The Field Spaniel is quite high maintenance when it comes to keeping their coats tidy and their skin in good condition. Their coats and more especially their soft and silky featherings tend to grow very long and as such, they need to be brushed on a daily basis to prevent any matts and tangles from forming. Their coats also need to be hand stripped several times a year which is best left up to a professional groomer. Much like other dogs, Field Spaniels shed more during the Spring and then again in the Autumn when more frequent grooming is usually necessary to keep on top of things.
It's also important to check a dog's ears on a regular basis and to clean them when necessary paying particular attention to the tips which often pick up tiny thorns and other things as Field Spaniels run along with their noses to the ground. If too much wax is allowed to build up in a dog's ears, it can lead to a painful infection which can be hard to clear up. In short, prevention is often easier than cure when it comes to ear infections.
These spaniels are extremely high energy dogs and as such they need to be given a minimum of 2 hour's exercise on a daily basis. On top of this and because they are so intelligent, it's essential for them to be given a tremendous amount of mental stimulation because if they get bored, they are known to develop a lot of unwanted and destructive behaviours.
A shorter walk in the morning would be fine, but a longer more interesting one in the afternoon is a must. These dogs also like to be able to roam around a back garden as often as possible so they can really let off steam. However, the fencing has to be extremely secure to keep these energetic dogs in because if they find a weakness in the fence, they will soon escape out and get into all sorts of trouble.
With this said, young Field Spaniel puppies should not be given too much exercise because their joints and bones are still growing and too much pressure on them could result in causing a dog a few problems later on in their lives. They should not be allowed to jump up or off furniture nor should they be allowed to run up and down the stairs because this puts too much pressure on their still growing joints and limbs.
If you get a Field Spaniel puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
