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Our Activities
There are many fun things to do with your Springer (or any breed of dog). Currently here at Kalwa we are involved with conformation, competition obedience, rally obedience, and Animal-Assisted Therapy. Read on to learn more about all the activities you can do with your Springer, or you can click on the links below to jump straight to a particular area. Be sure to check out the Show Results links on individual dogs' pages to find out how the Kalwa dogs have been doing in competition.
When people hear the phrase "dog show," conformation competition is probably what they think about. They may have seen the most famous U.S. dog show, Westminster Kennel Club, on television in February, or perhaps caught one of the others which are sometimes televised. Given the mere handful of dog shows that are televised or regularly receive publicity each year, they may seem like a rare occurrence. What people may not know is that these are only a few of the hundreds of dog shows that take place each year in every state of the Union.
There are dog shows held practically every weekend all over the country, and they are a great way to meet other people who love dogs. A dog show is also a very good place to go to meet breeders if you are looking for a puppy or to get more information about breeds you may be interested in. Dog shows can also be a fun weekend activity for the whole family. To learn about all types of dog events, and to find a dog show near you, you can use the AKC web site (use the link below). Another very easy way to find a local dog show is to use the InfoDog website. InfoDog has information on just about every upcoming show in the country, including dates and location, and you can search by date or by state. Go to www.infodog.com and click on "show information" to find a show near you.
Conformation is the first activity we became involved in with our dogs, and it has led to our interest in other activities. While lots of people choose to employ professional handlers to show their dogs, we prefer to go the owner-handled route and handle all of our dogs ourselves. While it may take longer to finish a dog that way, we think it also adds to the fun. Check out the links below to learn more about what's really going on at a dog show, and to see how the dogs of Kalwa have done in the ring.
Conformation Links
| The Actual Dog Show |
| American Kennel Club |
| Seattle Kennel Club |
| Westminster Kennel Club |
| InfoDog |
| Kalwa Show Results |
One of the best-known and most enduringly popular activities for people and their dogs is competition obedience. It goes without saying that all dogs should know the basic obedience commands ("sit," "stay," "down," "come," and how to walk nicely on a leash). Many people however, choose to go beyond the basics and dive into the world of competition obedience. In this activity dogs and handlers are judged on how precisely they perform a variety of exercises, beginning with the basics in the Novice class, and progressing through the more challenging Open and Utility exercises which include things like directed jumping and scent discrimination. English Springer Spaniels are intelligent, quick-learning dogs who excel at obedience, as long as they don't get bored. It's important to keep things entertaining and challenging to help a Springer succeed in the obedience ring. Even if an owner has no desire to actually compete, obedience is a fun activity, and who doesn't love a well-trained dog?
In 2004, the AKC introduced Rally obedience, which was designed to serve as a bridge between basic training and competition obedience. Like competition obedience, Rally requires that dogs and handlers perform specific obedience exercises, however, unlike competition obedience, in Rally, handlers are allowed to talk to and encourage their dogs, as well as give multiple commands and/or signals while in the ring. Rally is fun for dogs and handlers, and the Kalwa dogs took to it immediately, with Carter and Altair both earning their first Rally titles in 2008, with more on the way.
Here at Kalwa our dogs love their obedience lessons. All of our training is done using only positive reinforcement, and we rely primarily on clicker training. Although she never entered the competition ring, Ella was trained in all of the Novice exercises and most of the Open ones, and loved to show off her "tricks" for friends. All our other dogs have various levels of obedience training, and Carter has earned the first leg toward his CD. Check out the links below for more information on competition obedience, and on clicker training.
Obedience Links
| Overview of Obedience Information |
| AKC Rally Information |
| Obedience Links |
| Obedience FAQs (Competition and Home Obedience) |
| Karen Pryor's Page (Clicker Training Central) |
| Click and Treat (More Clicker Info) |
| Operant Conditioning Basics (How it Works) |
Agility is one of the fastest-growing activities for people and their dogs. Even if they're not familiar with the term, most people have seen dogs doing some sort of Agility on television. In Agility, a handler uses voice and hand commands to guide their dog over an obstacle course consisting of jumps, tunnels, and other obstacles such as seesaws and weave poles. Agility first premiered in England at the famous Crufts Dog Show in 1979. Since then, many people have discovered the pleasure of enjoying this activity with their canine companions. Watching Agility, it's obvious that both the dogs and the people are having great fun. It's good exercise for all involved, and a great way to spend time with your dog. There are many Springers who excel in Agility competitions, and many more who do it just for fun.
Here at Kalwa, we have been training in Agility since early 2008, and anticipate we will begin competing this summer. In the meantime, check out the links below to learn more about this sport and how interested people can get involved with their dogs.
Agility Links
Another popular activity for Springers and their people is therapy dog work. Therapy dogs (and their owners) are certified by various organizations to visit places such as hospitals and nursing homes, allowing the residents to interact with the animals (known as Animal-Assisted Activities). They may also be used therapeutically by medical and mental health professionals (Animal-Assisted Therapy). Here at Kalwa, therapy dogs are very important. Harmony is a registered therapy dog through the Delta Society Pet Partners program. In the past she regularly accompanied Tiffani to work where she assisted with mental health therapy for children. She has also made many visits to local nursing homes and hospitals. Harmony has now retired, but Carter should be receiving therapy dog certification soon. Although here at Kalwa therapy dog work is a both a professional and volunteer endeavor, the vast majority of therapy dogs and their handlers are strictly volunteers. There are several organizations which provide training and certification for therapy work. Please check out the links below for more info.
Therapy Dog Links
English Springer Spaniels are hunting dogs, and although we don't hunt with our dogs there are many Springers, both field bred and show bred, who do hunt and do it well. These dogs excel in recreational hunting as well as AKC hunt tests and field trials. Check out the links below for more information on hunting with your Springer.
Hunting Links
| Hunting with the English Springer Spaniel |
| AKC Performance Events (Including Hunt Tests and Field Trials for Spaniels) |
Tracking is another activity where many Springers do very well. This is an AKC event open to all breeds of dog that involves following a scented track that is laid out in advance. As the dog moves to higher levels the tracks become longer, more complicated, and older, and the dog can earn various titles by successfully completing the exercises. More info on tracking can be found on the following web site:
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