Hey everyone!!! Hope you all are doing fine and well.
Today, we are back again with another trendy topic on the highly sought after ‘Sable Springer Spaniels’. A rarely spotted colour in the English Springer Spaniels, such pups are often sold at higher prices as compared to their other counterparts.
So, if you have been thinking of owning this beautifully colored pup, here’s some things that you should know.
Table of Contents
What is a Sable Springer Spaniel?
A pup emerging due to genetic mutation of colouring chromosomes in their DNA, a Sable Springer Spaniel is in reality a differently colored English Springer Spaniel.
Unlike popular misconceptions they aren’t any of the Spaniel hybrids that we had discussed earlier and hence if anyone tells you otherwise, you know what to believe.
In fact the sable pattern occurs when there is a mixture of red or yellow hair with black or black-banded ones. This in turn gives the woofer a contrasting coat type, which may either seem red or yellow but still consist of black hairs here and there, or vice versa.
Origin History of the Sable Springer Spaniel
Even though this colour is rarely spotted, Sable Springers have been existing since the very first Spaniel introduction to the USA soil. So, since the early 1900s, breeders would have this special fur pattern pop out every now and then amongst all other normally accepted colour tones.
But given the lack of information, these coats were rather considered to be defective. And hence Sable Spaniels would often be removed from breeding programmes, therefore leading to their smaller counts.
In the previous years, they were also registered as ‘mahogany’ or ‘sable’ springers which was normally decided based upon the breeder’s choice. There were no specific rules and regulations to registering canine breeds in the AKC stud books, and hence everyone followed their minds. And eventually this contributed to the rarity of the coat’s appearance and registration records.
How does a Sable Springer look like?
A Sable Springer looks similar to that of other English Springer Spaniels. They have a wide set of the most lovable eyes, a small round head forming a little snout with a powerful nose. Their nose is capable of capturing scents from miles away, making them the best gun and flush dog breeds.
Additionally, they also have lots of fur covering their ears, tail and paw pads with a dense, straight coat overlaying the rest of their little bodies. And although intermediate variations in colour patterns is a common occurrence, these particular type Spaniels have sabling spread underneath the top coat, and hence the colouring.
Their legs are strong for all the running and jumping the breed requires, attached with a deep chest, giving them a raw, elongated, regal appearance.
How big do these pups get?
Growing up a male Sable Springer Spaniel can reach a height between 19-21 inches, with females measuring a little less. The average height chart of the female Sable springers usually lies between 18-20 inches at the withers, with few exceptions happening infrequently.
Similarly when it comes to their weight, a male weighs around 40 to 60lbs, and females stay between 35-55 lbs. This difference between male and female height and weight happens with all canine breeds, and therefore there is nothing to be worried about. However, in case your sable pup is from a working breed, they may weigh lesser than the average due to their leaner muscle mass arrangement.
How long does the Sable Springers live for?
Even though the English Springer Spaniels are normally healthy pups, no matter their coat colour and live up to 12-14 years, sables may be affected to certain specific health conditions given their genetic mutation. These include:
- Retinal dysplasia
- Phosphofructokinase deficiency
- Autoimmune diseases
- Greater vulnerability to sun exposure
Apart from these the canine may also come across with hereditary diseases passed down through their parents’ genes. Thus, if you are not choosing the breed carefully or from an inexperienced breeder, the greater the chances that your vet bills will always be on the higher side.
Are Sable Springers Hypoallergenic?
If you are sensitive to pet dander, then unfortunately the sable babies won’t make a good choice for you. Given their luscious furry coats, they would probably produce much more dander than your average hypoallergenic dog breeds which can be severely lethal for your health.
And even though you may think of trying to compromise with Over-the-Counter medications or cleaning your home every day, always remember the results are temporary. In worse cases, your body may get resistant to the medications, causing you to make emergency trips to your doctor when the symptoms arise again.
How to groom their coats?
Just like grooming an English Springer Spaniel, pet parents need to be all prepped up for managing their sable fur babies coat if they don’t want to meet matted and loose fur all around the home.
Starting from general coat brushing, this is something that you will be required to do every day without fail to keep their coat all shiny and smooth. The lengthy hair is prone to severe matting when left unkempt for long and trust me, you don’t ever want to get through this kind of situation.
Next their coat will also need a thorough raking every alternate day. Using a rake to comb through their bodies ensures proper removal of all accumulated dust and dirt, and hence opening up clogged skin pores. Apart from that, brushing their teeth, cleaning eyes and ears, and trimming their nails are some of the daily essentials which should never be forgotten.
Many vets and canine experts also advise visiting professional salons at least twice in a year, if possible. With their qualifications and experience, they are able to work out through their coat and other essential parts much more efficiently, thereby enhancing their quality of life.
Are Sable Springer Spaniels aggressive?
No!!! Indeed there is no parameter that sets Sables as aggressive or prone to exhibiting other abnormal behaviours and personas. They are just as sweet and mild tempered as their other widely accepted counterparts and hence never believe in any tales that may make you feel otherwise. The pattern is just something that’s physical and therefore doesn’t put any effect on their psychological states.
These little runts love to work alongside their masters and hence are fairly easy to train. They are born with an amazing concentrative power, patience and a never ending zeal to impress their parents. So, no matter if you are teaching them to perform basic tricks or help you with your daily chores, they can make the best out of it in absolutely no time. But make sure to start training them from a young age so they can be moulded without much effort. Larger dogs are often a bit difficult and head-strong when it comes to training them to do your bids.
Positive reinforcement training works best for this breed. And even though some of these Sables may be a bit stubborn in the initial phases, following the training method properly can aid you in bringing out the perfect ‘gentleman/lady’ image that you wanted. Moreover, the same also allows both the canine and their human companions to bond even more, building up happy memories and so much more.
So, this was all about the highly searched ‘Sable Springer Spaniels’. If you would like us to elaborate more about certain areas about this particular coat type canines, make sure to comment the same in the comment section below.
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