Getting springer into cover

springer man

Hi guys , im a young and new member to both hunting and this website.
I bought a 14 mth old male Springer Spaniel who is dropping to whistle , staying until called and coming on recall.
The dog was never tried I got him off my Grandfather but he is not hunting cover , Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

223vmax

What incentive do you provide for him to hunt the cover?

TriggerPL

Honestly suit up find a gud tick over woods and walk through it with the dog !

And what I mean buy that is walk trough brambles and heavy cover entice him to follow you but not on a lead , and give directions with your hand ul find soon enough u don't need to be in the cover just on the out side of it

fitzy_fitzy

Is he retrieving springer man ?
If so you could get him retrieving from light cover and progress onto heavy cover.
Getting him retrieving into the wind as much as possible.
He will soon begin to start using his nose.
Plant dummies in light cover get him working into the wind, hunting for dummies.
Progress onto Heavey cover.
Loads of praise, he will soon figure it out.
If you could get him working with another springer, it wouldn't take long before he would following the springer in and out of cover.

A lot more lads on here, who would know more than me.
They might post later.

snipe02

fitzy_fitzy wrote: »

Is he retrieving springer man ?
If so you could get him retrieving from light cover and progress onto heavy cover.
Getting him retrieving into the wind as much as possible.
He will soon begin to start using his nose.
Plant dummies in light cover get him working into the wind, hunting for dummies.
Progress onto Heavey cover.
Loads of praise, he will soon figure it out.
If you could get him working with another springer, it wouldn't take long before he would following the springer in and out of cover.

A lot more lads on here, who would know more than me.
They might post later.

This is great advice I would be using this to start him out if I was you

hughmace

Rabbits..... Find ditches with rabbits if the dog is any good he will hunt

deano2882

hughmace wrote: »

Rabbits..... Find ditches with rabbits if the dog is any good he will hunt

thats exactly how i got my springer goin i let off rabbits along a ditch last year and it was thick wit brambles. i started throwin in an odd stone as he.s mad for retriving once he got in there once or twice he was drilling tunnels along ditch where rabbits runs are he tears into cover himself now not a bother..rabbits are great to get a dog goin imo...

shotie

hughmace wrote: »

Rabbits..... Find ditches with rabbits if the dog is any good he will hunt

+1 to that. best way to get a dog into a ditch and used to hunting is on the cent of a rabbits .best of luck with him (springer man)

One shot on kill

Give him plenty of praise and start off small he will let you know how quick he wants to progress. Try the rabbits should tell you alot about him.

Best of luck with him and best of luck on here don't know which you will need more with.

Welcome to the nut house all the same.

deeksofdoom

hughmace wrote: »

Rabbits..... Find ditches with rabbits if the dog is any good he will hunt

deano2882 wrote: »

thats exactly how i got my springer goin i let off rabbits along a ditch last year and it was thick wit brambles. i started throwin in an odd stone as he.s mad for retriving once he got in there once or twice he was drilling tunnels along ditch where rabbits runs are he tears into cover himself now not a bother..rabbits are great to get a dog goin imo...

shotie wrote: »

+1 to that. best way to get a dog into a ditch and used to hunting is on the cent of a rabbits .best of luck with him (springer man)

One shot on kill wrote: »

Give him plenty of praise and start off small he will let you know how quick he wants to progress. Try the rabbits should tell you alot about him.

Best of luck with him and best of luck on here don't know which you will need more with.

Welcome to the nut house all the same.

Rabbits!

TriggerPL

Guys seriously are you reading the main post at all !

This dog has never been tried ! So yes in the yard or Feild at home he has been sitting and staying and dropping !

Mate if u introduce ur dog to rabbits be prepared to chase Him across the country !

Have you access to a dog that does hit cover bring them out together and let them at it , with no command just enjoying them selves .

But even befor that just bring him for a hunt true brambles and get in there with him !

TriggerPL

fitzy_fitzy wrote: »

Is he retrieving springer man ?
If so you could get him retrieving from light cover and progress onto heavy cover.
Getting him retrieving into the wind as much as possible.
He will soon begin to start using his nose.
Plant dummies in light cover get him working into the wind, hunting for dummies.
Progress onto Heavey cover.
Loads of praise, he will soon figure it out.
If you could get him working with another springer, it wouldn't take long before he would following the springer in and out of cover.

A lot more lads on here, who would know more than me.
They might post later.

