There’s no doubt about it, the energetic nature of your Working Springer Spaniel is one of this breed’s main attractions that will keep you fit and active for a long time.
Instead of quoting scientific papers on how much exercise your Springer Spaniel needs, I’ll share insights from our personal experience over the past two years since Molly, our Working Springer Spaniel, entered our lives not as a working dog but as a beloved pet.
Understanding Springer Spaniels Exercise Needs
Yes, Springer Spaniels are well-known for their stamina, and keeping them active is essential for their health, but it’s not as overwhelming as it might seem.
Our daily routine with Molly revolves around a carefully crafted Springer Spaniel exercise routine that includes both physical and mental activities.
Initially, we went a bit overboard, greatly overestimating Molly’s exercise needs as you can see below on my early days Google Fit Journal record where our walks were around 10km or 6 miles long.
However, over time, we have come to understand our dog better and have tailored her daily activities to better suit her needs.
Breed Characteristics
Don’t overlook the note above; Springer Spaniels are indeed demanding dogs. Keeping them active, both physically and mentally, is crucial.
Springer Spaniels are on a completely different level, especially in terms of mental stimulation. They are known for their intelligence and therefore need activities that engage their minds.
In addition to physical exercise, providing ample mental stimulation for Springer Spaniels is paramount for their overall well-being.
Molly thrives on participating in games and activities that challenge her mind. This type of mental stimulation tires her out quite effectively.
Benefits of Physical Exercise and Mental Stimulation
Don’t misunderstand this; providing both physical and mental exercise for your Springer Spaniel isn’t just so you can relax on the sofa. It’s essential for keeping your dog healthy in body and mind and requires significant effort.
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You’re likely aware of the need for physical exercise, but mental stimulation often gets overlooked, which can lead to boredom for your dog. A few simple Google searches can yield many ideas for exciting games.
For example, as I mentioned in another article titled “A Day in a Life with a Springer Spaniel“, allowing your dog to shred empty egg boxes or search for treats hidden in shredded paper can greatly enhance the bond between you and your pet.
Molly loves these games—they’re straightforward, not too messy, and enjoyable for both of you.
Physical Exercise – Where to draw the line
I want to caution you about excessive physical exercise. Many articles vaguely state that Springer Spaniels require a huge amount of physical exercise. I believed this too before we had Molly. But from our experience, that’s not true.
Yes, they need a bit more than other breeds, but combining physical exercise with mental stimulation makes all the difference.
For example, Molly is just over two years old now and only a year ago I realized that she doesn’t need that much walking in one day. I used to take her for 5 to 6 miles daily walks, sometimes even longer.
Now we are doing 2.5 to 3 miles max during the week and a bit more than that on weekends when we often visit other places. Combining this with 15 minutes of mental games and Molly is in her bed before 8 pm :-).
She loves ball throwing. But I realized very early that she constantly runs on a walk anyway. I was also worried about her joints when throwing the ball. As a result, we are taking the ball every other day for a single walk and the other two are done just by walking and allowing her to sniff the area and explore.
Even when throwing the ball, I have developed a sort of new technique for us, where I will throw the ball towards her, even if she’s far away. That way she doesn’t have to spring in the opposite direction straining her joints.
She literally has her ball delivered to her, she still has to catch it though just without an unnecessary spring. She will usually grab the ball in her mouth and run with it around exploring the area.
Changing the Environment – Keep it Interesting
Springer Spaniels are very intelligent and as such get bored quickly with the same walking routes or places. Not that we take Molly to different places every day, but luckily, we have a wooded area with fields just around the corner and huge wild open fields literally opposite our house.
Again, you can read my other article about our daily routine, but the long story short is that we are constantly alternating between woods and fields to keep Molly interested.
Weekends are a totally different ball game. We often plan ahead where we will likely go with Molly.
Visiting new places is not only for her benefit but also for ours; we also get bored going to the same places all the time so when this becomes a problem for you, you can then understand how your Springer Spaniel feels when visiting the same patch of lawn every day, three times a day – keep it interesting not only for your dog but for yourself.
Favorite Activities for Engagement
We have learned a lot in the last two years and are still learning every day. The books we read before getting Molly were okay, but they can’t replace real experience and the fact that every dog is different.
They all have their own personalities, just like people, and like people, they each like different things.
Top Activities
Molly loves playing with her countless toys even when she’s tired. I enjoy these play times too, often lying on the living room floor with a carpet or blanket, hiding her toys under it for her to find.
She loves nudging her nose under the blanket to search for a toy, and when she finds it, she’ll grab it and run to her bed, only to come back for more a few seconds later.
One of our other favorite games is a version of “Hide and Seek,” where she searches for treats hidden throughout the living room. She has learned to wait in the kitchen while I hide the treats and make tiny marks on the floor that leave a scent trail.
