Frequently Asked Questions

Welsh Springers are an active breed, they need at least one good free run a day. They need not only physical exercise, but also mental exercise. A bored Welsh Springer may be destructive or noisy. Once your Welsh Springer has learnt, through being trained, how to control its energy, you will find that it will rest whenever you rest, but will be ready to get up and go whenever you do. 

Welsh Springers not only make good working dogs, but compete in agility and obedience in many countries throughout the world. It is, however, important to remember that you can easily bore a Welsh Springer by repetitive training. Little and often is far more effective than long training sessions. 

The Welsh Springer is a sociable breed, they will bark to let you know that there is something they think you ought to be aware of. This will probably mean that you are as likely to be alerted to someone walking up the garden path as children running past in the street. However, they will, usually, differentiate the volume and tone of their bark between people they know and those they don’t. 

Provided children are taught to respect Welsh Springers, they become the best of friends. However the exuberance of youth can mean that very young children and puppies do not lead to a peaceful household. 

One way of describing the difference between a Welsh Springer and its English cousin is that the English Springer will work cover “for the sake of it”, whilst the Welsh will only do so if there is something there! To translate this into what it means to live with a Welsh Springer, they have exceptional noses and will often find a morsel of food trapped somewhere, and stand in front of the location and bark until you rescue the lost item! They also love to see what is happening outside. This means that if they have access to a glass door, they will spend hours looking out of it. Otherwise they will either stand on their hind legs staring out of the window, or if the window sill is wide enough, they will sit on it! 

The normal life expectancy is 10 to 15 years.

The Welsh Springer is generally a healthy animal. Unfortunately, a small proportion of Welsh Springers are affected by hereditary defects. In recent years, many breeders in the UK have come to recognise that they are doing the breed no favours by refusing to recognise that hereditary defects may exist. The Joint Welsh Springer Health Group has therefore been formed to ensure that as much information as possible is available to everyone.

As with all animals the initial purchase price of the puppy is only a small part of how much it will cost to house, feed, medical bills etc. You should factor all of this in prior to making a commitment to your puppy. He will be part of your family for a long time to come.

In terms of prices in the UK there are no set prices for the breed. Pricing will be set by each breeder based on their own factors. Always do your research when purchasing any puppy, make sure the puppy can be seen with the mother, ask about the father (perhaps even speak to the owner of said dog) check for the health test results (see our Breeder Charter and Health Sections). A good breeder will not mind you asking questions – and be prepared for plenty back in return.