That there is brilliant advice ! And can be put into work along with what I've said

snipe02

Trigger you gave completely different advice yesterday then you repost what fitzy said yesterday and say do that along with what I said yesterday you told him to go walking through brambles himself with the dog then you agreewith fitzy about starting light and working up which is it id Imagine this young man is a little confused by now

TriggerPL

snipe02 wrote: »

Trigger you gave completely different advice yesterday then you repost what fitzy said yesterday and say do that along with what I said yesterday you told him to go walking through brambles himself with the dog then you agreewith fitzy about starting light and working up which is it id Imagine this young man is a little confused by now

I hadn seen fitzy post lad and springer man can build on what I was saying with fitzy post .

If the dogs never been in cover then walking trough cover with the dog is the simplest way of getting him comfy with the task .

Where is the contradiction . I do know one thing for sure you don't hunt rabbits with a springer if he has never been hunted befor , invade he chased , runs in!

TriggerPL

TriggerPL wrote: »

That there is brilliant advice ! And can be put into work along with what I've said

If ur referring to this post lad I was just agreeing with you that it is perfect advice!

And can be use with what I was saying to build the dog up to the stage of hunting game !

snipe02

Start with long grass throwing tennis balls in for him let him see em first then get them in blind so he is finding something when he is hunting the grass then the dog will start to trust in the direction your hand is pointing because everytime you point him in to light coverhe finds somethig then progress onto some hedge like the garden stuff that grows low down its great for getting a dogs head down when entering cover then you can progress on to heavy cover thorn and brambles but only when the dog trusts he will find and when he enters the lighter stuff every time sit and stay is very handy here then just reduce the freaquency of the finds and progress onto scented ground and on again to ground that holds game only whenthe dog is hunting with you dropping sitting staying and most of all recalling you will have a dog thats mannerly and trusts where your putting him and will hunt anything thats in fro nt of em because he knows you put him whers the game is ,,, keep him away from brabmles at first and keep him away from rabbits first a dead rabbit might be ok to throw in when he progresses a bit ..never let your dog fail to find a tennis ball until he trusts you

charlie10

TriggerPL wrote: »

Honestly suit up find a gud tick over woods and walk through it with the dog !

And what I mean buy that is walk trough brambles and heavy cover entice him to follow you but not on a lead , and give directions with your hand ul find soon enough u don't need to be in the cover just on the out side of it

priceless !!!:p

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

priceless !!!:p

Have you ever tried it ? Perhaps you should try it while teaching ur dog to heel lad ! U might learn something

charlie10

how do u get him to retrieve ,run around with a phesant in ur mouth ! oh i can picture u in a bomb suit ,crawling through ditchs and the springer outside looking in ha ha ! u really need to go back to the drawing board lad .

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

how do u get him to retrieve ,run around with a phesant in ur mouth ! oh i can picture u in a bomb suit ,crawling through ditchs and the springer outside looking in ha ha ! u really need to go back to the drawing board lad .

U need to stop watching you tube videos and relaying what ya see on hear !

Retrieving is simple thought with a tennis ball but if your dog has no confidence in cover she / he will stay out side with you!

If you walk through the cover while calling the pup it will follow for fear u will leave him / her is this clear enough or do you want me to post it on YouTube so u can relay it to who ever asks next !!!!

Ur the only man ere that can train a dog in a week !

charlie10

did i say i could train a dog in a week |??

and i would be thinking that starting a pup off in a rushy field (light cover)first into the wind letting the dog go ahead of u , if u have to walk a dog at HEEL into cover there is something wrong...i think snipe has the method in that u give them retrieves first to build confidence, then get them sitting throw a ball in and send them in,then go to placing balls in the cover before hand sitiing them and sending them in blind that way they never fail and build confidence in u.

another great method i heard from a championship winner lab owner is that get a friend of urs to throw a ball in rushs/cover and let the dog mark it, then walk pup away from,while ur walking away get ur friend to pick it back up again then turn the dog and send him, he will hunt hunt hunt,then get ur friend to drop it back in as he is hunting,this will build his confidence and teach him not to give up.

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

did i say i could train a dog in a week |??

and i would be thinking that starting a pup off in a rushy field (light cover)first into the wind letting the dog go ahead of u , if u have to walk a dog at HEEL into cover there is something wrong...i think snipe has the method in that u give them retrieves first to build confidence, then get them sitting throw a ball in and send them in,then go to placing balls in the cover before hand sitiing them and sending them in blind that way they never fail and build confidence in u.

another great method i heard from a championship winner lab owner is that get a friend of urs to throw a ball in rushs/cover and let the dog mark it, then walk pup away from,while ur walking away get ur friend to pick it back up again then turn the dog and send him, he will hunt hunt hunt,then get ur friend to drop it back in as he is hunting,this will build his confidence and teach him not to give up.

