Trained Springer on trial

[Guest Corkonian]

Decided it was time to get a gundog - I have a Springer on trial at the moment.

I'm a complete 'greenhorn' when it comes to them so some lads I know are going to suss the dog out for me at the weekend.

 

Supposed to be very well bred and fully trained by ones of the top guys in the country - but aren't they all

I'm presuming the gundog community is full of the same chancers as the lurcher/terrier/hound world.

 

Any advice or good websites on what commands whistle/voice that would be used i.e. just a general background on what to expect and do!

 

I haven't the cash to be throwing around and the little b*****d will cost a fortune so I don't want to be landed with a piece of s**t

[socks 32,253]

if it is fully trained the guy should have taken you through the commands and whistles ... and what size whistle the dog is trained on ..... my mate is the secretary of the EES club and is a renowned springer trainer and field trial judge ... tell me the name of the guy you got the dog off and i will ask him if he is worth his salt ..........

[Guest diesel]

My old man has just got his first spaniel a few months ago.... hed never had a gun dog or anything before..... the trainer will take you through all the steps..... if youre a dog lad anyway it becomes easier for the trainer to show you apperantly..... you just have to be on the ball with the little feckers all the time, if you give them an inch they'll take a mile.... if you get good luck with it.....

[Guest HAWKEYE]

PIECE OF PISS COMPARED TO LURCHERS

[pegandgun 52]

If you are a total green horn and your going to pay good money for a fully trained spanniel then i would think twice mate.When it comes to dog work then nine times out of ten its the man and not the dog that needs training.

Even if the chap has done a real good job of training the dog then without you having any experience in gun dog handling you will probably undo all the training that has been put into the dog.

Get a pup and start from scratch.with a pup you will have plenty of time to learn how to handle a gun dog.You will make mistakes but will have plenty time to put it right.With a fully trained dog it will soon be running you raggid..

[The Ferret 0]

I've never trained a gundog but have trained my Brittany for Falconry purposes, which is more or less the same without the retrieving.

 

I only use 3 variations of whistle in the field. 3 blasts means 'come back and sit at my left hand side', 2 blasts means 'work back towards me' and 1 blast means 'work the opposite direction to the one you're working now', so effectively I can control the distance she ranges from left to right.

 

I incorporate these with hand signals also. 3 blasts is arms wide open, nothing for 2 blasts, and 1 blast is either left or right arm out depending on which direction I want her to run. I also use my right arm straight up in the air for 'turn around and go the other way'.

 

It seems to work for me!! To be honest I don't have a clue about the commands used in gundog work, I'm sure there's more to it than what I've described.

 

I would be interested to hear what other commands you gundog people use in the field.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[kiwi 4]

agree with ya peg! get a pup and learn together. used to have a few brittanies top dogs

[Guest Corkonian]

Thanks Lads,

I was thinking myself the pup route might be better - but I'd be waiting another year for the slight chance that the dog would be any good - I'd hardly know where to start either and would prefer to put that time into a lurcher instead.

 

Either way I'm going to need to be out with lads that know what they're doing so might as well hit the ground running - see what a decent dog is supposed to do for a season - and then maybe give training a pup a go. That's the plan anyway but will probably all end in tears

 

diesel/pegandgun: heard alright that they're a lot easier to untrain - so I suppose taking it out bushing with the lurchers and terriers wouldn't be the best idea

[pegandgun 52]

Corkonian,can i ask what your going to use the dog for i.e,Are you going to use it as a peg dog or a rough shooting dog or a dog for going beatingAs far as taking it out bushing with the terriers and lurchers,that would be a desaster mate if you want a well trained,obedient and bidable dog.

As far as whistles Ferret,the stop whistle is the most important command in a gundog in my opinion and that is one short sharp blast on your whistle

[dogrun 2]

is this dog fully or part trained ??? either way the trainer should have taken you out with it to show you its potential !how old is it ??

ive sold quite a few in the past and have always taken out the potential buyer,worked the cover,shown retrieves,show it in water,drop to flush and whistle

hand signals ect but one thing stands out more than all others,my dogs trust me and my judement we have a bond and just to pick up a dog and expect it to do everything perfect it wont happen!! the dog needs to trust you and that comes with time and patience.

 

young lad bought a 14mnth part trained ess around by me he gave £600.00 for the dog without trial only to find it had not had a shot over it.

the dog has come good now but the breeder/trainer didnt want to know when the young lad rang him for advice(prick).

 

ring any of the ess gundog clubs and im sure they will only be too happy to help.

im in n/wales and know a few if you wanna pm me (more into me terriers now )

goodluck

 

dogrun

[Guest Corkonian]

Had the dog out on Friday for just one beet field by myself just to see what he was like - mad busy - put up a few hens (can't shoot them in Ireland).

I shot a cock and he retrieved but kind of spat it at me - he also retrieved a half dozen plastic bottles out of the beet field

 

Had him out Saturday with a lad that has a fair bit of experience - again dog was OK in the beet fields but didn't want to know about the cover - ended up walking behind us for the evening. Went off sniping instead.

 

Yesterday was hunting in the morning but got a call to go out for a few shots off another lad - he had his two springers out - my fella started to wake up after a while and when he saw a few birds rise he started to get into it with the others.

 

Weekend proved one thing - guy thats's trying to sell the dog hasn't a clue (he's not the breeder/trainer) both lads said the dog has nothing done - which was obvious even to me on the Friday.

They said it might be worth a gamble at a tenth of the price - that he might come on with a lot of work in the field.

So he's off back as fast as I can take him - pheasant and snipe stew tonight so wasn't a total waste

 

All rough shooting I'd be doing - not many pheasants and duck around but loads of snipe and most people go for woodcock for most of the season when they come in in numbers.