primary function

[nercwys 10]

I was out on saturdy with my english springer spaniel,He flushed birds when we where beating,and then found birds in the wood.

After that we stood behind the guns and he retrieved birds that the guns shot strait to me.

I was very pleased with his work as it is his firs season.

Just a few pics of a very good shooting day.

[rickyspringer 15]

nice pictures stu, the boy is coming on very well indeed.

[nercwys 10]

It pissed down that day and we all got very wet as you can see bow in the last pic is drenched.lol

well worth it tho.

[Fortunate son 0]

It pissed down that day and we all got very wet as you can see bow in the last pic is drenched.lol

well worth it tho.

 

Is the shoot your at near lansillin please excuse the spelling

[nercwys 10]

It pissed down that day and we all got very wet as you can see bow in the last pic is drenched.lol

well worth it tho.

 

Is the shoot your at near lansillin please excuse the spelling

 

 

No,it a shoot on the outskirts of MOLD-near a small village called Leeswood.

[Fortunate son 0]

It pissed down that day and we all got very wet as you can see bow in the last pic is drenched.lol

well worth it tho.

 

Is the shoot your at near lansillin please excuse the spelling

 

 

No,it a shoot on the outskirts of MOLD-near a small village called Leeswood.

Lol just that hill in photo reminded of a shoot I picked up it too pissed down all morning than late in afternoon are sodden coats froze a stemp dropped then snow ...two dogs collapsed hat day due to weather and work...not much fun going home either lol

Regards Me

[hily 379]

Dan A good arguement and some valid points (water retrieves)but as a man who likes to work a dog on a rough shoot my dog has to hunt and flush within gunshot anything else is a waste of effort if i cant shoot it the dog has nothing to retrieve .Iam not saying that retrieving is not important but for me its not the most important asset for my dogs.atb .

[welshboy454 3]

Dan A good arguement and some valid points (water retrieves)but as a man who likes to work a dog on a rough shoot my dog has to hunt and flush within gunshot anything else is a waste of effort if i cant shoot it the dog has nothing to retrieve .Iam not saying that retrieving is not important but for me its not the most important asset for my dogs.atb .

I agree.

If I had to make a stark choice between either a good hunter/flush dog or a good retriever then I would settle for the good hunter every time. Dual is better.

I can pick up shot game and the option of a second barrel is available. In fact if a pheasant is hit and has its head up I give it a second barrel these days. Same on a wounded rabbit.

[druimmuir 1]

I expect my spaniels to flush and to retrieve and do long distance marking and retrieves as well as my labradors, all my dogs go roughshooting, but mainly spend 50-60 days a season picking up, so all the dogs are expected to sweep up after drives or go for marked retrieves on runners etc as required, I hate breeds being pigeon holed, it's all down to the training involved and the standard you want to achieve.

[Dan Newcombe 58]

My feeling is that if you have a spaniel that wont retrieve, then you only have half a spaniel (i read it somewhere once)

 

Now some people dont have the opportunity to rough shoot and in a beating line its probably a bonus to have a dog that has not interest in retrieving (my cocker looks up and sits for a mark every time there is a close ish gunshot so its always crossing his mind tat he might be retrieving)

 

But in a rough shooting dog the most important thing is to retrieve, in the same way that if nothing is flushed then there is nothign to shoot whats the point of flushing something, shooting it and then not getting it back?

 

You may give it two barrels but what if you clip it with the second?

 

I expect my dog to do everything (not so much of the long blind stuff as he doesnt like to go too far, but i can walk him to the fall) but it is the retrieving that i really value

[welshboy454 3]

My feeling is that if you have a spaniel that wont retrieve, then you only have half a spaniel (i read it somewhere once)

 

Now some people dont have the opportunity to rough shoot and in a beating line its probably a bonus to have a dog that has not interest in retrieving (my cocker looks up and sits for a mark every time there is a close ish gunshot so its always crossing his mind tat he might be retrieving)

 

But in a rough shooting dog the most important thing is to retrieve, in the same way that if nothing is flushed then there is nothign to shoot whats the point of flushing something, shooting it and then not getting it back?

 

You may give it two barrels but what if you clip it with the second?

 

I expect my dog to do everything (not so much of the long blind stuff as he doesnt like to go too far, but i can walk him to the fall) but it is the retrieving that i really value

Back in the autumn while pigeon decoying on a flight line my dog retrieved 26/26 pigeons falling behind me in a dense wood. If that was my only type of shooting I would agree it would be his primary purpose. However today I was walking up thick hedges (tightly laid blackthorn and brambles)with him thundering down the centre of the hedge flushing the occasional rabbit and woodcock. I can guarantee that without him I would not have had a shot. As that is the majority of my rough shooting it has to be his primary purpose.

[Dave C 63]

Sounds like you have a good one there welshboy, if he dose everything you want, thats all you can ask for.

We all have our own needs and wants from our dogs and if they complete our needs thats all we can ask for.

On occasion my lab may hunt up for hours but only end up getting 2 or 3 retrieves, now i will have had a few hours enjoyment from watching her work (even if we draw a blank) and not being that bothered about numbers the main thing for me is the hunting, although i would be disappointed if she didnt make the retrieve, just because i like an all rounder.

 

Dave.

[rickyspringer 15]

Dave that is a very good reply and I agree with you one hundred percent, I love to see the dog work and hunt up and I agree if we draw a blank we have still had a good day and I have watched my dog graft its heart out. For me I love the mooch to see whats about and if anything comes along then great!

[luckyplum 50]

this is a topic that is of great interest to me at the moment,i have recently joined a small and very friendly diy shoot here in "silly suffolk" i also have done a bit of beating on another small local shoot so even though i at present own and work two beddy/whippets to the ferrets and the gun i am already thinking that my next dog ought to be a gundog ,but what sort ? i have read this topic and thought that it was impossible to answer untill earlier this week i shot a cock pheasent whilst out on my own with the dogs and gun,the cock bird was a strong runner and even though i spent some time looking for the bird , no joy ! i decided there and then that my gundog must be a retreiver because i hate the thought of shooting anything and not being able to find (and eat!) it,i,m sure this topic could go on and on,cheers plum!

[Dan Newcombe 58]

No idea if i have articulated it well in my previous posts but 'plum's' situation perfectly sums up my thoughts on the dogs role.

 

With a retrieving dog that bird would probably have been picked. Rapid collection of wounded game has to be the priority. I would rather walk around and not have a shot than wound something and then not be able to find it

 

Plum, dont discount a spaniel, most of them will retrieve with the right guidance.