Once again if you read the post il see it not a pup it a young dog with confidence issue !

TriggerPL

U love these championship winning trailing men don't ya

charlie10

love them 14 months pup/young dog it makes no difference its still about building up in stages to the desired effect u want .

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

love them 14 months pup/young dog it makes no difference its still about building up in stages to the desired effect u want .

Exactly so where in my post can u point out that it doesn't or will not work .

U can't and because u can't u try to discredit it . U have no abilty to learn something new or try , Ur up the hole of loads of trailing men not taking the time to learn properly from start to finish !

Your comments on heel work prove that !
And until you win a championship or make a Feild trial champion out of one of your dogs , in fact even win a novice or open stake , please stop starting your comments with a trailing champion told me !!

charlie10

well thats funny trigger cause i sold my cocker who went on to win two novice tests and is going to be trialled in the near future so dont go down the road that i dont know how to get a dog to heel. i am open to new methods but im not going into cover to get a pup/young dog into it i agree rabbits are the key but some dogs there nose wont pull them into cover so i find using balls or cold game as the key to building CONFIDENCE in them , honestly think about what u said about walking through cover with ur dog it sounds retarded:D

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

well thats funny trigger cause i sold my cocker who went on to win two novice tests and is going to be trialled in the near future so dont go down the road that i dont know how to get a dog to heel. i am open to new methods but im not going into cover to get a pup/young dog into it i agree rabbits are the key but some dogs there nose wont pull them into cover so i find using balls or cold game as the key to building CONFIDENCE in them , honestly think about what u said about walking through cover with ur dog it sounds retarded:D

See there ya go again u sold a dog and the person that won the novice never done a bit with him just trailed him and won !! Then why didn you trail him !

And you agree that sending a dog into cover after rabbits is the way to go just sums it all up !

An inexperienced dog chasing rabbits around a Feild is a brilliant way to sort the problem straight off !!

Tell me straight out ! Explain how what I said would have fault , show me where there would be a problem building the dog up from what I said ! U made the comment stages ? Launching a dog into cover after rabbits would that not be last stage of training . Show me where the fault is . if ya can't then just drop the ****!

charlie10

TriggerPL wrote: »

See there ya go again u sold a dog and the person that won the novice never done a bit with him just trailed him and won !! Then why didn you trail him !

And you agree that sending a dog into cover after rabbits is the way to go just sums it all up !

An inexperienced dog chasing rabbits around a Feild is a brilliant way to sort the problem straight off !!

Tell me straight out ! Explain how what I said would have fault , show me where there would be a problem building the dog up from what I said ! U made the comment stages ? Launching a dog into cover after rabbits would that not be last stage of training . Show me where the fault is . if ya can't then just drop the ****!

3 weeks after i sold that dog he tested. and i didn't want to test or trial because first of all he was my rough shooting dog and secondly i couldn't due to career progression and didn't have the time. i said rabbits as to did other lads your just lookin for flaws in previous posts. what you said sounds ridiculous when you can just throw a tennis call in lad come on your method is teaching the dog nothing. al least throwing a ball is enhancing his drive and getting him a reward.Im surprised i had to spell it for you . if you want to see a real dog working just pm me and ill gladly show you .

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

3 weeks after i sold that dog he tested. and i didn't want to test or trial because first of all he was my rough shooting dog and secondly i couldn't due to career progression and didn't have the time. i said rabbits as to did other lads your just lookin for flaws in previous posts. what you said sounds ridiculous when you can just throw a tennis call in lad come on your method is teaching the dog nothing. al least throwing a ball is enhancing his drive and getting him a reward.Im surprised i had to spell it for you . if you want to see a real dog working just pm me and ill gladly show you .

I'm not searching for any flaws sending a dog that has no experience after rabbit is a bad idea and you know it !

As for throwing a ball into cover if the dog still refuses to go in , ul have to get the ball ur self anyway !

If you decide to walk through the cover the dog is not going to stay on it own and will instinctively follow !

Like u said it sound ridiculous and retarded , but that's all u have to say, u can't break it down because its idiot proof even you could do it .

And because u didn see it on a video or hear it from Alan rountree ! ( Alan roundtree the most decorated Labrador trailing man in the island , not saying this is ur source ) then it couldn't possible work !

Well my friend it does and at a very simple stage where nothing can go wrong and the dog learns that there is nothing to worrie about in brambles .

End of because life to short to be wasting my time explaining it to u !

Next time il write it in fridge magnets u might under stand it better .

charlie10

TriggerPL wrote: »

I'm not searching for any flaws sending a dog that has no experience after rabbit is a bad idea and you know it !

