Springer spaniel running off!

[bluetomo3000 0]

Hi There, I have a 2 year old springer spaniel bitch, she is brilliant with the kids and really well behaved in the confines of the house, but has recently developed a passion for hunting things! She returned from her latest episode with a blood stained mouth so obviously caught up with something. Walks are becoming very stressful as you dont know when she will next dart off! She was good at recall before, but I feel like im fighting a losing battle as I am fighting against her natural instinct. Do I have any hope of training her out of this or should i sell her as a gundog or something similiar as I do want her to be happy also. Tom

[ftm 3,357]

go back to basic training mate use a rope lead so that your still in charge of dog im sure you will win this small battle but be firm!

[redtailhawk1 84]

Dare I say it? Shock collar. It does work

[ftm 3,357]

would only use one as last resort though as im a firm believer in basic training when owt goes wrong each to their own tho

[paulus 26]

the thing is with a shock collar you have to be selective what your shocking for, take this case are you correcting for running off or for not coming back quick fire way to fook a dog up

[Clare 33]

Long line can get them from any equine store and back to basics, you need to get her recall sorted and whistle recall top notch before letting off the lead lunge line helps as gives them some distance but some control to just be constient and don't let her get away with it, it sounds like you have given her to much slack

[skycat 6,172]

You have a dog which has been bred to hunt: if you don't harness and fulfill those needs you're on a loser. You don't necessarily have to hunt or work the dog, but you do have to simulate hunting. Look at how many spaniels work as drug sniffer dogs. Those dogs are happy and fulfilled because they are hunting for something, and they've been trained to hunt for certain things. It doesn't matter to the dog if the object of the hunt is drugs, rabbits or whatever.

 

Why not check out some training websites which will help you understand the dog's needs. But on a very basic level, if you teach the dog to find hidden furry toys or dummies, things you hide in the bushes or long grass where you walk, you'll be going in the right direction.

 

It's the same with any dog which has been bred to hunt, using its nose and other senses: harness those senses for your own ends. You can't expect to just take this sort of dog for a walk, expecting it to just walk beside you like a little robot. They really need to be doing something, and if you don't provide them with that something to do, they'll find ways of having fun all by themselves.

 

I've sent you a pm.

[Clare 33]

oo bugger I should have read the last bit!! get yourself beating with her great exercise, fresh air, great banter PM me and I can put you in touch with some people local who can help you out

[coldweld 65]

Don't belate Redtailhawk ! Shock collars are not all about shocking.

They have a buzzer that should the only stimulus used after one or two mild shocks, and beleve me i would not have used a collar without trying the shock on myself.

My spaniel used to run in to shot or game if she saw it ! I tried scolding ( voice only ) picking up by the scruff shouting all to no effect , got me to the point of wanting to beat her ( not a route that would have benifited me or her)

Took her to a pro trainer and he said straight away get a collar. And i must admit i was not happy about the idea.

After the first day of use i now see they have a valid reason to be used.

The dog now gets praise from fellow beaters who disbeleve how well behaved she is walks to heal as soon as asked, and when working on a shoot responds to whistle comands with out thinking.

 

The shock collar is not a answer to bad training or a magic training aid BUT it is a useful tool if used with care and hardly any shocking .

[paulus 26]

it was not my intension to belate anybody i was just stateing the fact that there only of use if the dog understands what the correction is for

[barraboy 28]

improve recall with treats, then stimulate the dog as suggested with dummies or something, get the dog thinking. if its been hunting and catching game

 

She returned from her latest episode with a blood stained mouth so obviously caught up with something.

 

training her to work effectively as a gun dog will be quite tricky.

 

however she can still be a fun well behaved family dog, just get her brain going through stimulation and work on the recall.

[steveio 39]

agree with FTM..back to basics.10 mins a night every night.shock collars have ther uses but only ever as a last resort.out of the 4 spaniels and 1 lab i have in my kennels iv only ever had to use it on 1 of them,and all of the spaniels are very hard hunting..good luck