Advice on a springer.

marcp

Looking for a bit of advice on my new 2 year old springer. I got her off the brother in law (he gave up hunting). She was trained before so he says. Now the dog is hunting ok. Lovely nature and very friendly and easy work with. Only problem is she will scent to a ditch and stop. She won't break cover or give herself any hardship in heavy cover.

Also this evening I trailed a dead pheasant which I shot yesterday morning with my other springer up across a field in a zig zag and hid it behind a pole. She scented up the bird half way and just ran off and lay down. I then got my neighbours pointer to sent the bird the whole way up he locked up solid and brought the bird back to my neighbours hand. So there was plenty of scent on the ground.

Anyone any ideas on how to get the springer out of this. The wife and son has really fallen in love with this dog so I don't really want to write her off just yet.

jap gt

marcp wrote: »

Looking for a bit of advice on my new 2 year old springer. I got her off the brother in law (he gave up hunting). She was trained before so he says. Now the dog is hunting ok. Lovely nature and very friendly and easy work with. Only problem is she will scent to a ditch and stop. She won't break cover or give herself any hardship in heavy cover.

Also this evening I trailed a dead pheasant which I shot yesterday morning with my other springer up across a field in a zig zag and hid it behind a pole. She scented up the bird half way and just ran off and lay down. I then got my neighbours pointer to sent the bird the whole way up he locked up solid and brought the bird back to my neighbours hand. So there was plenty of scent on the ground.

Anyone any ideas on how to get the springer out of this. The wife and son has really fallen in love with this dog so I don't really want to write her off just yet.

did you ever see her hunting with brother in law

marcp

jap gt wrote: »

did you ever see her hunting with brother in law

No was out for a good few walks with her out of season and she was doing cover to an extent. Nothing to major but never seen her on a bird.

jap gt

marcp wrote: »

No was out for a good few walks with her out of season and she was doing cover to an extent. Nothing to major but never seen her on a bird.

try her with another springer it might draw her in

marcp

jap gt wrote: »

try her with another springer it might draw her in

That's the plan for the morning. Is she not gone a little old for that no.

Also the only difference for her at my house is she has the run of the yard not in a run like she was at his place. I kept her out of the run and in the yard with my lab just to get her used to me. Could she be getting pampered to much. Leave her In the run with the other springer.

johnny3

Sounds like she's a little imbalanced
U cud try some lead in the left ear

charlie10

jasus johnny go handy for feck sake !

johnny3

Ha only joking
Try hunting her wit another springer in lite cover like brackin and header maybe then when she meets game it mite switch her on

johnny3

Ha only joking
Try hunting her wit another springer in lite cover like brackin and header maybe then when she meets game it mite switch her on

springer man

Is he retrieving ?
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.

springermad

sounds like she got bored scenting the bird. do the same again but work on shorter scent lines and them progress from there. if you know of somewhere with plenty of rabbits bring her there because there will be loads of scent this will help get her nose going

marcp

I'm gonna bring her back out again in the morning with my older springer. Very experienced and clever so hopefully she will start picking it up off her.

The place I do a lot of shooting in is full of rabbits and so far she has not paid any attention to scenting them.

Talking to the brother in law last night and he says she used to loose interest in hunting after a few hours with him. He used to drop a pigeon for her and give her the retrieve and she would get interested again.

Gonna put the time into her. She is to nice and lovely natured to give up on.

She is in the run with my other springer since this morning so all the pampering at home has stopped. Cruel to be kind.

allan450

no pressure but if she puts up a bird make sure you hit it.sounds like she gets board.the woodcock should bring her on their still making their way in but you should get a few in spots.best of luck.dont sickin her with dummy retrieves hide tennis balls in a zig zag style let her bring them back.20 mins a day is enough.then start putting the balls in cover to get her in.if you have a mate with a good springer it will bring her on.my cocker is just gone a year and thats how i worked him and it worked.best of luck