As for throwing a ball into cover if the dog still refuses to go in , ul have to get the ball ur self anyway !

If you decide to walk through the cover the dog is not going to stay on it own and will instinctively follow !

Like u said it sound ridiculous and retarded , but that's all u have to say, u can't break it down because its idiot proof even you could do it .

And because u didn see it on a video or hear it from Alan rountree ! ( Alan roundtree the most decorated Labrador trailing man in the island , not saying this is ur source ) then it couldn't possible work !

Well my friend it does and at a very simple stage where nothing can go wrong and the dog learns that there is nothing to worrie about in brambles .

End of because life to short to be wasting my time explaining it to u !

Next time il write it in fridge magnets u might under stand it better .

from the way you spell you might need a hand with that too you idiot

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

from the way you spell you might need a hand with that too you idiot

Predictive text + plus typing to fast Charlie . Good to see your a grammar teacher in your spare time !!

And resorting to name calling tut tut !
School yard tactics .

What's that still can defunk what I first posted .

Let us know when ya selling another one of you champion dogs !

charlie10

TriggerPL wrote: »

Predictive text + plus typing to fast Charlie . Good to see your a grammar teacher in your spare time !!

And resorting to name calling tut tut !
School yard tactics .

What's that still can defunk what I first posted .

Let us know when ya selling another one of you champion dogs !

well if the dogs you buy have to watch there owner jumping into ditchs they definitely won't be champions.are we friends again so ya . i enjoyed that now .

TriggerPL

charlie10 wrote: »

well if the dogs you buy have to watch there owner jumping into ditchs they definitely won't be champions.are we friends again so ya . i enjoyed that now .

Only time will tell if they will be ! Suppose so even if your as tick as the ditch ur springer try to get into !

charlie10

TriggerPL wrote: »

Only time will tell if they will be ! Suppose so even if your as tick as the ditch ur springer try to get into !

thick with a h lad . tick is what you dog gets stuck to him

charlie10

charlie10 wrote: »

thick with a h lad . tick is what you dog gets stuck to him

ok sorry lets be friends

snipe02

In fairness trigger it sounds a bit nuts ive heard of waiking through long grass with young pups but getting suited up and walking through briars no thanks ... I understand if your ego wont let you admit it its ok. I like your posts and you know your stuff but this one I dont get im only learning myself like everyone and I believe everyday is a school day when it comes dogs hunting fishing life etc I never stop learning ,,, and the only thing ive got going for me is I know I know fek all no need to be insulting lads now give it up the two of ye or ye will have to write a 100 lines each or maybe a 1000 word essay on getting a springer into cover

TriggerPL

snipe02 wrote: »

In fairness trigger it sounds a bit nuts ive heard of waiking through long grass with young pups but getting suited up and walking through briars no thanks ... I understand if your ego wont let you admit it its ok. I like your posts and you know your stuff but this one I dont get im only learning myself like everyone and I believe everyday is a school day when it comes dogs hunting fishing life etc I never stop learning ,,, and the only thing ive got going for me is I know I know fek all no need to be insulting lads now give it up the two of ye or ye will have to write a 100 lines each or maybe a 1000 word essay on getting a springer into cover

Lad I wasn't suggesting you suit up in Kevlar , put on ur rough shooting clothes and bring the dog for a run in an old type forestry that has bracken and brambles along the floor of it , the type that up to ur knees but covers most of the dog if ya get me . Not drag urself belly first into black thorn .

shotie

TriggerPL wrote: »

Honestly suit up find a gud tick over woods and walk through it with the dog !

And what I mean buy that is walk trough brambles and heavy cover entice him to follow you but not on a lead , and give directions with your hand ul find soon enough u don't need to be in the cover just on the out side of it

i can see where your comeing from lad in fact ive done something near enough the same with my own droper 2 year ago she wouldnt touch or go into water .so what i done was stood in the middle of a small pond with water not even touching the top of a wellie boot and called her in telling her what a good dog she was and all doing this for a while she started walking behind me in the water and now too this day all i have to do is tell her in and she flys through water .i have done something kinda the same with her again only with a beet field she would only hunt the outside not go into it so i done the same thing called her in gave her loads of praise work with her on it for a while .just tell her in now and she flys through it. so walking through things like beet,kale fields with her and through the water deff helped her out if i didnt she still wouldnt touch water .

