Might a Springador be the perfect dog for you?

A Springador is a dog produced by crossing a springer spaniel with a Labrador retriever, and this deliberate crossing is referred to as a hybrid dog or cross breed. Springadors tend to be medium to large in size, and are very outgoing, lively and intelligent dogs that are highly versatile and make a great fit for all sorts of homes and activities.

If you are in the market for a new dog and are looking for a dog that is really smart, likes to stay active and has a lovely, engaging personality, the Springador is certainly worth considering.

In this article we will explain in more detail what a Springador is, how much they cost to buy, and what their core traits and temperament is like. Read on to learn more.

What is a Springador?

A Springador is any dog that has one Labrador retriever and one springer spaniel parent, or subsequent generations of dogs bred from this same original breed match. Because a Springador is a cross breed or hybrid dog type, they’re not classed as pedigrees, and can’t be registered with The Kennel Club for showing and breed registration purposes.

This also means that there is no fixed breed standard in place for Springadors, and individual dogs of this type can be quite variable in terms of their appearance.

Are Springadors expensive?

Springadors are actually quite economical to buy, with the average advertised price on Pets4Homes of a Springador puppy for salebeing around the £480 mark. This is rather less than the average cost of either of the two parent breeds that make up the Springador mix, although individual dogs of this type may of course vary quite considerably in price.

How popular are Springadors?

Because Springadors aren’t registered with The Kennel Club, there are no formal records kept on their numbers and popularity in the UK. However, Pets4Homes is the UK’s biggest and best pet classifieds website and advice portal, and based on the number of adverts for dogs of different breeds and types listed over the course of the last year, we can build up a picture of their popularity.

The Springador is currently ranked as the 76th (as at June 2018) most popular dog type in the UK out of a total of 243 different dog breeds and types, which means that while they’re not the most common of dogs, there are still significant numbers of them and they’re reasonably popular across the UK.

What do Springadors look like?

Springadors are medium sized – perhaps a touch towards the large side of medium – and they tend to have proportionate bodies and legs, giving the dog a well-balanced appearance. They can be quite variable is size, ranging from about 45-60cm tall at the withers and weighing between 22-41kg.

They have nice healthy-length muzzles and drooping, moderately long ears, large, kind eyes and a generally approachable and friendly expression that matches their personalities to a tee.

Because both the Labrador retriever and the springer spaniel can be seen in a wide range of different coat colours and the coats of these two respective breeds are reasonably different, so too can Springador coats be quite variable as well.

Dogs of this type may have a fairly short, uniform coat like the Labrador retriever, or a slightly longer coat with a slight wave in the feathering like the Springer spaniel. In terms of colours, Springadors are often all one colour (like Labradors), often having a flash of white on the neck or throat. Springadors may also have a two colour, patched coat, combining white with another shade like black, gold or brown.

What sort of temperament do Springadors have?

Springer spaniels and Labrador retrievers have a large number of core temperament traits in common, which makes it easier to predict with some certainty the Springador temperament overall, although there are of course variances from dog to dog.

Springadors are highly intelligent, very lively and have a high level of working intelligence, which makes them really receptive to training and able to learn and execute a wide range of different commands reliably.

These traits mean that Springadors need an owner who is active and loves to walk, in order to provide the dog with enough exercise and keep them fit and happy. Springadors also usually love to swim too, and generally enjoy physical activity – walks, play, swimming, and canine sport, or virtually anything else you can think of too.

They are very outgoing and personable dogs that love to socialise, and that will tend to be friendly and happy to meet and play with both other dogs and people. Springadors also tend to be excellent with children, and more than capable of moderating their play and behaviour to be gentle with smaller dogs – and they are also reasonably good to train to accepting and living with a cat without chasing them, although as is the case for all dogs, this must be handled carefully.

Springadors are versatile, adaptable and confident but not overly pushy dogs that are a good fit for any active owner. Unlike many other breeds that are both highly active and really smart, they are generally considered to be a sound choice of dog for even first-time owners who may have never trained and managed a dog of their own before.

Springadors need lots of attention, walks, and mental activity – but assuming that this is provided, they make for loving, affectionate and well-behaved pets.