She can hardly wait to be let into the room and usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes to find all the treats. We then hide them again in different spots.
Another game she enjoys involves a box filled with shredded egg cartons where I sprinkle treats for her to find. We play this several times before moving on to another game.
We also play a guessing game where I hold a treat in one of my closed fists and let her sniff and choose which hand holds the treat.
This game may not be as physically engaging, but we both love it. If she guesses correctly, she gets the treat; if not, I show her the empty hand, and we try again.
Engagement Tips
Keeping games interesting is the key here. Fortunately, she loves all the games I have mentioned above, and apart from swapping hiding places for the treats, etc., there’s not much I have to do to keep her interested.
She loves playing with me in the evenings. I know exactly when she wants to play as she often takes her favorite toy in her mouth, nudging me gently with it while I’m sitting on the sofa. That’s our sign that it’s time to play.
Our games usually last from 15 to 30 minutes, and Molly is exhausted afterward. I would even say that after these mental exercises, she’s more tired than after physical ones.
So, as you can now see, combining physical exercise and mental stimulation goes a long way in keeping your dog healthy and strengthens the bond between you both.
Adapting to the Seasons
We live in the UK, where the weather is not always on our side. Fortunately, our daily routines with Molly remain more or less the same during winter or wetter days.
Seasonal Adjustments
During the winter months, our routine with Molly stays pretty much the same. The only adjustment we make is with ball throwing.
When it’s miserable and wet outside, we usually avoid taking the ball for walks to prevent Molly from putting a muddy, dirty ball in her mouth, minimizing the risk of a viral infection. If we do take the ball, we ensure we’re on a grassy field where it won’t get as dirty.
Safety Tips
I’m always mindful that Molly runs a lot during walks. For this reason, we either take the throwing stick and ball with us once per day or on alternate days, or not at all.
If I do bring the ball, I make sure to throw it towards Molly to save her leg joints, ensuring it lands near her so she doesn’t have to spring to catch it.
Regarding mental games, use common sense. Remove any glossy, printed paper from the egg boxes before letting your Springer Spaniel shred them. Also, be mindful of the quantity and quality of treats you give.
Overcoming Activity Challenges
One day or another, there will come a time when you won’t be able to take your dog for a walk or you’ll have to change the routine. Planning ahead is helpful, but it can only go so far.
Your dog have an injury
Despite your plans, unexpected things happen, like your dog getting injured. Springer Spaniels are very energetic and often disregard their own safety during walks.
For instance, Molly is so vigorous in chasing a ball that she has cut her paw pads three times in the last two years. Her energetic movements, combined with the occasional sharp stone, pose a risk. That’s why I’ve started throwing the ball towards her to minimize the need for abrupt stops, reducing the chance of injuries.
Unfortunately, accidents happen, and when Molly cuts her paw pad, our routine must adjust. We take shorter walks without the ball, and I bandage her paw, adding a baby sock for extra protection (a topic for another article).
Depending on the severity of the injury, it usually takes a little over a week for her paw to heal enough for light walks without bandages. It’s crucial to monitor the wound during walks to ensure it doesn’t reopen. If it does, we have to start the healing process all over again.
You are sick or tired
Everyone gets sick from time to time, but to be honest, I was taking Molly out even when I was sick. In most cases though, when I’m feeling rough, my wife takes over the evening walk after her work to help get me back into shape.
I don’t know why I mentioned the word “tired”; if you are tired and that is your excuse for not taking your dog for a walk, you should not have a dog in the first place. Believe me, you will be constantly tired when having any dog, not to mention a Springer Spaniel :-).
Staying Motivated
I can’t give you specific advice here as motivation is highly personal, but staying motivated to care for your dog day after day is crucial.
I just know that I have one of the most beautiful, smart, selfless, and lovable creatures in the world to look after, and I do everything to keep her happy and healthy—that’s my motivation.
Celebrating an Active Lifestyle
I’d be lying if I said I always maintained and enjoyed an active lifestyle before having Molly. I’m a computer nerd who used to spend nine hours a day in front of monitors.
I had never run more than 100 meters to catch a bus. But since we got Molly, I’ve been walking 30 to 35 kilometers (18 to 21 miles) weekly. This has significantly improved my health and allowed me to enjoy nature and the seasons more fully.
We’re more motivated than ever to visit new places on weekends, like the coast, where Molly’s joy when she gets out of the car on the sandy beach is something to look forward to.
If you still thinking of getting a Springer Spaniel, please make sure to read my article when I have described the Pros and Cons of owning a dog of this breed. I will keep updating this article as my experience grows hoping to provide a useful information for future Springer Spaniel owners.
