Please note:  The puppy pictures are from 1997 and we do not have any puppies for sale.  "Little Chester" remained in our household and in now known as Charlie (He's bigger than mom and dad...).  Each dog has their own respective cat (or cat has their own respective dog).  Snickers the cat, was put down at the grand old age of 21.

This site will be updated in the near (when I get time) future for a Hignite family genealogy and contacts.  But the puppy pictures and stories will not disappear.  They will be moved to a sub-page. (1-31-2007)

Chelsea and Chester, our two English Springer Spaniels, decided to start a family of their own (with our permission). On November 13, 1997, they became the proud parents of 7 lovely little Springers. Three Black and Whites, Four Liver and Whites. All the Black and Whites are male, one Liver and White is a male (we call him little Chester) and the rest of the Liver and Whites are Female.

[(3_BWm + 1_LWm)+3_LWf] = 7_Puppies

Friends, Family, and Neighbors, knowing my affinity towards computers and electronics (but not knowing the difference between designing systems and doing Web Pages) keep asking why we don't put the puppies pictures on a Web Page. So this is my attempt to become somewhat a "software weenie" (A Systems/Hardware Engineer's term for a programmer - of course Software Engineers' often refer to a Systems/Hardware Engineers as a "hardware weenies" - which can have many different interpretations.)

DID YOU KNOW?
The English Springer Spaniel is a medium sized, sturdy, long-eared, sad-eyed bundle of energy. Don't let the soulful expression fool you! This dog is usually a happy, ready-to-go companion who loves people and is eager to please!

The Spaniel is thought to have come from Spain in the 17th century. This enthusiastic hunter was bred for finding, flushing and retrieving pheasant, dove, and other upland game. Springing Spaniels and Cocking Spaniels, at one time, came from the same litter. The larger pups from the litter were trained to flush the game by "springing" towards it. A well-trained Springer will happily dive into icy water to bring a downed bird to hand and can "mark" up to four different falls for retrieval. It has been said that if a hunter can only have one dog, it would be an English Springer Spaniel.

The Springer's happy, energetic personality combined with flashy good looks and an eagerness to please, has made the versatile English Springer Spaniel a favorite for many activities. Springers have been used successfully as drug dogs, arson dogs, tracking dogs, water retrieval dogs, and therapy dogs. They have excelled in obedience, tracking, field, agility and conformation competition. The most important role for a Springer, or any dog however, is as a gentle, loving companion. The English Springer Spaniel is also excellent as a family dog.

Unfortunately this beautiful breed is not without problems. While reputable breeders continue to test and check for inherited defects, hip dysphasia, progressive retinal atrophy, retinal dysphasia, allergies, and epilepsy still haunt the breed.

The English Springer Spaniel is not a breed for everyone! The soft, sad eyed and merry tailed Springer can be deceiving. Without structure and consistency, this dog may try to dominate your house. "Rage Syndrome" is a catchy phrase that people, including veterinarians, use to describe any temperament problems they may see in English Springer Spaniels. True "Rage Syndrome" is an extremely rare disease. "Dominant Aggression," which can often be prevented or controlled through spaying/neutering and behavior modification, is usually the cause in Springers that exhibit any aggression.

The English Springer Spaniel, when raised and trained properly, is an excellent companion, a super show dog, a willing obedience partner, and a joy to own and love!

Zippy Cooper, LenLearSpringers

(Above copied with permission from http://www.mindspring.com/~lenandzippy/lenlear.htm)

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