TriggerPL

shotie wrote: »

i can see where your comeing from lad in fact ive done something near enough the same with my own droper 2 year ago she wouldnt touch or go into water .so what i done was stood in the middle of a small pond with water not even touching the top of a wellie boot and called her in telling her what a good dog she was and all doing this for a while she started walking behind me in the water and now too this day all i have to do is tell her in and she flys through water .i have done something kinda the same with her again only with a beet field she would only hunt the outside not go into it so i done the same thing called her in gave her loads of praise work with her on it for a while .just tell her in now and she flys through it. so walking through things like beet,kale fields with her and through the water deff helped her out if i didnt she still wouldnt touch water .

Well done lad , it same principal , biggest problem is lads turn to books and DVDs .

Instead of making a mug of tea , and thinking right how do I sort this for my dog . Happy hunting lad

Ps where u 3 day ago haha

snipe02

Have done the same with water myself and kale and beat can just look like a wall dog just needs to learn it goes in further plus water and kale pain free but big difference with trying to get a 14 month old springer to be hitting hunting cover by walking through it with him with no reward hed be thinking ya can stay doin it yourself ,,,, plus big difference between a bit of light ground cover and heavy briars plus the fact you said suit up which gave the impression of your gonna get shredded otherwise ..seemed an awkward way to go about getting and dog to hit cover and was very amusing at the same time it wasnt a personal attack on you or your ability but thats how I seen and called it ..

charlie10

i get what ur saying now triggs buddy but i also got a different impression when i heard suit up! thats why i said rushy field .dare i say the trial lads think cover is rushs

breanach78

To the OP post this is such a hard one. 2 the 2 guys having it out, each to their own. I personally would take on board every thing a true hunter tells me and take that info into a Context take I can use. Personally and TBH I have given away dogs that have not made the grade. Some guys find it hard other not so. I remember a dog that some one I should have trusted told me not to keep any more, but I did. In the end i had to lose him. Lovely dog but just did not make the grade. Hunt heavy cover and tired easily. The dog I own now is from one of the most intelagent, hard hunting dogs I ever owned. First time I seen his father I thought where is this guy going with this mut. No papers, kinda sloppy and obedient half the time but I feel would never ever leave a bird behind. He suited what i done and hunter. i guess a trail guy may laught at him but then again how many woodcock does a trail guy hunt the type of land i hunt. If that dog hunted cover you could be 99% sure no bird, woodcock, Pheasant for me, would be in there. Any way I am sure if any one Here went with each other hunting an enjoyable day would be had. Some days I go out and only shoot one or two, if any! Birds. And enjoy the day. That's what it's all about. The day, the dog, the gun, the company, the weather the location. It is a long and gradual learning curve to be enjoyed, Frustrating as it can be. If I could pick every bit of advice from, trailers, rough shooters, driven day guys, books, I would have the best gun, dog and shot in the land, Unfortunately I can't, I do the best I can, likewise do the best you can, it's a learning curve.

First post in hunting. BTW so hopefully all get my meaning and I don't get slated!

Safe hunting!

charlie10

breanach78 wrote: »

To the OP post this is such a hard one. 2 the 2 guys having it out, each to their own. I personally would take on board every thing a true hunter tells me and take that info into a Context take I can use. Personally and TBH I have given away dogs that have not made the grade. Some guys find it hard other not so. I remember a dog that some one I should have trusted told me not to keep any more, but I did. In the end i had to lose him. Lovely dog but just did not make the grade. Hunt heavy cover and tired easily. The dog I own now is from one of the most intelagent, hard hunting dogs I ever owned. First time I seen his father I thought where is this guy going with this mut. No papers, kinda sloppy and obedient half the time but I feel would never ever leave a bird behind. He suited what i done and hunter. i guess a trail guy may laught at him but then again how many woodcock does a trail guy hunt the type of land i hunt. If that dog hunted cover you could be 99% sure no bird, woodcock, Pheasant for me, would be in there. Any way I am sure if any one Here went with each other hunting an enjoyable day would be had. Some days I go out and only shoot one or two, if any! Birds. And enjoy the day. That's what it's all about. The day, the dog, the gun, the company, the weather the location. It is a long and gradual learning curve to be enjoyed, Frustrating as it can be. If I could pick every bit of advice from, trailers, rough shooters, driven day guys, books, I would have the best gun, dog and shot in the land, Unfortunately I can't, I do the best I can, likewise do the best you can, it's a learning curve.

First post in hunting. BTW so hopefully all get my meaning and I don't get slated!

Safe hunting!

well said i suppose we are all after the perfect package and i don't know if it can be got. i have moved on dogs that i thought wouldnt make the grade too otherwise the doubt will always be in your head and id rather come home with no birds knowing that the ditchs and covers that were covered by the dogs had nothin in them. that doubtwas in my head with my pointer hence his sale