Springer Pup

yessam

How did last years pups work out for yea?

I bought a springer pup this time last year. She was born in early january last year. I started working with her from about august, doing dummy work and got some control on her. From november on i started bringing her to cover where game was available. It was mid around christmas when the penny dropped that it is pheasant and woodcock is our main intrest. I shot two pheasant and five woodcock over her before the end of january without any problems. I finished shooting at end of january (did'nt agree with extension to hunting season) and have continued to hunt cover with her since. She is best i had at her age for hunting cover.
It is unbeliveable the amount of satisfaction i have got from this pup, she is a fast learner. I hope to do water work with her this year.

I would love to know how others got on.

Spunk84

Great to here your pup is working strong for you! I have had my pup in the field from early age and he has become more than I have wanted, I have a thread running since he was 5 1/2 months with all the game we have shot and his training, it's under this link --- http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056126673 it's great to see such young dogs getting their drive so early on

yessam

Spunk84 wrote: »

Great to here your pup is working strong for you! I have had my pup in the field from early age and he has become more than I have wanted, I have a thread running since he was 5 1/2 months with all the game we have shot and his training, it's under this link --- http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056126673 it's great to see such young dogs getting their drive so early on

Sorry, I had'nt seen your thread before. Your pup was definitely an early starter at 5 months. I was also told not to start a pup on pigeons, but he looks comfortable with them. What training are you planning to do next.

Spunk84

Yea I heard the pigeon thing as well but he was comfortable picking it up so i let him, i think a pheasant was the hardest for him to pick up because the wings kepting going over his eyes and there is alot more to carry than a pigeon. Rabbits also I heard not to let the dog near, so I guess it's each to their own

I didn't really start training until last month, I did have him sitting and returning on the whistle from around 5 months but it was just learning him bit by bit. The real training I'm doing now such as blind retrieves, alot water work and getting him to the stay close and stop going to far in front.Last night he swam after 2 ducks up the canal for a good 100+ yards which is keeping him keen on game, he wasnt gonna get them as the ducks where just leading him on a chase but his drive is unreal.

I purchased a Sportdog collar for him as he had abit of a tendency to chase tweedy birds in front of me and ignore the whistle The collar has options 1/ shock 2/ tone with a shock or 3/ just a tone, I have used it twice and that was enough for him, he knows that if the tone goes off and he doesn't turn or return he will get a shock very smart little dog!!!! I was quite nervous about using it so i tested on myself first to see how bad it is. The first 3 settings are like vibrating with a small nick but isn't that bad so I just use 1-3.

blackstairsboy

I started a springer pup this year as well. He was 16 months old for November and a bird was shot over him on the first of November. I was putting this season down to experience and was not going to give him too much but unfortunately my older springer died as a result of poison and the young dog was pressed into full time service earlier than expected. He has coped well with woodcock, snipe and pheasant shot and retrieved. He has accompanied me roost shooting throughout February and has retrieved a lot of pigeons from heavy cover and water. He will be given a rest now for the summer with some retrieving to keep him sharp. I am looking forward to late August and September when I will go shooting rabbits on the mountain with him which is great training and also great sport if you can hit them:D
I will be collecting my Labrador pup some time this week also so he will soon have some company again.

yessam

blackstairsboy wrote: »

I started a springer pup this year as well. He was 16 months old for November and a bird was shot over him on the first of November. I was putting this season down to experience and was not going to give him too much but unfortunately my older springer died as a result of poison and the young dog was pressed into full time service earlier than expected. He has coped well with woodcock, snipe and pheasant shot and retrieved. He has accompanied me roost shooting throughout February and has retrieved a lot of pigeons from heavy cover and water. He will be given a rest now for the summer with some retrieving to keep him sharp. I am looking forward to late August and September when I will go shooting rabbits on the mountain with him which is great training and also great sport if you can hit them:D
I will be collecting my Labrador pup some time this week also so he will soon have some company again.

How did you get the pup going on woodcock. I was bringing my pup where there was rabbits and woodcock. She was following the rabbits and eventually noticed the woodcock was there. I then tried to avoid the rabbits as I am not interested in rabbits and stick to the woodcock. Not sure if this is the right thing to do but it seems to be working so far. What did you do.

Shoot2kill

I bought a springer bitch last january at the age of 12 weeks, she was sitting/staying and retrieving land/water by 5 months... The sitting and staying just came naturally to her, no great effort needed at all on my behalf. But i used to put the dummy into her bag of food and use that for retrieving the day after just before she was fed, it worked perfect. She's the best retriever we've ever had in the place... Shot pigeons with her at 6.5 months with no problems at all. Throughout the season we shot pheasant, woodcock and a good lot of duck off the river with her too..... i think i just got lucky with her, o-natural as they say

Now here's the thing.... I bought another springer dog 3 weeks ago, he was 12 weeks old. Now believe it or believe it not at 15 weeks he is sitting and staying, and retrieving the dummy. Had him out the back over the weekend and i had a mag out of one of the traps in the boot of the car, so i walked him out the field and dropped the mag on the ground calling him away with me at the same time, reckon i was about 45-50 yards away from the bird when i told him to get onto it..... BOOM! off he took like a lunatic up across the field, twas like winning the f@#king lotto seeing him come back towards me with the bird in his mouth, i crouched down wi th the hand out and thats where he put it, straight into my paw

Nothing could have taken that smile off my face! Looks like ive scored with dog number too

Im gona try make a clip and put it up for ye.....

Spunk84

Great to here such good news lads fling some pics up!

blackstairsboy

yessam wrote: »

How did you get the pup going on woodcock. I was bringing my pup where there was rabbits and woodcock. She was following the rabbits and eventually noticed the woodcock was there. I then tried to avoid the rabbits as I am not interested in rabbits and stick to the woodcock. Not sure if this is the right thing to do but it seems to be working so far. What did you do.

I done all the basic training such as sit, heel, retrieving and recall from 6 months until he was 11 or 12 months old. Then when these were well and truly learned I ran him behind the older dog who was a great dog for cover and also hunted a nice pattern in front of me. I let the pup follow him and he learned his trade that way. I would expect a springer of 18 or 20 months to be able to find all game obviously not as well as a seasoned campaigner but should still find it well. I hunt rabbits with my dogs regularly especially on the heather and gorse covered hills of the mountains in September and I find it will do them no harm. Some say to try keep a young dog away from rabbits but to be honest I think it does not make much difference.

yessam

Spunk84 wrote: »

Great to here such good news lads fling some pics up!

I have some pictures saved in my pictures. Is there a simple way to get them on boards.

yessam

yessam wrote: »

I have some pictures saved in my pictures. Is there a simple way to get them on boards.

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Jean/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png[/IMG]
[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Jean/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png[/IMG]Sitting Springer.JPG

yessam

yessam wrote: »

Here are some further pictures.