Are English Springer Spaniels Good Inside Dogs?

English springer spaniels need a lot of stimulation to be happy. This might make you wonder if they will be content if kept indoors or in an apartment. As these are essential considerations when adopting a dog, you should know if English springer spaniels are good inside dogs.

Very few English springer spaniels adapt well to a life indoors. As they are bred for hunting, English springer spaniels require a lot of exercise and stimulation to keep them busy. There’s only so much they can do indoors before becoming destructive, so we wouldn’t say they’re good inside dogs.

Understanding the needs of an English springer spaniel is crucial before you adopt one. Under the right circumstances, you can keep an English springer spaniel indoors for periods of the day. We will discuss the needs of an English springer spaniel and consider why they aren’t good inside dogs.

Can You Keep An English Springer Spaniel Indoors?

English springer spaniels are much like other spaniels in temperament. They are friendly, obedient, and require plenty of exercise. English springer spaniels are primarily bred as gun dogs. They accompany hunters and flush the birds for the hunters to shoot.

Therefore, English springer spaniels have keen hunting and flushing senses. While English springer spaniels were originally gun dogs, they are now also a popular choice as a family dog. English springer spaniels get along with all family members and accept and live happily with other pets when raised with them.

English springer spaniels require a lot of stimulation to be healthy. In addition, they are naturally curious and must be kept busy to prevent them from becoming destructive. Therefore, an English springer spaniel is an excellent dog for an outdoor family. You can take your English springer spaniel hiking or camping with you, and it will be at your side with every step.

As English springer spaniels require so much exercise, they generally aren’t great indoor dogs. If left inside for too long, your English springer spaniel might start to get frustrated. This can lead to chewing and destructive behavior. Some English springer spaniels like to spend a lot of time indoors. However, this isn’t natural behavior for them.

Fortunately, this doesn’t mean you cannot get an English springer spaniel if you are often indoors. If you give your English springer spaniel the proper stimulation, it can adjust to being indoors most of the time. However, we don’t recommend adopting an English springer spaniel if you live in a closed-off apartment, as they can quickly feel frustrated under these circumstances.

Even a small backyard will be sufficient for an English springer spaniel. You can add many toys and activities to the area to keep your dog entertained and active. So, what activities can you do with an English springer spaniel to prevent it from becoming frustrated or destructive?

Activities For English Springer Spaniels

Ideally, you should take your English springer spaniel for a brisk daily walk to ensure it gets enough exercise. However, a daily walk alone isn’t enough to fully stimulate your English springer spaniel. Therefore, you should incorporate some additional activities into your English springer spaniel’s day to stimulate and keep it healthy.

Obedience training is a great start, especially for a puppy. English springer spaniels are generally obedient, easy to train, and eager to please their owners. Once your English springer spaniel has completed its obedience training, you can progress to teaching it other tricks.

English springer spaniels require both physical and mental stimulation. So here are some great activities to do with your English springer spaniel to keep it active and healthy.

1. A Swing Ball Or Flirt Stick

A swing ball setup is ideal for a small backyard where there isn’t space for your English springer spaniel to run around and chase after a ball. You can use a regular swing ball or one specially made for dogs. A swing ball has a pole you secure in the ground or by a tree. There is a rope with a ball attached to the pole.

A swing ball setup will allow your English springer spaniel to tug on the rope or chase the ball around endlessly. Another option to consider is a flirt stick. Flirt sticks are like swing balls. However, you hold the other end of the stick and play with the dog, as you do with a cat.

2. Hiking Or Walking With Obstacles

When you take your English springer spaniel for its daily walk, you can also add some obstacles to the walk to make it more interesting. For example, go to a park with picnic tables and instruct your dog to get on, climb down, or walk around the table. This stimulates your English springer spaniel mentally and tires it out more than a regular walk would.

You can also add a weighted pack to your English springer spaniel to work it a bit harder. However, don’t put a weighted pack on a puppy or an older dog with hip problems. English springer spaniels love going on walks and hikes, so you should aim to take yours for a brisk daily walk.

3. Doggy Day Care

Doggy daycare is a center where you can drop your English springer spaniel off in the morning and pick it up after work. This is the perfect setup for someone who works full time and doesn’t want to leave their English springer spaniel alone at home.

While doggy daycares are notoriously expensive, they provide the ideal circumstances for your English springer spaniels to socialize with other dogs. At doggy daycare, your English springer spaniel will have plenty of dogs to run around and play with, and it will get sufficient stimulation.

4. Show Dog Activities

You can enter your English springer spaniel into a show dog competition? English springer spaniels excel at training for these competitions and often perform well when entered into one. Even if you don’t intend to enter your English springer spaniel, the training is still a great way to stimulate your dog.

Conclusion

The best environment for an English springer spaniel is one where it is mentally and physically stimulated. This includes a house with a backyard where it can run around and play. For this reason, English springer spaniels aren’t ideal indoor dogs and can get frustrated if they are permanently kept indoors.

English springer spaniels provide excellent company for families that enjoy outdoor activities, such as hiking and camping. You can do many other activities with your English springer spaniel to ensure it is sufficiently stimulated and happy.

Leave a Comment