Hellfire Springers breeds with the highest integrity and has earned an excellent reputation for producing healthy, genetically sound, high quality dogs that can perform to the highest levels a handler can take them, or be gentle hunting companions the average person can train. There are Hellfire dogs performing in many AKC venues (field trial, hunt test, agility and obedience) with handlers of all experience levels, and it is very satisfying knowing that their great athletic ability, good health and gentle, stable temperaments place no limits on what they can do.
STEP 1: OUR PUPPY APPLICATION
Our puppies are not "products" being sold for income, and since we CARE about where they go, we require this screening questionnaire from serious inquiries wishing to be considered for a puppy. Just as you are looking for a reputable breeder, we are looking for responsible dog owners.
PURCHASE AGREEMENT, NON-BREEDING CONTRACT
Our puppies are sold with a detailed purchase agreement outlining buyer and seller responsibilities, and are warrantied for hip/eye/dna defects. Because of the growing epidemic of puppy millers, backyard breeders and morons mixing and 'hybridizing' purebred dogs for profit, our puppies are sold on limited registrations/spay-neuter contracts to all but experienced field trial homes.
SHIPPING
We are very experienced shippers and will ship our puppies to some locations using Northwest out of Bozeman, Delta out of Butte, and Alaska Airlines/Horizon out of Missoula. Puppies are shipped in a medium sized crate, only after receiving a veterinarians certification of health. It can vary but in most cases the total cost of flying a 9 week old puppy is under $375. Because puppies are not fully vaccinated when they leave, and only have limited immunity to various diseases that can easily be picked up at parks, rest areas and hotels, we advocate shipping over driving long distances.
THE OFA HEALTH DATABASE: JOINTS AND ACVO/CERF EYE CLEARANCES
Conscientious breeders test their dogs against hip. eye and genetically inherited DNA disorders. If you care about obtaining a healthy hunting or family companion you should familiarize yourself with using the online OFFA.org database.
We use the OFA to evaluate our dogs joints. The AKC endorses OFA results and places them on registration certificates, not PennHip. People lie about PennHip results all the time because there is no online public database to verify PennHip reports. Furthermore PennHip does not address elbow results, which according to the OFA, Springers are breed ranked 15th for elbow dysplasia- which means we should all being testing elbows, duh! If your puppy is AKC registered, the parent's joint OFA results and current eye CERF verification will appear on the registration certificate.
The OFA, Orthopedic Foundation for Animals gives a hip quality rating from radiographs. We have all of our dogs OFA prelimmed as puppies, and they are fully certified when they turn two years old and considered fully grown. Whether you are researching dogs from our kennel or anothers, you should always be able to easily look up an adult's OFA hip rating at the OFA online database by using the name of the dog, it's registration number, or name of the kennel.
The OFA database also includes CERF eye, PFK DNA, patellas, thyroid and cardiac testing results and certifications making it a powerful resource for those who take genetic health seriously.
EYE TESTING: RETINAL DYSPLASIA ~ SO, WHAT IS IT?
Retinal dysplasia comes in three forms: folds, geographic folds and the most severe form is detached retinas, which as the name implies causes partial to full blindness from retinal detachment. More information about retinal dysplasia can be found at the ACVO website HERE. Because there is no carrier test for retinal dysplasias, there is no way to predict if a clear CERF'd parent is a carrier and might produce a RD puppy if bred to another clear CERF'd parent carrier making testing of the puppies...especially competition/breeding candidates, very important. RD in the first two forms has no impact on a dog's hunting ability or performance and is not progressive like PRA, but it can certainly play a huge role when determining the very best breeding stock if the goal is to reduce it in the next generation!
According to the eye experts at CERF, it takes SIX GENERATIONS of clear parents to feel confident that one's line is free of RD. There isn't a field springer breeder in this country that has that kind of track record, so an important hallmark of a truly responsible breeder is to test each dog before it is bred AND each generation of puppies they produce.
DNA TESTING: PFK ENZYME DEFICIENCY, PRA-RETINAL DEGENERATION (BLINDNESS), AND OTHER SPRINGER SPECIFIC HEALTH ISSUES
There is a very rare disease called PFK, phosphofructokinase, which is a strange enzyme deficiency that causes horrible fatigue after strenuous exercise. Click HERE to read more about this awful disease. In 2001 we imported (and later euthanized) a puppy from one of the UK's top kennels, will full blown PFK so we know all too well it exists in field bred dogs. Even worse we found that two other littermates (both went to Texas) were imported with the same disease. One researcher I talked to warned of the influx of PFK from foreign bred dogs being imported into the US, particularly from British FIELD lines and Finnish/Swedish SHOW lines. It is a serious and growing problem in those dogs. Vet DNA is affordable and 100% accurate for detecting carriers. Three generations of our dogs have passed PFK testing and we probably won't be doing it anymore unless we use an English bred dog to outcross with.
