How to get a springer started?

[Bountyman_90 0]

Simple as the title says-how to get a springer started working?

Got a 6 month old english springer...nicely bred (but that don't make a good worker!), very keen, good nose, has been bringing me back live rabbits for the past few weeks( ) and is all round keen to learn-but i'm not too sure how?

I've ordered a few dummies n stuff...but i'm just not sure where to start really?

An utter novice who wants too learn! Never had gundogs before...worked a few terriers, but never gundog work.

Regards

[riggers 2]

hi mate i am in the same boat as you i have trained labs before but never springers

[Guest JDF]

not being funny mate but you should have done all the basics with dummies etc before it seen live game. ian openshaw has a few good videos on basic training. a springer is a different proposition than a lab, if your not careful you'll end up with a dog thats next to useless.

[Bountyman_90 0]

Hi mate,

he tends to pick rabbits up where we have *ahem* "walkies"..we did have a dummy that he was rather happy working with before..but my terrier bitch gotta hold of it and it dissapeared forever (god knows where!).

Any ideas on some good reading on gundog training?

When visiting a relative t'other day happened to see a fella in the village excersising a few springers..got chattin too him (mainly cause im a sucker for any dog!) and turns out, as you'd probably expect, that his are all workers-given me loadsa advice n stuff..got the outline of what to do now..but want to know more! So any books n stuff to look out for-much appreciated

[Guest JDF]

Gundogs, their learning chain by Joe Irving is a decent book, worth a look.

[T.F.Student 0]

Anything by a fella called Peter Moxon is good no-nonsence type training.

 

Allowing a spaniel to run rabbits is a definate no no and asking for trouble, simple reason, you can't shoot it if theres a dog up its arse(That said, ive seen some very hairy spanish videos, where this is the norm), also the dog is "supposed" to hunt with its nose and not by sight. Spaniels are also only "supposed" to retrieve the dead and injured and should stand still when something flushes, allowing you to get a shot at it. It is "supposed" to hunt for you and not for itself. If it chases the first thing that moves it might flush other game that could be out of shot.

 

Admittedly my own spaniel will pick rabbits out of the seat and will sometimes give chase , but i can stop the chase with the whistle.

 

 

The best thing you can train a spaniel to do is STOP! it maybe the best thing you can train any dog.

 

Best of Luck

[Bountyman_90 0]

Anything by a fella called Peter Moxon is good no-nonsence type training.

 

Allowing a spaniel to run rabbits is a definate no no and asking for trouble, simple reason, you can't shoot it if theres a dog up its arse(That said, ive seen some very hairy spanish videos, where this is the norm), also the dog is "supposed" to hunt with its nose and not by sight. Spaniels are also only "supposed" to retrieve the dead and injured and should stand still when something flushes, allowing you to get a shot at it. It is "supposed" to hunt for you and not for itself. If it chases the first thing that moves it might flush other game that could be out of shot.

 

Admittedly my own spaniel will pick rabbits out of the seat and will sometimes give chase , but i can stop the chase with the whistle.

 

 

 

The best thing you can train a spaniel to do is STOP! it maybe the best thing you can train any dog.

 

Best of Luck

Thanks for the advice. I think a lot of the whole tearing after and picking up rabbits comes fromthe fact that from a titchy pup he was around two rather snap happy terriers and picked up a lot of those traits..he seems to be growing out of um now thought..just gotta stop this passion for live rabbits! I think with the right training he has good prospects, he has used his hooter to sniff out the dummy in quite a vast and overgrown patch of cover..not bad in my books. I've got the time..i'm gathering more of the knowhow everyday, and got a keen dog!

I'll have a go at putting a picture on now..bit of an old picture (probs from about a month n half/two months ago but the only half decent one i have of him outs n about.

 

He's had natural retrieving instincts since the days of being a little fatty pup who would rob the washing off the line and drag it back to ya And had habbit of when you'd be throwing dirty clothes in the laundry basket shooting after to bring it back...

