Not taken the small one out on any big shoots yet this year (we tend to do most of our shooting over the Christmas period and after) I did take him out on some shoots last year when he was about 7/8 months old and he was the best behaved dog on the shoots, and the cutest!
He was definitely ready for his first taster at that age, in fact on one of the pheasant shoots he found and dragged back to me a large cock bird which all of the other dogs had failed to find (I sent him into the cover after all of the other dogs had given up) He also flushed a rabbit and plonked his bum straight on the ground, the same can't be said for all of the other spaniels in the beating line
Anyway, so far his year I have taken him out duck/goose flighting and he was a star. He brought back a goose that was twice the size of him from the middle of the lake and also managed to track and catch an injured duck from the water (I had to dispatch it
as the Mosscule doesn't munch his retrieves
).
The main thing that's stopping me taking him out more is the amount of work that I have on my plate at the moment. Once I have my degree out of the way my little Moss will be out and about a lot more
Mary xxx
PS: Your Tia sounds like a little gem!