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Funny you should say that... There is the same schism between working poodles and conformation poodles.
You're right, I'm not a Spaniel guy but my knee-jerk is usually to caution people away from working lines if they aren't going to be worked. Obviously, lots of people do it without any problems and my gut says that you're probably one of them but you can still be certain that the workin' dawg is a different animal whether it's a poodle, lab, golden, hound, shepherd or spaniel.
Funny you should say that... There is the same schism between working poodles and conformation poodles.
You're right, I'm not a Spaniel guy but my knee-jerk is usually to caution people away from working lines if they aren't going to be worked. Obviously, lots of people do it without any problems and my gut says that you're probably one of them but you can still be certain that the workin' dawg is a different animal whether it's a poodle, lab, golden, hound, shepherd or spaniel.
Funny you should say that. I was going to suggest people stay away from the bench bred unless they were going to show or were rescuing an abandoned one with the awareness it could one day, without warning, show the rage syndrome.
Had a neighbor who was fairly well known in the hunting ESS world, he bred and competed. Was pretty responsible as far as that world goes. Another neighbor also had hunting ESS' and a couple of other breeds. I home socialized one of his puppies for a couple of weeks. I don't know whether it was his line or the fact that most hunting dog breeders use kennels a lot but his dogs didn't seem to be able to be house-trained to a high reliability. Almost all the hunting ESS I met (his and others) had been bred to be basically a hunting machine. Its hard for me to explain, its like there isn't a dog in there, its just......obsessive instinct with a lot of energy. If not in hunting training mode they were just sort of.....blond Sweet but too manic to really be able to listen to you. Like ADD kids.
My suggestion would be to find one that has been a house dog since a puppy. I do think this makes a big difference. Being kenneled to much really seems to fry their brains over time. A puppy raised inside around people will probably be an easier more reliable pet.
Had a neighbor who was fairly well known in the hunting ESS world, he bred and competed. Was pretty responsible as far as that world goes. Another neighbor also had hunting ESS' and a couple of other breeds. I home socialized one of his puppies for a couple of weeks. I don't know whether it was his line or the fact that most hunting dog breeders use kennels a lot but his dogs didn't seem to be able to be house-trained to a high reliability. Almost all the hunting ESS I met (his and others) had been bred to be basically a hunting machine. Its hard for me to explain, its like there isn't a dog in there, its just......obsessive instinct with a lot of energy. If not in hunting training mode they were just sort of.....blond Sweet but too manic to really be able to listen to you. Like ADD kids.
My suggestion would be to find one that has been a house dog since a puppy. I do think this makes a big difference. Being kenneled to much really seems to fry their brains over time. A puppy raised inside around people will probably be an easier more reliable pet.
My 1st field bred ESS was a rescue who had appeard to have been tied at the end of a rope until he broke loose and was picked up as a stray. When I adopted him he was 9 mos. old and was housetrained within a couple of days. He was however, a velcro Springer with an obsessive need to please. I've witnessed dogs who are constantly kennelled and not let out for regular exercise several times each day. The ADD comment could be made of any working dog breed that is kenneled with too little attention/training and exercise, IMO.
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Sweet but too manic to really be able to listen to you. Like ADD kids. 
