cocker spaniel

[pipcock 21]

hi everyone,got myself a lovely dark choc cocker (i'l try and get some photos on). shes 4 1/2 months now and doing ok ,at what age would anybody recomend i introduce her to shotgun fire or starter gun.any advice would be great

[jamesy 0]

hi,

ive a 8 month old cocker bitch, and ive just introduced her to the shotgun from a distance, i dont think i will be shooting next to her until she ready, and you can put a time on that.

but at about the age your cocker is i was shooting my air rifle around her from a distance at first then closer as she gets use to it,

i started to shoot the air rifle then give her a retrive, and as the gun goes off the same time give her loads of praise, then maybe you could move onto a 410 at distance first

all depends on how the dog progress, to move on a stage,

at the moment am shooting the shotgun about 50 yds away from her and she fine with it..

am sure someone will say am wrong in what am doing,

but its working for me,

but all dogs are not the same so what works for my dog might not work for yours.

think take it slow and work your way up.

Edited February 12, 2008 by jamesy

[pipcock 21]

it sounds about right,all people keep telling me is, dont push her too early and make every outing enjoyable,they also say always finish the day on a good note,let the dog go home on a high.

thanks

[Fitz 14]

it sounds about right,all people keep telling me is, dont push her too early and make every outing enjoyable,they also say always finish the day on a good note,let the dog go home on a high.

thanks

 

 

 

Spot on there!!

[greg 3]

hi everyone,got myself a lovely dark choc cocker (i'l try and get some photos on). shes 4 1/2 months now and doing ok ,at what age would anybody recomend i introduce her to shotgun fire or starter gun.any advice would be great

i introduce my cockers to gun by bringing them to a clay shoot start off about 200 yds from where the guns are firing.bring a ball and another dog for company.keep the dog busy playing while the shooting is going on.and keep walking nearer over a period of time.if the pup panics just walk back and start again.i normally do this at 5/6mths old.depends on how bold the pup is.just take your time.cockers are slower to come on than springers a springer will hunt for the sake of hunting.a cocker after a while wont go into cover that has no game in it.they are very intelligent.they say u will shoot more over a cocker because he covers the ground better.most important be patitent.they dont really come into their own till there about 3yrs old.hope this helps.

[Geoff.C 0]

Some good advice there from Greg and Jamesy. It's all a matter of keeping the noise low and distant,while the dog gets used to it.

We use a 6mm short blank pistol from the next field to start off. Thank goodness the "fire a couple of supergame above it's head" method seems to be going away.

[Tis TM 8]

hi everyone,got myself a lovely dark choc cocker (i'l try and get some photos on). shes 4 1/2 months now and doing ok ,at what age would anybody recomend i introduce her to shotgun fire or starter gun.any advice would be great

i introduce my cockers to gun by bringing them to a clay shoot start off about 200 yds from where the guns are firing.bring a ball and another dog for company.keep the dog busy playing while the shooting is going on.and keep walking nearer over a period of time.if the pup panics just walk back and start again.i normally do this at 5/6mths old.depends on how bold the pup is.just take your time.cockers are slower to come on than springers a springer will hunt for the sake of hunting.a cocker after a while wont go into cover that has no game in it.they are very intelligent.they say u will shoot more over a cocker because he covers the ground better.most important be patitent.they dont really come into their own till there about 3yrs old.hope this helps.

 

I like that idea .... I have a clay shoot just a few miles away so will try that with my lab pup in a couple of months time, thanks!

[pipcock 21]

all seems like good advice,some good ideas,my local clay shoot is inside the grounds of a puplic throughway, where it woulb be a great place to take the dog. i'l give it a go and see what shes like,

thanks,

Edited February 13, 2008 by pipcock

[pipcock 21]

all seems like good advice,some good ideas,my local clay shoot is inside the grounds of a puplic throughway, where it woulb be a great place to take the dog. i'l give it a go and see what shes like,

thanks,

[blahblahblah 0]

Hi all

this is how i did it

Start by clapping your hands softly at first, then louder, randomly when about 12-14 weeks or so and when the dog doesnt pay any attention to it. Make 2 plasterers hawks about 6" square and the start clapping them together, softly at first, then louder and when it doesnt pay any attention the noise move to gun fire from a distance. Slapping the hawks together really got my dog bomfire night which is good concidering he was only 4 months at the time

Regards ben

[matt d 1]

i wouldnt push her to soon. i do a bit more basic training first eg: dummy work