First bred as a gun dog who would ‘flush’ out game for hunters, the Springer Spaniel is an agile, obedient pooch. Plus, with the silky soft coat to go with it, it’s not hard to see why Springer Spaniel puppies are in such high demand!
But, how young can you breed a Springer Spaniel? When does the Springer Spaniel become fertile, and how often can you breed them? In this article, we’ll be answering all of these questions and more. So, read on to find out all about breeding the Springer Spaniel.
When does a female Springer Spaniel go into heat?
Many owners do not notice when their female Springer Spaniel first goes into heat because she keeps herself clean. However, the typical Springer Spaniel will get their first heat when they are around six months old. At this point, you can assume that your Springer has had her first heat.
You can breed your Springer Spaniel immediately after her first heat. However, it is recommended to wait until both Springer Spaniels are adults before breeding them. Most breeders wait until their female Springer Spaniel’s second heat, if not longer, before breeding her.
When can a male Springer Spaniel sire a litter?
A male Springer Spaniel can become a stud from just 4 months of age! But, this is not recommended. Instead, most breeders wait until their male Springer Spaniel is around a year old.
How often can you breed a female Springer Spaniel?
Female Springer Spaniels go into heat roughly every six months. In combination with the average Springer Spaniel’s gestational period being around 60 days, this fact means that you could breed your female Springer Spaniel twice a year.
But, once again, most breeders do not consider back-to-back breeding as being responsible. It is essential to allow your female Springer Spaniel time to rest and to raise each litter, after all.
That being said, there’s also the argument that your female Springer Spaniel ages with every missed cycle. This means that some breeders consider it important to breed a female Springer Spaniel as often as possible while she is still young.
When is a Springer Spaniel an adult?
The average unneutered or unspayed Springer Spaniel is usually fully grown by 18 to 20 months old. If they are spayed or neutered, a Springer Spaniel will keep growing for a longer time. Many people wait until their Springer Spaniel is a fully-grown adult before breeding them.
When is a Springer Spaniel old enough to be bred?
With Springer Spaniels typically fully grown and psychologically and physically mature at around two years old, the Springer Spaniel becomes old enough to be bred at this point, too.
When is a Springer Spaniel too old to be bred?
So, female Springer Spaniels have their first heat at around six months and continue to have heats every six months for most of their lives. However, did you know that an unspayed female Springer never actually stops having heats?
Plus, if your Springer Spaniel hasn’t been bred before by the age of four, she will likely experience problems during whelping. So, if you haven’t bred your female Springer Spaniel already by this age, it is too late to begin doing so now.
Your Springer Spaniel’s heats will start to slow as she gets older, becoming more irregular and further apart. This leads to changes in your Springer Spaniel’s fertility, making her less likely to get pregnant. Your older Springer Spaniel may only have one proper heat a year.
Though a senior female Springer Spaniel can still get pregnant, the health issues associated with being senior mean it would be irresponsible to breed your Springer at this age.
In fact, since your older Springer Spaniel will never naturally stop going into heat, with pregnancy being so risky, it’s a good idea to think about getting her spayed, even in later life. It is safer to get your Springer Spaniel spayed rather than run the risk of a dangerous, unwanted impregnation.
When is it recommended to breed a Springer Spaniel?
According to the English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association (ESSFTA), it is essential to use mature Springer Spaniels of stable temperament for breeding. What’s more, the ESSFTA says that these characteristics are “rarely determined before the age of two years” for both male and female Springer Spaniels.
In fact, the ESSFTA recommends that both Springer Spaniels be at least three years old before you breed them. This timeframe lets breeders “determine with greater certainty that the parents are of good health and sound temperament”.
All Springer Spaniel puppies, for example, will bite excessively while teething. This doesn’t mean that all the Springer Spaniels in this litter are of unfit temperament to be bred. If you wait until your Springer Spaniels are a bit older, as the ESSFTA suggests, you will start to see their true personalities.
When is it most common to breed a male Springer Spaniel?
Though some male Springer Spaniels can be bred at just 4 months, most breeders wait until their Springer Spaniel is at least a year old before breeding him, just to be sure. You should limit how often you breed a male Springer Spaniel to avoid ‘popular sire syndrome’.
What do I need to do before breeding my Springer Spaniel?
Now that you’ve gotten to know your Springer Spaniel and you’ve decided that they are a good fit for breeding, it’s time to make sure your Springer has all the necessary vaccinations and health clearances for breeding.
Your Springer Spaniel has likely already gotten many of their vaccinations as a puppy. Most Springers have all their vaccinations complete by 12 weeks. But there are other health clearances needed before you breed your Springer. Hip dysplasia, retinal dysplasia, entropion, progressive retinal atrophy, PFK deficiency, and certain skin disorders are among the conditions that Springers can inherit and pass on.
Before you breed your Springer Spaniel, you will need to get up-to-speed with the signs and symptoms of all of these Springer-specific conditions. If your Springer Spaniel has hip dysplasia, for example, they should not be bred. Take your Springer Spaniel to the vets to find out whether they are fit to be bred.
The vet should test your Springer Spaniel for all common parasites, as well as a bacterial disease called brucellosis. Brucellosis is a disease that can cause spontaneous abortion or even sterility in dogs. Your Springer Spaniel should be in good physical condition before breeding, with good muscle toning.
