog is the right choice for you. They’re a wonderful watchdog and guardian for your family while maintaining the gentleness and patience needed to bear with even the most persistent of children.

Just remember, raising a Springer Spaniel Sheepdog requires a ton of work. They’ll need plenty of daily exercise and activity, and they can be a bit tough to start training. However, once those hurdles are cleared, you find a loving pup and superb addition to your family.

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Featured Image Credit: Dimitris Vetsikas, Pixabay

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