Not often seen out and about, the Field Spaniel is a small yet hardy little gun dog, bred for hunting on both land and water. Hunters, in particular, admire this breed for their rugged nature and willingness to work but it is not necessary to be a hunter if you would like to own one of these dogs. When paired with the right individuals, Field Spaniels can make charming pets! Novice owners who have never owned a dog before might even be a good fit, but only if they are fully prepared for what they are getting into.
So what are the stipulations if you would like to own a Field Spaniel one day? First, a potential owner must be willing to forgive dog hair, for this breed sheds year round. Regular grooming will help but will not stop the constant hair from collecting around your house. Second, a person should be ok with the potential that their dog might be quite vocal. While some members of the breed are quieter, others are constant “talkers”. This not only includes barking, but also howling, whining, or even yodeling! Third, Fields love water and many of them delight in playing in their water dishes. Although you might mind puddles throughout the house, they certainly do not.
The breed is inquisitive, clownish, and is always looking for something to do. This, combined with their high energy, can cause them to be destructive if under the wrong care. They need some sort of job to keep their minds and bodies busy, otherwise they are apt to destroy house and property.
Sensitive, yet loving to their owners, they prefer the company of “their people” at all times. This includes children, who they generally do very well with. This breed is very affectionate to everyone they know and love, although they may take awhile to warm up to strangers. Fields also generally do quite well living with other dogs.
The Field Spaniel needs plenty of exercise every day. The more driven and/or energetic the Field Spaniel, the more they will need to expel their energy through jogging, swimming, jumping… whatever you can give them! This is not a dog who will just lay on your carpet all day and look pretty, they were bred to work! Apartment living is fine, but only as long as the owner is willing to commit to getting the dog out for strenuous exercise every day. It is worth noting that even if you live in a house with a large backyard, you still need to go out and exercise with your dog. Field Spaniels are very people-oriented and don’t do well if they are just expected to live outside by themselves.
Speaking of backyards, many breeders will not sell to prospective owners who do not have a very secure fence. Fields can be escape artists and are masters at jumping over short fences, digging under others, or sometimes even chewing through cheap fencing!
Due to the long hanging ears of this breed, they are prone to ear infections. This can be kept in check by regular cleanings, as well as removing excess hair from inside the ears.
“Black Field Spaniel” by Peter
Unlike other sporting breeds, Fields can be difficult to train. They were bred to think independently while hunting which makes them more apt to listen to themselves rather than their owner. Although smart, it is not generally in their makeup to be naturally obedient but they still must be taught basic obedience at the very least. Luckily, despite their sometimes slow learning style and occasional willfulness, they do love to make their owners happy! This can be used to an owner’s advantage during training, because affection will usually go a long way toward convincing a Field that obedience is fun! It is usually easier to train a Field Spaniel with motivation than correction. Once trained, they can be taught to compete in many different areas, including conformation, obedience, tracking, agility, hunting and rally.