Springer pup advice

fiestaman

Well lads, i have springer as some of ye kno, hes four months now. Ive been doing basics and hes sitting and walking on the lead fairly ok. He was retrieving but since i called him to put him in his run he he has been hesatent since to come back wit a retrieve, goes off to play wit it, i walk away calling and he comes and then passes me 100mph and back to where he was until i grab him when he passing, any ideas, i know hes only 4mths but woundering am i doin antin wrong.

Also i let him out for a run around the garden for 15-20 each morning while i clean his run and get his food hes jus doin his own thing, girlfriend lets him out at lunch time when shes home for same and then i take him to field / river and different places every evening for half hour or so and do bit of lead work and sitting work,bring him back and feed him and into run again. Am i doing wrong by letting him roam when hes out, he would b playing with sticks and yokes by himself for most of the time until i call him and he follow me then and hunt away again. I just dont want to be doing anything stupid that i can easly stop.

Tawny Owl

I also have a Springer just coming up on a year in June same problems as you what your forgetting is it's only a pup it wants to do its own thing like not taking any heed of you when you call or running aroung like a steam train don't worry the dog will settle down your trying to rush things enjoy the next 6 Months with the dog get use to each other and you will see a massive difference in the next 6 Months dont let the dog chew sticks or anything like that training will take time but again enjoy she or he is like a child finding new things out each day let the dog explore and it will all come together there will be loads of good advice on here I got it so keep asking questions its how we all got started best of Luck.;)

blackstairsboy

First off you got to let a pup be a pup no other way about it. They can break your heart but thats all part of the game.
As regards the retrieveing so long as he is showing an interest at that age then that is all you need let him have one retrieve every so often and do not over do it because you will quickly bore him. You gotta keep things simple, easy and fun at that age and do as much as you can with him out in the field. Don't worry about any of the fancy stuff yet that will all come with time. Allow him to mature in his own way and give him plenty of hunting as a pup. This will develop his hunting instincts far better than any amount of yard work ever could.

TriggerPL

I be concerned about letting out the springer by you girlfriend , if he start to think she the boss then ur in trouble ! Wouldn worrie about the retriveing Id even stop for a few weeks , what happening is he getting bored and want to play .
Dont give in to him and alway make him come to you , if ya have to chase him he will break you heard . No problem with letting him ramble just need to make sure your recall is up to scratch . And don't feed him while ur cleaning the pen , clean the pen put him back in it and feed him then , it will help with recal , because he coming to something , positive ! Hope ya can make sence of this I'm replying on I phone

fiestaman

ok lads thanks, il stop her letting him out so, may leave him in run from 8am to 5.30 so. i dont feed him when cleaning, i let him out and he tips around the yard while im cleaning, then il play with him and when hes going in run then i feed him, hes in for the night then. im on holidays now in two weeks and il have to get the brother to feed him and let him out, probably confuse him but no choice.

Mallard123

fiestaman wrote: »

Well lads, i have springer as some of ye kno, hes four months now. Ive been doing basics and hes sitting and walking on the lead fairly ok. He was retrieving but since i called him to put him in his run he he has been hesatent since to come back wit a retrieve, goes off to play wit it, i walk away calling and he comes and then passes me 100mph and back to where he was until i grab him when he passing, any ideas, i know hes only 4mths but woundering am i doin antin wrong.

Also i let him out for a run around the garden for 15-20 each morning while i clean his run and get his food hes jus doin his own thing, girlfriend lets him out at lunch time when shes home for same and then i take him to field / river and different places every evening for half hour or so and do bit of lead work and sitting work,bring him back and feed him and into run again. Am i doing wrong by letting him roam when hes out, he would b playing with sticks and yokes by himself for most of the time until i call him and he follow me then and hunt away again. I just dont want to be doing anything stupid that i can easly stop.

when i was young we had a springer like this as well at home. the best thing to do i think would be to walk away from him when he runs around with the dummy and eventually he will follow.Also, what i did was i crouched down when i called him because it will seem as more of a game for him, and rewarded him when he came back(,but not with treats because then he will think that's what he gets every time he retrieves and it will get irritating for you. Eventually i stopped crouching and he got the hang of coming back to me. That would be my approach anyway. Best of luck with him.

