Springer Help

kerryltz

I have a springer just turned 1 year old this is my first dog and all had been going quiet well stopping to whistle retrieving etc. I have had her out in places with rabbits and she would burst cover in after them and flushing them. She has herd gunshot but has not been close to it as I have been trying to ease her into it. So today I went to a place with plenty Duck and Snipe went in there and she was not too eager to hunt she kept coming back to me and was not hunting like when she was on rabbits. Any advise much appreciated.

mairtd

just give her time and don't get mad with her. Bring her out as much as you can on that type of ground and she'll start getting board just walking with you and will soon start hunting away.
Or if you know somebody with another hunting springer try go hunting with them. as soon as she gets a few birds shot over her she'll get the idea. Rome wasn't built in a day.
Best of luck

kerryltz

Thanks I keep going with her as much as possible i think she may have been a bit wary of the gun I dont think shes gun shy it dosent seem to bother her she just seems to want to stay around me.

tfox

mairtd wrote: »

just give her time and don't get mad with her. Bring her out as much as you can on that type of ground and she'll start getting board just walking with you and will soon start hunting away.
Or if you know somebody with another hunting springer try go hunting with them. as soon as she gets a few birds shot over her she'll get the idea. Rome wasn't built in a day.
Best of luck

I agree entirely with mairtd.

Friend ofmine's springer wa exactly the same until we brought her out with my gang ! Amazing how quickly they pick it up from another dog

But be warned, they also pick up bad habits too

premiercad

Had the same issue with my young setter this last few months, was a bit unsure of this new loud "stick" i had in my hand when we went into the fields!
after a few weeks he began to assosiate seeing me with the gun as going out in the fields and began to get excited about it. I would definately bring the dog out with a seasoned dog if possible as it worked wonders with my lad, first few shots he would immediately look at his fellow dog and see no reaction so assume all was well. I made the mistake of trying to comfort the dog when he wasn't hunting early on, big mistake, ignore the dog and continue on as normal as if nothing abnormal has happened his/her instincts will soon take over!

cavan shooter

kerryltz wrote: »

I have a springer just turned 1 year old this is my first dog and all had been going quiet well stopping to whistle retrieving etc. I have had her out in places with rabbits and she would burst cover in after them and flushing them. She has herd gunshot but has not been close to it as I have been trying to ease her into it. So today I went to a place with plenty Duck and Snipe went in there and she was not too eager to hunt she kept coming back to me and was not hunting like when she was on rabbits. Any advise much appreciated.

I was worried about my own last year as I found that it wasnt bursting into cover etc, more like sniffing around the outside, sniffing the air etc. i dont think you have anything to worry about they arent dumb and if there isnt any scent they wont bother, is that not better than having a dog that is bursting around the hedges like something possessed.

I have my lad trained to go into any cover regardless on command (just in case) and to date he hasnt been wrong and I have, i.e I have sent him in to places where there was nothing, and I thought he should have picked up something and then on other occassions he has been hunting the outside of a winze, sniffed around then sniffed the air burst into the middle of it and flushed a hen.

I actually prefer him this way cause I can read him better, when he is on to something he is on and there is no doubt:).

They are also fickle and nervy dog with all there blustery manner and something strange can spook them, I got a nice walking stick at the game fair this year and for the first couple of trips with my dog he was looking at it funny and actually barking at at it when i left it propped against the wall. We hunted a field in North Dublin Last year and he refused point blank to hunt he walked beside me changed fields and hey presto he hunted away again.