[T.F.Student 0]

Sounds like a real spaniel...Just a couple of things you might try...if it works it will make the whole experience more enjoyable for you both. The thing is to get the dog to understand that you don't want it to chase. Dummies can come in handy with this, ie take him out, sit him down in front of you and throw the dummy to your right, not to far and be ready to intercept the dog if he moves, if he moves tell him he's done wrong ("leave it" or/and if you use/going to use a whistle a long blow)and put him back where he was. Then allow him to retrieve(much praise). In the same training exercise throw some dummies and pick them up yourself, so he realises that not every time will he be allowed the privilege of retrieving for you. Continue with this until you can throw dummies where you wish(right past him, as fast as you can, so it gets his adrenalin going) and he doesn't move. Lots of praise for good things done and a cursing for anything bad. Also those extender or long leads, take him to where theres game give him free rein, but not the full extent of the lead, game gets up, dog runs in, take the weight, dog stopped in its tracks, no, leave it, long blow, praise dog, continue on. Just remember that if he doesn't do what you want, he just doesn't understand what you want and its up to you to explain this to him.

 

Best of Luck

[riggers 2]

heres my boy sam and my other two ben and kara

[Guest scraget05]

alright mate i agree with the boys who have already said in this thread ive got two 2 year old spaniels ive used the joe ivring book {training spaniels} i found them great and ive also had a look at the edward martin video,s just so you can be shown what to do!! and anyone with spaniels who works them will be happy to help just ask them!! But my advice is and its only my advice mate is to get the dog to stop on the whistle that is a must for me because i think when you can stop him you can do anything you want with hunting ,retrieveing,anything!1 hope all go wells take sum pic,s let us no how you get on! what line,s are in it mate??

[Bountyman_90 0]

alright mate i agree with the boys who have already said in this thread ive got two 2 year old spaniels ive used the joe ivring book {training spaniels} i found them great and ive also had a look at the edward martin video,s just so you can be shown what to do!! and anyone with spaniels who works them will be happy to help just ask them!! But my advice is and its only my advice mate is to get the dog to stop on the whistle that is a must for me because i think when you can stop him you can do anything you want with hunting ,retrieveing,anything!1 hope all go wells take sum pic,s let us no how you get on! what line,s are in it mate??

His sire was 'Towerbird Arrowhead', and *looks at pedigree* my springer has got Marshbrook, Windmillwood, badgercourt, Cleavehill and Rytex blood-these are just the 'affixes' that pop up most, he has a fair few others there (obviouslly)-but these lines crop up most in his pedigree.

[Guest scraget05]

alright mate i agree with the boys who have already said in this thread ive got two 2 year old spaniels ive used the joe ivring book {training spaniels} i found them great and ive also had a look at the edward martin video,s just so you can be shown what to do!! and anyone with spaniels who works them will be happy to help just ask them!! But my advice is and its only my advice mate is to get the dog to stop on the whistle that is a must for me because i think when you can stop him you can do anything you want with hunting ,retrieveing,anything!1 hope all go wells take sum pic,s let us no how you get on! what line,s are in it mate??

His sire was 'Towerbird Arrowhead', and *looks at pedigree* my springer has got Marshbrook, Windmillwood, badgercourt, Cleavehill and Rytex blood-these are just the 'affixes' that pop up most, he has a fair few others there (obviouslly)-but these lines crop up most in his pedigree.

im in wales and we here alot about the rytex,badgercourt, line,s down here!! the main 2 in my dog,s line,s are the bridevalley and toonarmy, they do have badgercourt but its like there great,great great grandparents

[timberdog 1]

I am in this boat just got a springer pup 3 moths etc

 

i have followed thread and am getting the books etc..

 

can anyone recomend what i should be doing at this age besides basi sit stays etc?

 

also whats the best way to get him used to guns noise etc..thought distance firing and reducing the the distance or am i way off ?

Edited October 25, 2006 by timberdog

[T.F.Student 0]

If hes into fetching you things, you could get the retrieving going, old sock whatever, start hiding it, get him to find it etc...and use the commands your going to use in the future. "Wait" is a good command to train in, so that stay actually means "stay". "Wait" meaning somethings going to happen or i'm going to give you another command, when i'm ready.

 

Just make it fun.

 

The first bang/shot mine heard was from a dummy launcher, the good thing there is there is something for the dog to see/do after the bang.

[timberdog 1]

Hes great dog..he already fetches me stuff on command and when i say loose !!..he does

 

also sits and waits

 

seeks and when i tell him seek on he does..

 

thanks for that anything else ..what about gun noise?