snipe02

ya might want to stop the retrieving for a while or wait till your back from your hols your on to a winner because hes going and picking up the retrieve id be happy with that, ya can try throwing the retrieve and then as soon as he puts his mouth on it clap your hands shout his name and run away from him but allowing him to catch up with you then turn and nab him and get the retrieve from him and make the biggest deal ever of it, the trick is not to let him pass you with it, that will also work for the recall if your having trouble with it if he thinks your legging it he will run after ya but he is so young be sure to make everything a game as the lads have said good luck

fiestaman

Im not doin much, one retrirve every 3-4 days, he will retrieve as i said, i do walk away and he comes tearing on for me but about 6ft away he pulls the handbrake and heads out sideways away from me, then on back up the garden again, then he coul come back and do that again, then lie down to chew. He wad fine as i said until i had his run finished and i was putting him, id call him, he would come then id put him in run as he wouldnt go in himself, i used to even go in and call him and hed come in, then i go out and his food b there. After few days of this he started this runnin off craic.
Hes good in the field with the whistle, he stays close and comes back when i whistle but jus beside me fir second and then off again.
Ive put an updated pic in pic forum if ye want to see him

snipe02

fiestaman wrote: »

Im not doin much, one retrirve every 3-4 days, he will retrieve as i said, i do walk away and he comes tearing on for me but about 6ft away he pulls the handbrake and heads out sideways away from me, then on back up the garden again, then he coul come back and do that again, then lie down to chew. He wad fine as i said until i had his run finished and i was putting him, id call him, he would come then id put him in run as he wouldnt go in himself, i used to even go in and call him and hed come in, then i go out and his food b there. After few days of this he started this runnin off craic.
Hes good in the field with the whistle, he stays close and comes back when i whistle but jus beside me fir second and then off again.
Ive put an updated pic in pic forum if ye want to see him[/QUO you could try a different venue go somewhere where you can continue to run until he catches up to you dont stop let him get behind you and then turn real fast and nab him and dont take it from him for a while just make a fuss at four months ya have no need to worry anyway he is only a baby one retrieve a week would be plenty at that age as blackstairs said you can teach him to retrieve you cand teach him to hunt so you could concentrate on that side of things im only thinking what id do not saying its right just throwing ideas out there will have a look at the pic

Chesapeake

blackstairsboy wrote: »

First off you got to let a pup be a pup no other way about it. They can break your heart but thats all part of the game.
As regards the retrieveing so long as he is showing an interest at that age then that is all you need let him have one retrieve every so often and do not over do it because you will quickly bore him. You gotta keep things simple, easy and fun at that age and do as much as you can with him out in the field. Don't worry about any of the fancy stuff yet that will all come with time. Allow him to mature in his own way and give him plenty of hunting as a pup. This will develop his hunting instincts far better than any amount of yard work ever could.

100% agree, Have a lovely little springer at the moment & he only started properly retrieving game when he was 3 & bit y/o. he would catch and hold but not retrive (shot game), despite days, weeks and months of work. - dummy (dummy with wings) Balls, bottles, sticks..............anything but shot game. But I'm thrilled with him now & he's been a great little chap over the past 4 years.
Over the years I've always had the the mantra - get the dog to work with me not for me, Why try and force a dog to do somthing when it will do it more efficently & effectively when it wants and enjoys doing so.
7 or 8 good seasons are better than 10 or 12 mediocre ones IMO.

Spunk84

Chesapeake wrote: »

blackstairsboy wrote: »

First off you got to let a pup be a pup no other way about it. They can break your heart but thats all part of the game.
As regards the retrieveing so long as he is showing an interest at that age then that is all you need let him have one retrieve every so often and do not over do it because you will quickly bore him. You gotta keep things simple, easy and fun at that age and do as much as you can with him out in the field. Don't worry about any of the fancy stuff yet that will all come with time. Allow him to mature in his own way and give him plenty of hunting as a pup. This will develop his hunting instincts far better than any amount of yard work ever could.

