Pet owners who feed their companion pets correctly can save a lot of money. Many dogs are taken to the vet, suffering from nutritionally related problems, and the vet bills can be huge. i.e. dry/itchy/flaky skin, hot spots, yeast infections in the ear, thyroid - liver - kidney problems, just to name a few, cost the average dog owner hundreds of dollars every year. I recommend that pet owners learn about the nutritional needs of the animal they are feeding before deciding on one of the many foods which are now available. When we first learn what our companion pet needs and then choose a diet that is correct for the animal being fed, it is a win-win situation: the dogs are healthier and the owners save money. So depending on what type of springer spaniel you have may be the key to his dietary needs. (Welsh, English) Just because your doggie has been on a certain food for a long time doens't always mean anything either. Just like in our systems, we build up a tolerance for food products for so long-and then can get a food allergy or rejection. If your doggie has dry skin, look on the label of his food. If it says that it uses corn filler, corn meal, or chicken meal-there isn't enough fatty acids and proteins in his diet. Though not much better, at times, finding a dog food that uses rice instead of corn can help. If you are using Iams, Science Diet or Eukanuba-these foods are notorious for causing skin problems in dogs. Not to mention making their coats and breathe smell. Trying a food brand like Merrick's or Royal Canin, can help your doggy's coat immensely. these are just a couple of examples thought, there are many fine foods out there that have the rice and fatty acid balance. Also, at this stage don't over bathe you dog. Once every four to six weeks i enough until his skin flakiness clears up. Brushing his coat will hlep some of the oils come to the surface of his skin-this is even true of the face. Hope some of this helps and good luck. IF you have any more questions and would like to email me, the address is in my profile.