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1.   You aspire to the Martha Stewart lifestyle.
2.   You're hardly ever home.
3.   You don't want a dog following you everywhere.
4.   You don't want a dog who demands frequent regular physical contact.
5.   You want a dog who doesn't shed.
6.   You want a dog who imbibes his water with delicacy.
7.   You want a dog who never snores.
8.   You want a dog who bonds easily with strangers.
9.   You want a good watch dog.
10. You want a dog who will never dig a hole in your yard.

Every puppy needs to be taught rules and manners, and every new owner needs to learn to communicate effectively with his dog. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you enroll your newly acquired Field in a puppy kindergarten and subsequently in a beginner obedience class, even if your goals do not include more advanced training or competition for performance titles. Fields are versatile dogs, and with appropriate training will do well in a variety of venues, including: the conformation ring, obedience and rally competition, tracking, the agility ring, hunt tests, pet therapy/service dog work and bird hunting.

No dog is perfect, nor is any breed. Responsible breeders try their best to ensure good health in the puppies they produce. Their primary tools are health testing performed on potential breeding pairs and the examination of pedigrees for health history. Every breed has some health problems, and every individual member of that breed silently carries undesirable recessive genes. It is probably fair to say that the Field is prone to fewer health problems than the other spaniel breeds. The more frequently recorded health problems in the Field Spaniel are hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism, (under active thyroid gland). Frequent ear infections and skin problems, such as hot spots and skin allergies, have also been reported. Effective weekly ear cleaning and regular shaving around the ear opening should eliminate ear infections. A diet and environment geared to minimizing chemicals and building a strong immune system may help to reduce skin and allergy problems, should these occur.

I hope you will take a little time to read about the modified raw diet utilized at Avalyde. Good nutrition and sound health practices will not eradicate genetic health problems, but can perhaps go a long way toward minimizing them. I hope you will take a lot of time to do your own research on canine health and nutrition.

The Field is an emotionally needy dog. He does not do well left alone for vast amounts of time. He also does not thrive if confined to an area of the home or yard separated from direct contact with his family. He is sensitive and affectionate,
aspiring to become your constant companion, following you everywhere, and often accepting separation from those he loves with great difficulty. Deprived of adequate human companionship, the Field may become very destructive, as he seeks outlets for his amusement and energy, and/or he may become pathologically shy and fearful of everyone and everything.

Sensitive and intelligent, Fields are easily traumatized by harsh training methods, and can become permanently neurotic if subjected to punishment training. If taught and trained using only positive reinforcement, you will have a best buddy who is attuned to your every mood and nuance. They do, however, tend to be slow to mature, so you may need to be patient.

Raised from early puppyhood with well supervised children, they will become a well integrated family member, enjoying the varied pursuits of an active family, especially if those interests include the great outdoors involving hiking, swimming, ball games or bird hunting. Preferred indoor activities generally include food tasting and mattress testing.