Can Springer Spaniels Live Outside?

Yes, Springer spaniels can live outside. These dogs belong to the gundog breed, which makes them very hardy animals that are able to adapt to the outdoors very well. They also have a double layered coat which gives them added protection against the cold and wet conditions.

However, it depends on your dog’s personality, age, and many other factors as well.

So, while your Springer spaniel shouldn’t have any problem adapting to the outdoor life, the bigger question is, how comfortable will your pooch be with this decision once you decide to move forward with it?

Let us take a look at a few points to consider before you decide to move your Springer outside.

Do You Have a Dog House?

We have four seasons in a year, and so there are times when it’s going to be warm, hot, cool and cold. Depending in the area you live, how extreme will these conditions be?

Even though your Springer spaniel is a very adaptable dog, you still want to make sure that she is as comfortable as possible in her environment. After all, she is part of the family, and you would like to treat her the same as you treat other members, right?

If you don’t have a dog house, now is the time to install some type of shelter for her. You could opt for a dog house or a kennel with a roof-top. In my opinion, a dog house is far more comfortable.

What’s important is that you think about how well your Springer’s house will be insulated from the wind and cold.

Is the Outdoor Location Safe and Secure?

Just because your dog is still living on your property, there is a big difference between living outside and living inside when it comes to security.

Do you have fences covering the perimeter? Is it easy for your Springer spaniel to jump over the fences?

Another thing you want to consider is whether it’s easy for thieves to somehow break in and steal your dog. This is very possible and does happen quite frequently, so be careful!

You might want to consider installing dog runs in order to create a more controlled environment for your Springer spaniel. If so, think about how much space she will need in order to run around as well as pee and poop.

How Lonely Will Your Springer Spaniel Be?

Springer spaniels can easily suffer from separation anxiety. The reason for this is because they’re very sociable animals and love to be surrounded by other family members.

So, while your Springer might be physically capable of living outside, psychologically, she will have a hard time adjusting.

This does depend largely, however, on when you make the decision to have your beloved poop live outside:

  • Was she living comfortably with you and the rest of the family for many years before you decided to take this decision?
  • What type of personality does your Springer spaniel have? Is she very clingy or is she able to be very independent?
  • How often is your Springer spaniel going to be able to interact with you and the rest of your family if she will be living outside from now onwards?

These are all the questions you need to ask yourself before moving forward with your plan, because it will allow you to either change your mind or to cater for your Springer so that the process of her moving outside is more comfortable.

What Age Will Your Springer Spaniel Be Living outside Permanently?

This ties in largely with the previous point, because if you decide that your Springer spaniel will be living outside from the day you adopt her into your life, or from when she is still very young, it is far more different.

However, even age on its own is a huge factor to consider, because an adult Springer is far more adaptable than a puppy, as puppies are still very vulnerable to harsh weather conditions.

This is also the age when you need to provide enough love for your Springer and to bond with her, so the less time you stay with her, the more difficult it becomes to create that bonding relationship.

How to Help Your Springer Get Used To Living outside

Okay, so you have considered all of the above and still feel that due to circumstances, your Springer spaniel needs to live outside. Here are some tips to help the move be as comfortable as possible so that you and your neighbors don’t have many sleepless nights ahead of you.

The first rule of thumb is to make sure that the process is very gradual. In other words, don’t just kick her out of the house overnight and expect her to deal with it, because she won’t.

Start by ensuring that her outdoor environment is completely ready to live in. Also, make sure that her dog house is set up correctly and that it is completely insulated from all types of weather conditions.

Put in a very comfortable dog bed, preferably the one that she’s been using indoors so that she feels comfortable with the familiar smells and feeling of her new home.

During the next few mornings and afternoons, let your Springer spaniel go inside her new house with you close to her so she can sniff around and get used to her surroundings.

It is also a good idea to make her eat her meals in her new doghouse. In other words, you want to do everything possible to make her feel like her dog house is a great place to be in because it’s where her food and all her fun toys will be.

Then, as the days go by, slowly let her start eating alone until your Springer spaniel doesn’t even realize you’re not around while she’s eating or sleeping in her dog house.

Once you get to this stage, you can let your Springer spaniel stay in her dog house in the evenings as well, but still, don’t let it be completely overnight.

All of this takes patience, but if you continue with this approach, when you finally let your Springer spaniel stay in her new shelter throughout the night without you around, you will find that there is less chance of her whining, howling and scratching on your front door until you let her in.

Keep in mind that this is not a foolproof plan, because even if you think you’ve done everything right, there is still a very big chance that your Springer will be having a few difficult nights until she gets used to it.

What’s important is that you let her know that you are around during the day so that she feels confident in knowing that you haven’t abandoned her.

During the winter, always keep a close eye on the temperatures outside. Even if your Springer spaniel’s doghouse is well insulated, there’s still a chance it might not be enough for your dog to sleep in if you have very cold days and nights ahead of you.

When your Springer spaniel is faced with these conditions, you might want to consider letting her sleep inside or to make a better plan to ensure that her doghouse has some form of heating.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why you might need your Springer spaniel to live outside. Sometimes, it simply because you don’t have enough space inside the house, or maybe it’s because you just prefer to have humans and pets live and sleep in separate locations.

Whatever the reason, don’t forget that your pooch has feelings and can easily suffer from many forms of anxiety.

You need to ensure that whatever decision you take, your Springer spaniel will be very comfortable in her new environment and that she has enough food and water and sufficient running space to play, pee and poop in.

And lastly, make sure that her environment is always safe and secure so that she doesn’t escape by jumping over a fence or wall, and that no one else can enter your property and steal your beloved pooch from you.

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