Springer barking on scent

Clinty

Lads I've a 15 month old springer trained on the whistle dropping to shot great retriever I held him off game until January so I could get all the basics done and polished. His hunting game has been coming on great since January but was out today and he made a beeline into briars and all a sudden started barking and yelping with excitement and out come two rabbits bolting now I dont really want him barking or yelping on hot scent is there any way to stop this or will I jus have to live with it all replies appreciated

ferrete

Cross it with a harrier etc an ul have a great set of hounds

patdahat

There is lads that would give anything for a barking springer. Can i ask why dont you want him barking?

blackstairsboy

Clinty wrote: »

Lads I've a 15 month old springer trained on the whistle dropping to shot great retriever I held him off game until January so I could get all the basics done and polished. His hunting game has been coming on great since January but was out today and he made a beeline into briars and all a sudden started barking and yelping with excitement and out come two rabbits bolting now I dont really want him barking or yelping on hot scent is there any way to stop this or will I jus have to live with it all replies appreciated

I have a 10 month old springer bitch who also barks but only when a bird or rabbit is moving through cover in front of her. I do not mind it as it is only short sharp yelps not barking so to speak. I do not and will not encourage it but I must say it does add to the excitement of the hunt for me. It is also a good indicator that a bird is going to break because when she yaps I know she is right on his tail.
I think it is taken as a fault in trialling dogs but if you have no interest in that I would not worry too much because I doubt there is very much you can do about it. It is really demonstrating your dogs prey drive and determination.

Clinty

I didn't really want him yapping cause I had half planned to do a bit of beating with him but at the end of the day ill be shooting over him every weekend when the pheasant and ducks start again And it is more of a yap than a bark he was obviously hot on the rabbits tail in the briar as he's pushed a few a pheasants at the end of the season and there was no issue with it at all

kerryltz

Clinty wrote: »

I didn't really want him yapping cause I had half planned to do a bit of beating with him but at the end of the day ill be shooting over him every weekend when the pheasant and ducks start again And it is more of a yap than a bark he was obviously hot on the rabbits tail in the briar as he's pushed a few a pheasants at the end of the season and there was no issue with it at all

I wouldnt worry I have seen a friends springer that barks on fur but not on feather so maybe yours is the same.

Clinty

Well when I think about that I woulda mind him yapping on fur an not on feather cause at least you'd know what he was on in cover and whether or not to call him off it

djflawless

my sprocker does the same.but just a short yelp. .delighted she does it when in thick cover.shot 2 woodcock during the season because of her.other than that i wouldn't have seen them leaving cover
imo id let her give the bark.its not going to affect your bag returns unless you want her trailing deer

cavan shooter

Had a great springer and when he was on a bird he gave a yelp....it was a great habit you knew what was coming next. I wouldn't worry about it unless you were going to trial him

alan86

One of my bitchs dose it aswel when she is hot on the heals of rabbits. She did it once when she was trailing a winged bird. It's more of a yelp then a bark.

good logs...

may be he was barking cause he seen them and not on scent. if he was barking on scent he would be barking a long way of, befor he hit the cover.