Anyone who's trained a spaniel...

[jimmyb79]

Hi all,

 

I've got a few years experience of training labs and have just acquired my first cocker spaniel which I am looking to train to become a rough shooting companion.

My labs have been trained to retrieve only and I've never tried training quartering into a dog before.

 

My question is, in what order should I train heelwork and quartering? The pup is only 14 weeks so I'm not looking to do anything for a while, but she is already showing a tendency to quarter, but is a handful on the lead. I'm concerned that trying to train any heelwork will be to the detriment of her natural quartering instinct...

 

I recall reading somewhere that heelwork should only be looked at once quartering is well and truly mastered, is this the case?

 

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[mattyb]

Hi Jimmyb

 

This may not be right but I was incorporating the heel work with the quartering and it worked for me, when I started getting the dog to quarter I had him on the lead to heal and walked the pattern giving a peep or two peeps (what ever you want to use) when i turned, once i notice the dog was starting to turn with the peep I had him off the lead to heal doing exactly the same.

 

Then I would still walk the pattern but let the dog hunt away from me off the lead setting a point I would let the dog get to then give him the peep to turn and every now and then I would chuck a tennis ball or dummy few yards in front of me as he was going away to find on the way back if that makes sense.

 

Good luck with the dog tho

 

Matt

[nipper]

I used to put the dog on a lead from the kennel ,walk him to the field or area then let him off.

 

He didn't even realise he was being lead or heel trained !

 

When you have finished with the training he is back on the lead (with the heel command ) until you are back at the kennel or vehicle.

 

Doesn't take long for him to naturally walk to heel until he is told to get on with being a spaniel .

 

Worked for me ! (maybe I just got off lightly?) lol

Edited October 11, 2009 by nipper

[henry d]

Walking to heel is unnatural to a spaniel, quartering is totally natural.

 

Sort out the basics of walking to heel and you will be instilling obedience at an early age and that is half the battle.

 

Have fun !!

[ROBLATCH]

as mentioned above the quartering side is normaly instinctive in spaniels.

start with the basics steadying him , sit-stay,walking to heel first this gives you more control over the dog when quartering.

[jimmyb79]

Cheers for all your replies, I'm liking the idea of using the trip to and from the field to concentrate on heel-work to reinforce the distinction between working and walking to work.

Thanks again.

[GW80]

I'm no great expert, but to be honest i'd not worry too much about any of my dogs walking to heel. As long as they are hunting properly and not strayining too far i'd leave them, everything falls into place when they are about 9 years old!!

[Malc]

I trained a Cocker dog a few years back and I found no conflict between heel work and quartering. From a very early age he was walked each day around the village on the lead, with very strict attention to his obedience and road safety. He was exercised off lead too, always within shooting range of course. He would hunt & quarter all the time that he was off lead but was never allowed to get on too far. When gundog training commenced in ernest it was very easy to let him use his natural quartering and hunting instincts and still have good control to stop him ranging too far. So I would say, heelwork and general obedience is a good foundation for any spaniel when combined with off lead controlled exercise.