Advice Needed For My Cocker

[Kevj 434]

I have a one year old cocker bitch and I will be working her on some local shoots this season.I have got her retrieving well,stop whistle,recall,all fine,I walk her on some local fields with not much scent about and she quarters well,staying tight to me about 5 to 10 yards in front and she turns to the whistle fine as well,I took her out today to a wood with the odd bunny,squirrel and pheasant knocking about,sent her off and she shot off wouldn't turn to the whistle,she stopped for the stop whistle and recall straight away but every time she went again she was mental with the scent about and I am concerned about getting her back under control before the beating begins,she is my first spaniel.Any advice would be much appreciated

[Gazelle1000 8]

I would say she's not ready for the beating line until you have her 100% on game.

 

Many a good dog has being ruined taking it to a shoot to early.

 

I would suggest finding a rabbit pen in your area and work on her steadiness there

[ftm 3,357]

as above -what I did was to "borrow" a friends pet rabbit for 2 weeks until I could safely let dog loose in garden with it without it pestering the living daylights out of it & returning on recall instantly she sussed it all out in 2 weeks and would still put wild bunnies up for shooting guns but knew they weren't for catching! --now for birds-I owned an allotment & kept hens ducks etc & just raised my tone of voice every time she looked like wanting to scatter them it worked fine & she was a great dog to go beating with -sadly lost her few years back but done the same with my springer and he is spot on -billy

[nercwys 10]

Rabbit pen defo mate,don't rush the dog.

If it was my dog i would't take it this year ,i would wait until next year.