100% agree, Have a lovely little springer at the moment & he only started properly retrieving game when he was 3 & bit y/o. he would catch and hold but not retrive (shot game), despite days, weeks and months of work. - dummy (dummy with wings) Balls, bottles, sticks..............anything but shot game. But I'm thrilled with him now & he's been a great little chap over the past 4 years.
Over the years I've always had the the mantra - get the dog to work with me not for me, Why try and force a dog to do somthing when it will do it more efficently & effectively when it wants and enjoys doing so.
7 or 8 good seasons are better than 10 or 12 mediocre ones IMO.

He only started retrieving game around 3 :O holy **** how did you get your birds

EPointer=Birdss

Why don't you put a retractable lead on him when you throw the dummy. Can't run away when on the end of a rope.
Go back & get your 'here' command right also so here means here not run around in circles. The dog is quite young though so I wouldn't be overly concerned but remember every time you do something & a command is not obeyed you are stepping in the wrong direction. I try not to give a command I cannot enforce by reward or punishment.

chrisr

this is all very good advise. I have a 4 month old and she will retrieve while sitting waiting on the command to (get on) retrieve. She has been coming back but like some of yous say she loses interest too.
Sometimes she wont even sit for me but i understand she is just a pup and will let her be one.
One thing though, should i be using a scent dummy with her now or is she too young?
Again good forum and hope to get more advise here, no better advise than people who have been there done that.

blackstairsboy

chrisr wrote: »

this is all very good advise. I have a 4 month old and she will retrieve while sitting waiting on the command to (get on) retrieve. She has been coming back but like some of yous say she loses interest too.
Sometimes she wont even sit for me but i understand she is just a pup and will let her be one.
One thing though, should i be using a scent dummy with her now or is she too young?
Again good forum and hope to get more advise here, no better advise than people who have been there done that.

Do not overdo the retrieving side of things. A lot of lads get carried away with the retrieving and an intelligent dog will quickly get bored of it. One good retrieve per day is better than 10 bad ones. Keep things simple for a pup. Just use whatever she likes retrieving most as your dummy. It is not the dummy that makes any difference it is the way that it is used. A pup is never too young to learn as long as she is taught in the correct way and things are not rushed. Maybe give retrieving a rest for a while and keep her keen for it. In a couple of months time you can get her out hunting and then the fun will begin.

Spunk84

chrisr wrote: »

this is all very good advise. I have a 4 month old and she will retrieve while sitting waiting on the command to (get on) retrieve. She has been coming back but like some of yous say she loses interest too.
Sometimes she wont even sit for me but i understand she is just a pup and will let her be one.
One thing though, should i be using a scent dummy with her now or is she too young?
Again good forum and hope to get more advise here, no better advise than people who have been there done that.

forget about the dummy and scents, bring the pup to the field!!! enough scent there to make her go mental....rabbits are your friend

chrisr

Hello again all,

I have followed most advice on this and I have got on super with my pup, that was up until this week however.

She is tearing the garden apart. Tore up a whole wooden fence and made sh**E of the rest of it. Went out to her this morning and it was like the great escape, holes everywhere. She is now 10 months and any advice would greatly be appreciated.

Cheers

Dalken

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Why don't you put a retractable lead on him when you throw the dummy. Can't run away when on the end of a rope.
Go back & get your 'here' command right also so here means here not run around in circles. The dog is quite young though so I wouldn't be overly concerned but remember every time you do something & a command is not obeyed you are stepping in the wrong direction. I try not to give a command I cannot enforce by reward or punishment.

I'd go with this, but he's still very young so don't be overly concerned. Sometimes it just takes a bit longer with some before the penny drops.

TriggerPL

concrete floor proper mesh and a door

bercause i persume the woman aint happy:)

fiestaman

One of these, wont dig out of here. Dog is bored, i see my lad starting to eat his timber house. il have to get him a big bone to chaw on:D

Dalken

fiestaman wrote: »

One of these, wont dig out of here. Dog is bored, i see my lad starting to eat his timber house. il have to get him a big bone to chaw on:D

He wont chew outta that. Every gundog needs a secure and cofortable run and kennel.