PRA, or Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a genetic eye disease that causes progressive blindness either in early or late onset form and it is found primarily (if not exclusively) in show-bred springers. In 2007, a genetic DNA test was developed and the results showed that 80% of the tested dogs were affected or carriers. If you buy a springer from show (or backyard bred dogs since most of them are of show or show/field lineage) lines, you should be aware of this. More out of curiosity than anything else, our kennel has tested a few dogs for this and all have been clear-non carriers.
Another important issue of health, and of course the one all spaniel owners should be prepared for: The spaniel ear infection. It's a fact that spaniels require special attention to their ears and MOST spaniels will get an infection at one time or another during their lives, usually as puppies, no matter how diligently you care for them. Some studies suggest that dog foods with CORN can cause "springer ear" and encourage yeast infections and that feeding active cultured yogurt can keep yeast flora balances in check. Chronic ear infections require a thyroid test to rule out a weakened immune system. Thyroid conditions are almost always hereditary. In chronic cases the dog might be a candidate for ear fold surgery which removes some of the larger folds blocking air circulation inside the ear canal. Our dogs rarely have ear infections, but do require regular examinations and cleanings!
NO E-COLLARS FOR US, THANKS!
The late great Keith Erlandson summed it up perfectly when he wrote in his book The Working Springer Spaniel (Swan Hill Press) "Never, never be inveigled into believing that the electric training collar has any place in the training armory of the gun dog trainer. It is a diabolical device and nobody can guess how many gundogs have been ruined by its incorrect application. Even 'correctly' used it can create its own set of problems. It can mask temperamental faults and put into the winner's circle, and thereby the breeding pool, a dog which can pass on its own faults, most likely hard-headedness and dishonesty, to a good many of its offspring." In an age of force fetched, pro-trained, e-collared created champions these words are as true today, if not truer, as the day Mr. Erlandson wrote them.
Robert Milner says this about the use of e-collars: "The increasing popularity and use of the electric collar is skewing breeding selection toward this type of dog, especially in the field trial gene pool. A good trainer can take a tough uncooperative dog and put him through an electric collar training program and make a well mannered gentleman out of him. The problem is that the electric collar program doesn't change his genes. If you saw this dog at a field trial or in training you might say, "That's a very good dog, I think I'll breed him to my bitch." You then arrange for the breeding, and subsequently a litter of puppies arrives. Unfortunately the puppies are going to approximate their parents in behavioral traits. Therefore, that tough uncooperative male is going to tend to produce tough uncooperative puppies, puppies that will need a good trainer and an electric collar training program. " Source: Trained vs. Inherited behavior
We couldn't agree with these two very well respected dog trainers more. The current trend of pros force quartering dogs around barrels to create the "perfect" pattern is totally despicable!!! I personally think that if Mr. Erlandson saw what was happening in current field trial dogs he'd pop a brain gasket.
BODY CLIPPING 101
The coat is on a dog to protect and serve. Cutting a dog's coat removes insulation in the winter and sun and parasite protection in the summer-not to mention makes it grow back thicker, fuzzier and uglier than it was before! Field springers are not the hairy/feathery variety and tend to have light, easy to maintain coats and feathers. Other than spot clipping for an injury or imbedded foxtail, it has been years and years since we have had to body clip a dog for any reason. The most "field" grooming we do is usually before hunting season when we take a scissors and trim back the leg feathers if needed, and after hunting when we take electric clippers and shave out a few burr mats in ears or tails.
Coat maintenance does include picking out the unavoidable legion of seed burrs all gun dogs get stuck with, using fine toothed combs and slicker brushes to remove foxtails and the endless variety of other dangerous seed awns after every outing in the field. Our Springers tend to be very light coated and even routine shed control needs to only be done every few months with a handy FURminator. Eezy breezy when compared to show dogs!
THE FIELD & SHOW SPLIT
The Field bred Springer Spaniel is the original English Springer Spaniel developed in England to assist a hunter by springing game into the air-usually for a falcon to kill, later for the gun. The English Springer Spaniel is just one of many breeds of modern day sporting dogs that has what we call a field/show breed split. Field dogs do their thing and show dogs do their thing, with no mixing.
The Split: During the 1930's and '40's the show dogs actually seperated into a second "variety" so that each "side" could pursue excellence in their respective venues. The two varieties are about as opposite as you can get physically and no longer look like the "same" breed. The last dual field/show champion in the springer spaniel community was made in the 1940's.
