The Sussex Spaniel is an adorable medium-sized dog with a brown dense coat and the typical Spaniel floppy ears. Many people think their wavy coat means they won’t shed a lot, but this isn’t true! They have moderate shedding, and you should bear this in mind if you intend to get one. If you suffer from allergies, this sporting breed may not be the best choice for you, and it’s important to know that.
Although they love their families and are even great with kids, they make quite effective watchdogs due to their stranger danger! They may bark at anyone new and if you don’t work on this early, it can become problematic. Socialize them well and give them lots of experiences with strangers. Having strangers give them treats can be an excellent strategy to help them realize strangers are good, actually! Fortunately, this pup is intelligent and easy to train so they should come around pretty easily. At the end of the day, they just want to please their people, and this can really work in your favor.
Sussex Spaniel
Because they’re a little vocal, you might want to be careful if you live in an apartment with easily-annoyed neighbors. You can teach a “quiet” verbal cue that will really help but, for the most part, barking is in their nature.
Their activity needs aren’t too high, but they do need some exercise every day. You can achieve this by having them run around a fenced-in yard or giving them a good long walk. Even if you have a yard, it’s important not to rely on this all of the time, as walks are still important for dogs! It helps with leash training and exposure to new things. Overall the Sussex Spaniel is a wonderful breed you will quickly love.
