I have had a Springer since I was three 3 years-old, Poochie was my first dog.  So I say I was born to Springers.  Mike had many dogs growing up including a Boxer, a Poodle, and a few All-American Mutts. As an adult he had a Labrador Retriever and a Great Dane.  Needless to say he was an easy convert to Springers.

Mike and I were married in 1987.  When our households merged I owned a rescue Springer with a long tail and he owned a Great Dane.  It made for some really funny play.  About six months later our Great Dane died.  Mike asked me if I wanted to get another dog. At the time I thought that my Penelope would not be accepting of a puppy.  She was about 6 or 7 years-old and didn't seem to mind being the only dog. Then Mike said "If you got another dog what would you get?" Silly question... a Springer of course.  My Pennsylvania born husband said "Hmm...Springers are good hunting dogs aren't they?"  Yes they are my Dad hunted with our Springer when I was a kid.

As a surprise for my birthday Mike bought me the most wonderful gift every - ALEX a liver and white English Springer Spaniel.  (I am happy to say Penelope took to him immediately and mothered him to the day she died.)  Alex is the dog that introduced Mike and I to dog sports and all the activities we enjoy today.  I went on to buy my foundation bitch from Tony and Rita Vasquez of Vasdon ESS in 1993 and began breeding in 1998. Mike began to be more involved with hunting and developed an interest in field trials. We bought our first field bred Springer in 1997. Today we bred both field and bench Springers and we have a number of Champions with the Braveheart Kennel Name prefix.

Mike and I have been ESSFTA club members since 1989.  We have had dogs in the Top Ten in Conformation, Obedience, Rally, Agility, and Field Trials. We are members of breed club - Gateway English Springer Spaniels, and English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association and obedience club Hidden Valley Obedience Club.  We are AKC "Breeders of Merit",  (The AKC Breeder of Merit application specifically asks if you are a member in good standing with your parent club) having met their criteria to earn this designation. This is our passion and we seek to produce healthy, stable, smart, biddable and beautiful dogs.

Our Braveheart Kennel Name was conceived when a friend asked me if we had ever bred a litter of Springers.  I told her no we hadn't but I was reading books my Veterinarian friend had lent me. She said to me you are a BRAVE soul.   And it hit me, no, I am not a brave soul, I am a brave heart!  We had bred our beautiful Spinger to a wonderful and handsome male with a fabulous temperament and good health. He had been campaigned as the dog with "Heart" as he had a black heart-shaped marking in his white shawl collar.

When I got home that day I asked Mike if he liked the kennel name BRAVEHEART.  We needed a kennel name that would be appropriate for both field and show Springers.  With the movie "Braveheart" success and storyline it was very fitting. Strong, brave, beautiful!

The parent club for our breed ESSFTA and the ESSFTA Foundation for our breed English Springer Spaniels have made recommendations to breeders for improving our health and genetics. These recommendations center around common health issues with English Springer Spaniels.

Springers common health concerns are: Ear infections, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, hip or elbow dysplasia, Retinal Dysplasia (RD) and epilepsy. 

Springer's have large floppy ears that can trap water and dirt easily.  Ear infections are common.  It will be necessary to clean your Springers ears often to keep them free from infection. 

PRA - Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a genetic disease which can lead to blindness (generally in later life).  ESSFTA recommends we test our ESS for this genetic disease using the University of Missouri testing kits.  Individuals which test as Affected can live a normal sighted life however have the genetic predisposition for late life blindness. The ratings for DNA/PRA tests are;  CLEAR, CARRIER, or AFFECTED.

ESSFTA also recommends Springer eye's be tested by an ophthalmologist for other health issue such as Retinal Dysplasia.  The OFFA Eyes-Normal shows that the dogs have been tested for this annually and have no abnormalities.

ESSFTA recommends Springer's hips and elbows be X-rayed for submission to Orthopedic Foundation For Animals (OFFA) for evaluation.  Hip results are; Excellent, Good, Fair, Mild Dysplastic (one hip), or Dysplastic.  Elbow results are; Normal, L1, L2, L3.  Any anomaly seen in an elbow will rate L1 and can lead to arthritis.  Anomalies seen in both elbows will rate L2 and can lead to dysplasia or arthritis in one or both elbows. L3 is dysplastic.  OFFA-Orthopedic Foundation For Animals has a database which houses genetic test results (if submitted by the owner) on dogs of any breed.  The results of an individual animal can be looked up by AKC Registered Name or Number. Additionally parents, grand-parents and siblings can be seen on the web site. It is an extremely useful tool for breeders and owners alike showing a snapshot of genetic health results.  OFFA will upon request also show other health clearances.

There is currently no health test for epilepsy.  The ESSFTA Foundation and AKC Canine Health Foundation have invested substantially into research looking for a genetic marker. 

In addition ESSFTA suggests we health screen for PFK - Phosphofructokinase Deficiency. While rare it is a very debilitating disease. Phosphofructokinase is the most important rate-controlling enzyme required for glycolysis, the metabolic pathway that coverts glucose into pyruvate, thereby releasing energy to be used for a variety of functions such as maintaining the shape of red blood cells. Phosphofructokinase deficiency also greatly inhibits the energy skeletal muscles require for exercising.

This metabolic disorder has a genetic basis, mainly affecting English Springer Spaniels, American Cocker Spaniels, and mixed-breed dogs.

We currently test for PFK in our dogs.  They have tested CLEAR and have next generations that are not affected thereby producing normal puppies (Clear by parentage).

Contact us at: aprilleo@braveheartspringers.com or mikeleo@braveheartspringers.com