Cocker as a Gundog?

It wasn't me!

Well, have a new cocker, just under a year old, and a game gun on the way, so I'd like to train the dog up, give him a bit of discipline and see what I can make of him. Has anyone any experience of a working cocker to share, whether he'd be a good all-rounder or what their personalities are likely to be in the field? He's very boisterous, dependent and ill-disciplined at the moment, so will be looking to shape him up anyway. Any literature I should look at for training a first gundog or anything I should be doing to start him off now?

demonloop

BRING HIM ON SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It wasn't me!

demonloop wrote: »

BRING HIM ON SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Won't be down I'm afraid, too much to do for college. I'd love to see the face on some newbie in DURC when I tell them they have to get the train because my spaniel needs a seat.

jap gt

is he from hunting lines, i met a man last sunday with a cocker that he hunts alongside a springer, he said he is a great dog, but in saying that some are bred for showing and have no drive for hunting

It wasn't me!

jap gt wrote: »

is he from hunting lines, i met a man last sunday with a cocker that he hunts alongside a springer, he said he is a great dog, but in saying that some are bred for showing and have no drive for hunting

to be honest I don't know his heritage. He's a dog we took off someone's hands because they couldn't keep both (They had a pair they intended to breed, we got the dog). He's smart, and certainly seems interested in rabbits, so I'm reasonably hopeful. Just wondering how to introduce him to hunting and try develop his interest best.

jap gt

It wasn't me! wrote: »

to be honest I don't know his heritage. He's a dog we took off someone's hands because they couldn't keep both (They had a pair they intended to breed, we got the dog). He's smart, and certainly seems interested in rabbits, so I'm reasonably hopeful. Just wondering how to introduce him to hunting and try develop his interest best.

best way to see if he will hunt is to tag along with someone doing a bit of shooting, my pup goes with my neighbours pointer two or three times a week and its great for her to see whats expected of her, have you ever fired shoots around him..

It wasn't me!

jap gt wrote: »

best way to see if he will hunt is to tag along with someone doing a bit of shooting, my pup goes with my neighbours pointer two or three times a week and its great for her to see whats expected of her, have you ever fired shoots around him..

No, waiting on the shotgun and don't want to fire the deer rifle in case I'd never find him, he'd take off so fast. Is he a bit young to be taking out yet? Would have to keep him disciplined anyway, he might require a bit more work in case I'd ruin a lad's day out.

lamper35

It wasn't me! wrote: »

No, waiting on the shotgun and don't want to fire the deer rifle in case I'd never find him, he'd take off so fast. Is he a bit young to be taking out yet? Would have to keep him disciplined anyway, he might require a bit more work in case I'd ruin a lad's day out.

Jesus dont fire that rifle haha even though he is a year old ur still gonna have too go back too basics..its a spaniel so train it like a spaniel..im sure u no someone with a shotgun but whatever ya do make sure ur at least 150-200 yards away from the dog before u take the shot..wen ur feedin him bang a few pots together not too loud and just see if he is bothered...and without goin on and on the best literature on the market and in my opinion is a must for a novice trainer is TRAINING SPANIELS by JOE IRVING it goes through everything u need too know and how too do it..its also a great read.

jap gt

It wasn't me! wrote: »

No, waiting on the shotgun and don't want to fire the deer rifle in case I'd never find him, he'd take off so fast. Is he a bit young to be taking out yet? Would have to keep him disciplined anyway, he might require a bit more work in case I'd ruin a lad's day out.

no a year is ideal to start training him, maybe get someone to bring him out for an hour or two, i would chance it once the recall is good, everything else is more or less experience.

best thing would be walk the dog down a field and have someone fire a 22lr at the other end, if he is ok with that work up to a shotgun and move closer and closer if he is showing no sign of fear

IceMaiden

Cockers are a magic breed, they will test your patience & intelligence but a type of dog that can get under your skin, working ones tend to be very active & busy even making ESS look a little average at times. Big hearts with a lot of energy & they may be small but can still perform retrieves on game like larger gundogs. The very basics apart from obedience are hunting /retrieving ability & acceptance to the sounds of shot, like others have said be very careful & gentle in introducing the shot sounds & take into consideration the wind direction as it can still have an adverse impact ,, Lots of good books or DVDs available but basically it’s a hunting spaniel that your looking at trying to produce from raw material, Once frightened/ruined then twice shy so do everything in your power to make things happen in the dogs /training benefit long term it will be beneficial to the end result.