Appearance: Both varieties of springers have specific physical characteristics. Field springers are smaller, lighter boned, in the 35-45# range, usually have much shorter ears, lighter coats with easy to maintain feathers, refined jowels, tighter eye haws and longer more athletic legs. Tails are docked but left at 2/3-3/4 length, usually with a white "flag" on the end. If you are unfamiliar with field springers, you will find 100 pictures of them on my website. Show springers are much larger, bigger boned, carry excessive coat and feathers, have longer ears, and tails are docked short about 4-6 inches. The show, or "bench" bred physical standard can be found on the AKC website and there are links to two very good show breeders on my links page.
Field-Show Health Issues: Retinal eye and joint dysplasias (including elbows and patellas) plague the field side. The show side is much furher advanced with regards to genetic health testing but some show springers can be prone to joint dysplasias, heart murmers, epilepsy, early and late onset PRAs (which cause and lead to blindness), skin allergies, thyroid issues with potential rage and aggressive temperament disorders.
Whichever side you decide to favor, reputable breeders test their breeding stock prior to breeding them, and you can use the OFA database online to verify that the parents of a litter are tested for HIPS have CERF/ACVO EYES and HIPS/EYES/THYROID/CARDIAC and PFK clear DNA in field breds and PRA DNA testing in show dogs. Puppies from both sides should always have their eyes checked by an ACVO specialist before being sent to their new homes.
Field-Show mixing: At this stage in the game, mixing of the two sides is rarely done by reputable breeders as it only produces dogs that are truly substandard to both varieties, spreads diseases and temperament issues over a wider gene pool, and defeats the overall goal of the pursuit of excellence. You don't get an even mix of talent, or better genetic health- you get dogs that are half as good at everything with a higher probability of having both bad temperament and carriers for serious genetic health issues.
Hunting Show Dogs? Although there are still some very nice show/hunting lines out there (always check to see the hunting titles to verify this), the sad reality is that most of modern show bred springers have had the hunting insincts bred out in order to pursue conformation standards. This has proved highly advantagous for the field side as it has been left free to pursue what they do best and not worry about growing coat!
No standard of appearance for Field Springers! The field bred springer does not have a breed standard of appearance. Field Performance is the standard in which they are guaged against each other. As form follows function, today's modern field bred springers also continue to evolve physically as we selectively breed for superior competitive field trial and hunting qualities. Unlike their showbred cousins bred for beauty (long ears and lots of hair), the field bred dogs have stayed true to their original purpose: that of finding, flushing, and retrieving shot game quickly to hand on land and water.
ARE FIELD SPRINGERS HYPER?
This has got to be one of the biggest misconceptions circulating around about this breed. Puppies will always be puppies of course, but they all grow up eventually. For the most part field springers are very calm in the house, excellent with children, and highly devoted, affectionate FAMILY dogs. For the last 150 years field springers have been bred specifically for their versatile hunting ability, trainability and eager to please (highly cooperative) temperaments.
As with all sporting breeds, some homework needs to be done prior to choosing a breeder for there are definitely some high strung, hard headed (ie e-collared) field trial bloodlines I wouldn't own if they were the last dogs on the planet, but most of the breed will make great hunting companion/active lifestyle family oriented PETS with a normal amount of exercise each day.
All of the springers we sell go to INSIDE dog homes where they are expected to be the family pet. Knowing that hunting season only last a few months of the year, Hellfire Springers places the utmost importance on temperament first, and has no tolerance for hyper, spazzy, hard headed dogs we can't live with. Our dogs are expected to have excellent temperament above all else.
Surrounded by mountains on all sides, Hellfire kennel was established in the year 2000 and is situated on a large, scenic, ranch in South Western Montana, just miles from both the great Continental Divide and Pintler Mountain Range. As performance breeders we usually have 1-2 litters a year and our puppies are a very special (and expensive) hobby - they are certainly not a business! Our main breeding goal is to provide talented, healthy, hunting and field dogs for ourselves, family and friends, first and foremost.
Hellfire only breeds field springers and our kennel name is registered with the American Kennel Club.
In addition to being avid multi-generation hunters, we also compete in AKC hunting events because of the advanced handling, required water work and usefulness for real hunting situations. All of our dogs have been amateur trained and handled, none have worn e-collars for any part of their training. We feel very strongly that only through an active goal oriented training program can a dog's true temperament and genetic talent range including faults and strengths, be seen and thoroughly evaluated for breeding potential.
Our puppies benefit greatly from being both whelped and raised in the house and they receive the very best of care. As they get bigger they are encouraged to romp and run in our excellent puppy fields, dig holes, hunt mice, swim in ponds, find and flush the liberated (or escaped) young pheasant or chukar around the flight pen during summer and fall. Except during the super cold months, they have usually heard a lot of gun fire from afar as we often train our dogs in the fields surrounding our house and puppy play area. They are sleeping in a crate and making frequent trips outside to potty by the time they leave.
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Three generations - Maia, Cheetah, Spanky
