help needed badly with a cocker

[rebell 0]

hi, i have a year and a half old cocker that i recently got, hes still entire (although as soon as funds allow hell have the snip!) working lines and does listen to me very well, however im a game keeper and live in the middle of the shoot and it turns out hes a chaser, and as soon as he gets the scent or sight of a bird or anything for that matter i cannot stop him.. ive tried a spray collar with no effect, ive taken him on my rounds to the pheasent but no matter what happens he is truly bird crazy, im thinking of an electric collar but to be honest im a bit wary of one for him.. so thoughts on and electric collars or suggestions for training methods for this head strong little git?

 

thanks very much, chris.

[longdog98 7]

Hi mate.

I have recently been given a two year old springer bitch with the same problem. I'd not had her long when she took off after a group of poults . Corected her for that as best as I could after the event, then five minutes later she was away after a hare, deaf to my curses. A chat with the shepherd later and she was fitted with a pac electric collar, dial turned to full and led away into the path of temptation. As predicted she ran straight in on the poults, ignoring the whistle so I gave her one good clout of the collar. She went down on her belly, whimpered then ran straight back to me. I took her round the poults for a few more days with the collar on, but this was the only time I needed to shock her. Gave the shepherd his collar back weeks ago and am thinking about taking her on her first days beating on monday.

I'm not saying these collars are a cure all and I hate seeing dogs at work wearing them as imo they are a training aid, but the fact you can punish the dog at the correct time so it knows exactly what it is being punished for is priceless. I shall be saving my beating money for one

[longdog98 7]

Forgot to say, the bitch has been dogging in for me the last few weeks too (under very tight control)

[shotup 9]

if i was you i would pen some birds and get the dog under close control and get him use to not running at them, it will take a long time but do it carefully. i got a dog that would chase everything and took him free to good home it took 18 months to sort him out without breaking his spirit and now he,s a decent dog that will hunt flush not run in and retrieve, but it will take time and not loose your cool with the dog.

[Bradford Lad 74]

Get him close up to the birds on a lead, every time he pulls towards them correct him and give him a blast of the stop command on the whistle.

[ftm 3,357]

agree with bradford lad

[rebell 0]

cheers very much, ive treid to take him to the birds and correcting on lead and honestly hes superb on lead, i then let him of but he went straight away after them so i went back to square one on lead and afterwards tried him on a lunge line, same affect couldnt fault him, but no matter what i do its as soon as hes of the lead hes away.

il continue to train on lead for a while longer and test him again however i will be honest that i am begining to lean towards a electric collar however il try anything before that.

 

thanks again to you all very useful information.

chris

[Bradford Lad 74]

Have you tried placing yourself between him and the birds when he's off the lead, same priciple as above, as soon as he goes towards them jump in, grab him, lift him back to the original spot and sit him back down, again correcting him in a stern voice and blow the whistle a few times loudly in his face. Hope i'm not teaching you to suck eggs!

Hope you get it sorted mate.

[danw 1,748]

Hi mate.

I have recently been given a two year old springer bitch with the same problem. I'd not had her long when she took off after a group of poults . Corected her for that as best as I could after the event, then five minutes later she was away after a hare, deaf to my curses. A chat with the shepherd later and she was fitted with a pac electric collar, dial turned to full and led away into the path of temptation. As predicted she ran straight in on the poults, ignoring the whistle so I gave her one good clout of the collar. She went down on her belly, whimpered then ran straight back to me. I took her round the poults for a few more days with the collar on, but this was the only time I needed to shock her. Gave the shepherd his collar back weeks ago and am thinking about taking her on her first days beating on monday.

I'm not saying these collars are a cure all and I hate seeing dogs at work wearing them as imo they are a training aid, but the fact you can punish the dog at the correct time so it knows exactly what it is being punished for is priceless. I shall be saving my beating money for one

 

 

What you have written there is pretty much the same for me I had a cocker who wouldn't listen after 100 yards before that she was hard on the whistle but try and handle her past the 100 yard mark and on came the ear defenders 3 corrections with a pac collar and she has never needed correction again and 5 years on she is still sharp as a tack on the whistle no matter the distance

[timber 90]

shock collars are the last resort but they DO work if used correctly

[steveio 39]

hi folks.new to this forum.rebel can you get access to a rabbit pen?..as with everything involving training,patience is the secret.the little dog is only doing wha he was breed to do..go back to basics.you say you have just aquired him,2 or 3 weeks spent basic traing again might be your answer..as with all cockers YOU need to apply the brakes..get him hard on the stop whistle.go back to the basic training,get him on the sop whistle then only when you think hes ready get him in a rabbit pen..try not to put the dog in a position where he is doing wrong..be patient.good luck...oh and why gethim the snip????