Tackleberrywho

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxyT6TUyPyc

Vegeta

We had 2 cockers (sisters) a few years back from the same litter of working parents. Both bitches and quite small, even for cockers. One of them was a great little dog and the other was nothing but a pure pet.

When out hunting the pet would just walk to heel all day, she wasn't gun shy or anything but just didn't have an interest in hunting.

The other dog was great. Hunted hard, retrieved what she could carry, Geese were clearly out of her league and responded well to commands.

I suppose morale of the story is that even 2 dogs from the same litter can be like chalk and cheese.

Just speaking in generalities.
Don't bring a dog into the field if you have no control over them. It's frustrating for everyone involved. If you have to pass through a field and there happens to be livestock at the opposite end or something, if the dog wonders near them (not chase them mind, just pass near) you have to be able to bring the dog in to you if the livestock are wary of him or try and trample him. If you are heading back to the car/jeep and the dog runs out of the field through the gate and onto the road, that is not a fun feeling.
So drill in some basic manners, especially the return (to keep him close).

If he is interested in rabbits that's a great start.

At the end of the day if a spaniel has an interest in hunting, will come back when you call them, not range too far and retrieve what you shoot (without chomping on it) then they are a fine usable dog.

It wasn't me!

Vegeta wrote: »

We had 2 cockers (sisters) a few years back from the same litter of working parents. Both bitches and quite small, even for cockers. One of them was a great little dog and the other was nothing but a pure pet.

When out hunting the pet would just walk to heel all day, she wasn't gun shy or anything but just didn't have an interest in hunting.

The other dog was great. Hunted hard, retrieved what she could carry, Geese were clearly out of her league and responded well to commands.

I suppose morale of the story is that even 2 dogs from the same litter can be like chalk and cheese.

Just speaking in generalities.
Don't bring a dog into the field if you have no control over them. It's frustrating for everyone involved. If you have to pass through a field and there happens to be livestock at the opposite end or something, if the dog wonders near them (not chase them mind, just pass near) you have to be able to bring the dog in to you if the livestock are wary of him or try and trample him. If you are heading back to the car/jeep and the dog runs out of the field through the gate and onto the road, that is not a fun feeling.
So drill in some basic manners, especially the return (to keep him close).

If he is interested in rabbits that's a great start.

At the end of the day if a spaniel has an interest in hunting, will come back when you call them, not range too far and retrieve what you shoot (without chomping on it) then they are a fine usable dog.

He's currently a cheeky little bugger, bit headstrong. He'll fetch a ball, then run straight past me to munch on it, so I'm not giving him headway on pheasants! Going to try sort that out, get him a bit quieter and more disciplined before I take him into game fields. He's brilliant fun, just have to temper the pet in him somewhat I think.

deeksofdoom

Just briefly reading down through some of the posts here,

Basically a year old is fine to start training.

Bringing the dog out for a days shooting this Sunday is the worst ****ing thing you could do, some fellas will tell you yeah get him out. But if the dog is nervous or a bit shy you could make a total **** of him by firing a gun over him.

If you want to train this dog right to do a bit of rough shooting with then you will have to have patience and give him a bit of time. Forget about running your dog with something like a pointer basically you will not only make a **** of your dog because he'll start ranging out too far but you'll also make a **** of the pointer because he'll stop pointing when the cocker rushes in to flush the bird.

What you need to start working on is your yard work ie the recal, sitting, walking to heal, stopping and basic obedience. Firing any sort of a shot over the dog at this stage is a complete no no, you might be luck and get away with it or you may make your dog gun shy.

I don't care if you can sit the dog and he gives you the paw I mean proper obedience so that you can control him under shooting conditions.

Your going to be a bit late for doing any training for this season but if you start doing a bit of work with him now you'll have a fine shooting companion for next year.

I beat with a few fellas who are using cockers and they're grand little dogs, it's lovely to watch them hunting.

If you've got a few euro to spare it would be worth enrolling in some dog obedience classes to get you started. Get someone to give you them as a Christmas present.

jap gt

deeksofdoom wrote: »

If you've got a few euro to spare it would be worth enrolling in some dog obedience classes to get you started. Get someone to give you them as a Christmas present.

have you done obedience classes in cork?

deeksofdoom

jap gt wrote: »

have you done obedience classes in cork?

No I've done them outside Dungarvan.