Advice About Springer Wanted

[DOC MARTIN 17]

Ive just been given a 2 yr old Springer dog hopefully going to use it to work with my lurchers and gun,The dogs well bred but has had nothing done with it.When I take it out it gos too far ahead,the dog is searching and trying but obviously if anything was to break cover it would too far ahead.The dog is very nervy,cowering when it comes in,then it just takes of again,....Is he too old to put manners on him or am I wasting my time.Thanks for any advice.

[RubyTex 1,957]

Before you let any new dog off the lead you need to strike up a close knit bond with it. Get a long lead mate and don't let him off until you are fully confident he knows the length of the long lead is the furthest distance you want him to run to. As for the cowering i'm guessing he's had seven bells kicked out of him in the past?? Which could explain his reluctance to run anywhere near a person or recall in a hurry.

 

You can always teach an old dog new tricks, but to move forward you need to win his trust first keep us informed.

[hily 380]

All you need is the patience of a saint and work out what the dog is good at and likes to do even if its just sitting down before you feed it or fetching a ball , work on the positives plenty of praise then start to train it to keep within a working distance without it knowing its been trained work it in small areas so it can't go far call it in get down on all fours get it back to you and soon as you do plenty of praise and let it go again change direction throw a ball do anything to keep that dog focused on you.Can be done wont be easy good luck.

[ftm 3,357]

as above on both comments & try and train it on its own as you will get nowhere fast if the lurchers are with you atb -billy

[DOC MARTIN 17]

Thanks for the feedback lads but the plot thickens,itook him out today with the gun because he,s meant to have been shot over.He was a bit more settled without the lurcher (no competition I presume)but still had his 5 minutes of madness,i called him numerous times and also whistled,eventually he skulked towards me ,I squatted down and shook him firm by the scruff.Still a bit rangy I let him hunt a knock below my house which could hold any thing,i walked on top.He rose a pheasant,now trying again,all the time I was calling him into me and praising him.He then got a hunt on a rabbit which I saw break but couldn't get a shot,he then took a line on a hen pheasant,he ran up a tractor lane in a stubble maybe 200yds and as he got to the sky line the bird took off....he then came back.Now for the good bit,a couple off pigeons flew over,i missed but from then on the dogs whole attitude changed.His tail never wagged again,he went ahead maybe 50-60yds then lay there till I got to him,then hung behind 50-60 yds,i kept calling him in introducing him to the gun but the walk was over when he knew he was near home he went well ahead on his own.I gave him a bit of food and a small bit of milk to try and butter him up but again he was distant.....ive never had a spanial before so don't really understand their ways,but when ive had a terrier,lurcher or hound with a nervous disposition we parted ways.

[RubyTex 1,957]

Aye you need to stop hunting over him really, get him on the lead and just walk. You could sit in the garden, piss about with a toy or something and let him come towards you in his own time, when did you get him? He just hasn't warmed to you yet.

 

I don't think shaking him by the scruff will have done you any favours like but each to their own.

[hily 380]

you asked for advice it was given and then you just did what you wanted and lost the chance to get on well with this dog hope you find a good home for it as I don't think you or the dog will be happy together and as always this is just my opinion but it does come from a little experience with spaniels.

[DOC MARTIN 17]

I only shook the dog because I had read it in Hobsons gundog training,like you said hily i did what I wanted PTS.

[LaraCroft 863]

If you have already got rid of a few dogs because the nervous type doesn't suit you or your training methods, then perhaps either change your training methods or find a home for the spaniel that will suit him and his needs. Not everyone gets on with all types of dog. Some find the nervous type too infuriating to work with, some don't like the annoying collie type brain - each to their own.

[RubyTex 1,957]

I only shook the dog because I had read it in Hobsons gundog training,like you said hily i did what I wanted PTS.

 

Jesus Christ you only got the dog a couple of days ago? And you only posted for advice yesterday!! And yet after one session where you failed to put the sound advice given into place, you've put the poor f****r to sleep already??

 

Just because you can't get it into your thick skull that you need to bond to a dog first before it will work for you doesn't mean a dog should suffer the consequences, if you were that adamant about getting rid you could have given him to me and i would have looked after and trained it until i found a good working home for him. Probably even kept the bugger for myself!!!

 

f*****g disgrace and a crying shame a working Springer is now underground because he was unfortunate enough to come into your 'care'. I wouldn't leave you in charge of my fat f*****g goldfish nevermind a dog. f*****g shameful.

Edited June 12, 2013 by RubyTex

[walshie 2,804]

One day from asking for advice to PTS? What the f*ck is wrong with you? Bonding with a dog and training it is never going to be an immediate thing.

 

Mind you, reading your training method of shaking it when it DOES do what you want, the poor dog is probably better off now.

[hily 380]

Sorry you have gone down this route YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THIS DOG ON WITHOUT YOU KNOWING WHAT TO DO. I wish people could get it into there head that just because its called a gundog it dosn't mean that it knows how to behave you got to train it .search and rescue dog guide dog pointer sniffer dog hearing dog all these dogs have all got job descriptions in the name but ALL have got to be trained.

[camokev64 36]

NO SUCH THING AS A BAD DOG !

[DOC MARTIN 17]

When do you want to collect the dog Tarquin and work your spanial magic,its in the f***ing kennel,so when your ready and a man of your word you can have it,its not in the ground,just having a pop at hily for doing what I wanted....so ruby tex hes here ready for you hed make a good companion for you and your gold fish.....oh yea by the way try and control your poor fat f***ing goldfish,s diet its not healhy for the poor thing

[DOC MARTIN 17]

NO SUCH THING AS A BAD DOG !

Don't Talk Shit!