full springers

[dimmock20 278]

I've only ever seen videos on YouTube, as all my shooting friends have labs. But they do seem to cover a lot of ground very quick, which makes you wonder if they miss stuff?

They don't miss much Cracking noses

[Mixed Bag 603]

very good choice for putting stuff out of cover for lurchers to run a mate has a cocker that does the job well too only problem is it sometimes ranges on a bit far ahead but generally if you put the hours in training as a pup they work well

[fay 75]

the training was already done when i bought my 1 but running ahead would be a problem with my 1 gets very excited she does and runs her nose

[Born Hunter 17,907]

I find a terrier a little steadier when hunting, finds it easier to work rabbit in bramble but then will not be quite so strong hunting all day in heavy ditches etc. A spaniel should have enough bottle for rats, sqiurrels etc but if bushing fox is your game then I would want terrier blood in there to give it that hard drive on them. I've never seen a spaniel tangle with a fox so would just be a bit unsure how keen they would be after getting hit by one? Plenty of dogs show hunting drive before they realise that a fox bites hard.

[moonlighter 1,165]

That's exactly what I was thinking. If they got hold of a fox in the brambles and took a nip, would they be so keen to follow the same sent next time? Choosing to follow the sent of a pheasant instead. That's probally why people cross them with terriers.

[Born Hunter 17,907]

That's exactly what I was thinking. If they got hold of a fox in the brambles and took a nip, would they be so keen to follow the same sent next time? Choosing to follow the sent of a pheasant instead. That's probally why people cross them with terriers.

 

That would be my preference. Something that is a handy beating/rough shooting dog as well as able to bush cover for anything from rat/squirrel to fox or roe. Steady when ferreting but will have venom when faced with hard quarry. I would also want a hard coarse terriers coat over the fury "bur magnet" spaniel coat. I would bring it on as a gundog and give it freedom to hunt on once the obedience was there. A bad spaniel (and I imagine the cross) is a f*****g nightmare.

[BIGLURKS 874]

It all depends on the dog when it comes too spaniels me and some friends keep the same line of cockers and they will bush any thing out of thick stuff and surprise every one on stuff that bites back yet my girlfriend has a line of 2 springers that are both good at everything but foxes depends on how there brought on I'd say cos any spaniel will hunt anything u train them too and all can be used as gun dogs but it is handy too have a dog that will give voice while working with lurchers we used too have a little jrt that died that was far better if all ur doing is bushing too lurchers but useless at any thing else but working cover think that little bit of voice helps them bolt a little better

[Dillon 53]

Been thinking of getting a bushing dog for a while now as most of my local spots are heaving with game but also heavy with cover, A mate has a Springer x terrier and I've seen a few others over the years, I haven't seen many springers working apart from bird dogs so would like to hear more if anyone has anything to say

[deerdogs 418]

any one else used to use spaniels to push out the deer back in the good old days?