Training Cocker

[cantona 310]

Looking at training cocker to whistle for rough shooting and bushing for lurchers, I am used to training terrier and lurchers but not spaniel so bought a couple of books and DVDs , only thing is I am more confused now because the order in what there trained is different in each one, what is the best order to train please, I usually teach name, recall , sit , stay , retrieve while socialising all the time then let them start to hunt, would that be ok in that order? Then start more advanced stuff, like whistle and quartering etc?

[ftm 3,357]

cockers are hard work pal but if theres one thing to advise you on is one or 2 retrieves per day as these little buggers get bored with retrieves very easily .on the plus side if you get one working correctly you wont look back -good luck

[cantona 310]

Thanks ftm, do you teach basics like sit and recall before retrieve though?

[cantona 310]

Has anyone else trained a cocker

[dan john 82]

I am in same boat your in got a 19 week old pup got mine recall good sitting trouble getting her to stay retrieving half way there onl chuckin getting her walking to heel was hard but nearly there atb with yours

[stroller 341]

if they get bored with straight forward retrieve would you not be better training to retrieve blinds and memory retrieves? So the little dogs have to hunt for the dummy? Just a thought it will keep them interested and let them use their hunting instinct?

 

Ive never had a spaniel of any sort so im guessing here

[jangles 24]

As it is with all Pups retrieving is to be a fun game - set your pup up so that it gets channelled back to you with its retrieve in its early retrieving days, make a fuss with the pup and dont be in a hurry to take the retrieve from it - train simple stuff in the hallway, outside using a narrow passageway(rolled up sock, soft toy etc will do) Dont bore the dog with too much else it will start spitting it out.

 

Training it to retrieve first and not the hunting else you will end up with just a hunting machine - oh and if you want to train heel walking leave that until last

 

Jangles

[cantona 310]

Jangles, that makes sense thanks, if you were to introduce whistle commands what age roughly? I will teach the basics sit stay recall and retrieve when relatively young but maybe whistle ,quartering at n older age?

[ftm 3,357]

I whistle train mine as soon as I start the training 10 -12 weeks -I owned a cocker and I ended up with a full on hunting machine that I struggled to switch off! -I lost this bitch at a very early age [3yrs] and was given a springer and I slowed my approach down with training and I have a very steady dog -I then added a younger brother from same parents and although its took time and mistakes I now own 2 canny dogs for my style of hunting -billy

[jangles 24]

Introduce your whistle commands from an early age .... the 'sit/stop/drop to flush can be started when you go to feed it - begin with holding the dish above the pups head and it will probably sit - just as it begins to sit down give a little 'peep' with the whistle ... it will soon learn to sit when it hears the whistle else its going to have to wait for its dinner. It takes patience and practise - move from inside the house to outside and start again in different places and at different times. When the pup is playing around peep the whistle (only when the dog is close to you so you can gently remind it what it should be doing i.e. SIT- coz if you start to blow 'sit' when its far away it will probably ignore your command so all you'll do is end up training the dog to ignore the whistle)

 

The 'turn' whislte is fairly easy to teach - let the dog have a little run about. Soon as the pup is a few yards from you give 2 peeps to 'turn' the dog back towards you You set off in the other directing clapping your hands and encouraging the pup to follow. Once it gets to you set it off again to explore and repeat the 'turn' whistle command as you zig-zag, again coaxing the pup to follow you.

 

The recall again is easy when they are pups - let the pup go off and start to blow your whistle with 3-4 short pips - again encourage the dog back to you . Even run off and have the pup chase you - once its at your feet praise the life out of it because they thrive on human contact. Get on the ground with the youngster and really bond close because cockers can be tricky little beggers at times.

 

Do not try and mix retrieving and hunting together until you have done the training with it first. Its got to be able retrieve and handle well then hunt with stopping when peeped all within the pattern you teach it (keep them tight and close to you and dont let them bore ahead so they can chase game) - then you can carefully blend the 2 together you'll have a great wee dog

 

Do your training where there are very few distractions ie kids - other dogs - cars - game scents once the dog is doing as you ask then introduce small distractions stage by stage.

 

Skimp on your training and all you'll end up with is a wild dog - no fun for the dog or you. Its all fun fun fun !

 

Jangles

[bird 9,594]

cockers are hard work pal but if theres one thing to advise you on is one or 2 retrieves per day as these little buggers get bored with retrieves very easily .on the plus side if you get one working correctly you wont look back -good luck

 

what's the hardest to train a cocker or springer ,? when I used to go beating I spoke to few guns who had springer's +labs , most of them said the same thing. That as all round dog the springer , was better as it could do land/water better than a cocker, and hunt just as good, but they said springer was easier to train as listen better lol, but I know what they meant .

[jangles 24]

Cockers v Springers ? Depends on your luck when you get your pup - modern bred Springers I think are a much 'softer' dog to train than they were years ago whereas Cockers can be more 'hard wired' but its all about how you go about training them - take time to train them, then practise what you train. If they are not ready for work leave them at home until they are- no point in spending weeks/days training then go and ruin them by letting them run riot on your first day out

 

Jangles

[ftm 3,357]

bird- in my opinion springers are easier to train- a little less head strong than cockers but a well trained cocker is a dog worth its keep

[jessdale 416]

The vast majority are so poorly trained that there is little difference. But with the very best trained, and handled, a Springer would be better than a cocker.

[cantona 310]

I whistle train mine as soon as I start the training 10 -12 weeks -I owned a cocker and I ended up with a full on hunting machine that I struggled to switch off! -I lost this bitch at a very early age [3yrs] and was given a springer and I slowed my approach down with training and I have a very steady dog -I then added a younger brother from same parents and although its took time and mistakes I now own 2 canny dogs for my style of hunting -billy

how come the cocker you had was to full on? Was it because you started the training to early or to late?i like the look of you're springers by the way