Author Topic: Puppy free hunting  (Read 3141 times)

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Offline karen488

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Puppy free hunting
« on: February 13, 2016, 11:35:00 AM »
Haven't been here for a while, hello again. We're on cocker no. 3 but our 1st worker, Austin. I want to have a good go and gundog training. He's 6 months. Done bronze, working on silver and attending puppy gundog workshops as well. Lovely dog. Love him to bits etc etc. V good in classes. However, we live rurally. Our surrounding fields are pheasant heavy. He is constantly hunting and ignoring me when he's doing so. We have a large pond in the garden which is visited overnight by ducks. If I let him in the garden he quarters round and round the pond smelling with his little tail going like the clappers. I get that he needs to be taught a strong recall, use of high value treats etc etc. but even on a long line he's behaving the same way. I can't keep him on a lead every time he needs a pee can I? I'm worried that I'm ruining him early on and he's self rewarding. Unfortunately the gundog classes I'm going to are labrador based (although they do seem good). There are spaniel ones I can attend once we've got going. HELP!

Offline Emilyoliver

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Re: Puppy free hunting
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2016, 02:02:04 PM »
Hi Karen, I'd suggest going to a spaniel trainer for 121 now. If you're still in Kent - give chris burns a call (Breezeleaf spaniels). He's excellent and will help you with your puppy. I have a couple of other trainers I go to a bit further away - pm me if you want their details. Basically your puppy needs to be taught to hunt under control. I have a puppy at the moment who cannot be 'walked ' in the normal fashion as he is hunting obsessed and needs to be controlled at all times. He's very hard work, but could easily turn into a bogoff dog if left to hunt freely. Good luck with your training - it's very rewarding. Also suggest you join one of the working spaniel clubs - most run spring/summer classes and it's a great place to meet others and learn. There's Kent working spaniel club, mud-Sussex and leconfield down this side.
Michelle, Emily and Ollie

Offline Pearly

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Re: Puppy free hunting
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2016, 05:45:41 PM »
As Emily says....

Coral started free hunting at about the same age.  It's back to basics I'm afraid - confined area for training, that he cannot escape from and lead walking only.

We are now attending regular 1-2-1s with a gun dog trainer, I'd suggest doing the same, it's worth every penny spent now and they will assess Austins requirements which may differ from other cockers (Coral is very different to Sally and both have been known to free hunt).

Don't worry about "exercise" he is still a baby and can manage just fine without lots of physical jerks - brain training and basic discipline /obedience is all you need to do at he moment.

Coral is on a 10 day plan at the moment, lead walks only, dummy training in a small area and lead /house line which is oermanently attached to OH  :lol:

Austin is still very young - little and often for training as I'm sure you know - but he is about to become a teenager.......if he's allowed to free hunt now he will be very difficult to bring "back in" in 6 months time  ;). Also however good you think his recall and stop is now, don't take it for granted, a dogs hearing doesn't develop until 10-12 months old - came as a surprise to me last week when I was asked to turn my back then recall Coral - she didn't know what the 4 pips meant! She does now......

Good luck and enjoy Austin, he sounds like a wee cracker (great name too)

Offline karen488

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Re: Puppy free hunting
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2016, 01:01:04 PM »
Thanks. Good advice. Kind of what I expected to hear but not what I wanted to hear IYKWIM! Have had James Revil recommended, has anyone heard of him? Would be grateful Emilyoliver if you could pm me any trainers. I have Chris Burn's details already.

Offline karen488

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Re: Puppy free hunting
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2016, 09:39:59 AM »
Thanks for advice. Had a couple of 1:1 's with James and Chris and things are going much better. Really enjoying this training so far. Hope I make it to a shoot one day!