Anyone Use Spaniels ?

[jcm 2,327]

Any of you guys use pure bred spanials to hunt and work along side lurchers.

reason I'm asking is a pal of mine has just bought a springer to wrk along side his lurchers and his Harris hawk.

I'v never seen one work in the flesh but I'm realy thinking of getting one next year to run with my terrier to flush to the lurchers.

 

I'd like to hear from some people who work them this way good and bad points about livening with them and working them.

 

Cheers jcm

[jcm 2,327]

I'v watched a few clips on YouTube but from what I seen the handler sends them in directions and to me they look as if they relied on the handler for there next move instead of hunting for them selfs if you know what I mean

[terryd 8,509]

Not all ways a bad thing I would have thought

[tatsblisters 9,976]

Best thing i ever did getting a spaniel to work along side my lurchers over 30 years ago as some lads in my area followed suite after seeing the gear they knocked out for the lurchers with no danger of them dropping to ground on area's full of billy setts.

[lurcherman 887 13,185]

Wouldnt have anything else for bushing. Terriers are for earth work arent they?

[peterhunter86 8,627]

I have one thats 6 or 7 months old smashes any cover were theres rabbits or fox.great nose wont enter cover if theres nothing there.a very loyal dog has no interest in anyone but me.only downfall is i cant tire him out lol.

[j1985 1,984]

Seen a few work, just like any other bushing dog really! Prefer a spaniel X beagle tho ??

[tatsblisters 9,976]

Seen a few work, just like any other bushing dog really! Prefer a spaniel X beagle tho

TBH with some of these spaniel cross breeds I have seen about I would now be tempted to give one of them ago over some of the strains of springers I have seen if only to bring the size down.Years ago these spaniel crosses were not very popular around the area I live and the first spaniel x terrier I ever saw was one that came off the well known coursing man from Enfield M.D that was well over 20 years ago.

[bird 9,938]

I have one thats 6 or 7 months old smashes any cover were theres rabbits or fox.great nose wont enter cover if theres nothing there.a very loyal dog has no interest in anyone but me.only downfall is i cant tire him out lol.

there spot on for bushing work, they go in any cover, cockers are very good but springers i think that bit better. when i used to beat they were great going in cov+water great all round dogs. and regards foxes, they will pile in to them if there in cover, see few male springers do it on fox drives, there tought old dog is a springer ,if i wanted to dog for day time work springer be 1st choice , and yes very loyal and not bad watch dog they let you know anybody about .but yeh there on the go 24/7 lol, they need alot of work to calm them, but no different to a terrier or these x type bushing dogs that about now.

[samurai 178]

I use a cocker best thing I've ever used for bushing

[jcm 2,327]

Thanks for the replays lads, what are they like to live with i.e. In the house or kennel

[peterhunter86 8,627]

Thanks for the replays lads, what are they like to live with i.e. In the house or kennel

 

Mines kept outside and not a bother on him i also let him in the house for a few hours hes gets a bit hyper at first then settles down.

[jcm 2,327]

Has anyone got any clips or anything of there spanial working.

One of my main reasons I want a spaniel in is that my terrier is always dropping to ground and finding in a hole and I'm not a digging man and have no interest in it.

I want another busher as my terrier is a decent dog but we do some big woods etc and basically another dog would help

[Fat-Ferret 857]

I borrow my fathers every week, great bitch working with the lurchers but now totally unsteady for what he wants!!

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Has anyone got any clips or anything of there spanial working.

One of my main reasons I want a spaniel in is that my terrier is always dropping to ground and finding in a hole and I'm not a digging man and have no interest in it.

I want another busher as my terrier is a decent dog but we do some big woods etc and basically another dog would help

Exactly the reason I got a spaniel cross mate. Was looking for a full spaniel to be honest but this bitch came up needing a home so took a chance on her and glad I did.

 

I've not seen many spaniels bushing, only seen them working on shoots. But Socks off here sent me a few clips of his spaniel and other spaniels working and I would say mine works in a similar manner.

 

Never stops in the field for a second. It's amazing to watch and you keep asking yourself where the energy comes from. Their nose is something else. I thought my lurchers had good noses. Nothing compared to this bitch and she's only half spaniel (half bull).

 

Mine will work on command like the ones you mentioned and when she's working on command she does keep looking for direction. I see this a lot when we are doing retrieve work. She looks to me for hand signals to indicate where the dummy is etc.

 

But I can just as easily tell her to get on and she will go off working on her own.

 

Big difference for me is the terriers work for themselves, the spaniels work for you - and it's much better. Not knocking the terriers, they do a job and do it well but for controlled bushing I won't look past the spaniels or crosses again.