mattc83 Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 hi all just wondering if anyone could help me out. have an 19 month old springer who ive started to work recently. spent quite a lot of time training him up. his obedience is superb, follows hand signals, stops on the whistle and i must say he is a **** hot retriever anyone would think "hang about, hes got a cracking dog here" and i have, however........ i am having a bit of trouble with the flushing. ill stick him in a wood and he walks around as if he doesnt know what hes supposed to be doing and is also nervous when going through the rough stuff. if i was to put some dummies or cold game in there he wouldnt think twice about diving in and all the worries of hurting himself are gone. he quarters and he'll pick up the scent of game and his nose will be right on its **** but when it comes to flushing it he backs off. i just need to try and find a way of encouraging him to really push the game out how hes supposed to. its really puzzling me now as iv worked really hard and put in serious man hours with this dog. i know some springers just arent supposed hunt but im really hoping there is a way to solve it. any ideas will be much appreciated matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 More experience will give him confidence. Young dogs take a couple of years to toughen up a bit for facing thick cover. If he dived into every thicket for fun, you'd have to question his intelligence. If you can work him on game crops to get him really interested in the whole flushing thing he will get keener on facing cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 The dog sounds very well trained, perhaps too well trained to the extent that some of the drive has been knocked (not physically) out of him? Has he been chastised for chasing game at any time in the past? How much hunting on live game has he done? I would guess he'll get going with a bit more experience, you may need to slacken off on him a wee bit until he figures out how much fun he's having hunting then the obedience groundwork you've put in can be used to tidy up his hunting. Sounds like a good dog and a good prospect, best of luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Saw the title and thought it was yet another plumbing problem :look: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattc83 Posted January 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 had a bit of a rough start to be honest, let him off the lead too soon and started to chase squirrels etc, honed him back in but yes i did have to break him as he would not listen to me. now he knows the score ill take your advice and slack off him a bit n let him have some fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW80 Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Try him in a rabbit pen, lots of scent plus you can control him easier, never met a springer that doesn't like the scent of rabbit. I have the opposite problem at the minute have a dog who is rock steady on a flush but has started running in for a retieve if i actually managed to hit the rabbit!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBS Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 What exactly do you mean by " break him"? This might explain a lot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 had a bit of a rough start to be honest, let him off the lead too soon and started to chase squirrels etc, honed him back in but yes i did have to break him as he would not listen to me. now he knows the score ill take your advice and slack off him a bit n let him have some fun Basically, as WGD hinted at, you've "de-flushed" the dog by "breaking" him. You've trained him to return to you over flushing game as a priority, and now you need to re-instill the desire. If it can be done. I don't see why not if you give the dog game in the open and hup it after flushing or after the game flees (rabbit pen). Should soon get the plot again - especially with accompanying praise if the dog acts as trained. The cautionary tale I can offer is trainers who've used e-collars to stop their dog from running in - next thing, the dog's "blinking" birds, i.e., not acknowledging them at all, much less showing any intent to flush them. With that, it's sayonara flushing spaniel. Your case involves teaching and retraining - and the dog won't have been traumatised by improper e-collar application. You're advised to find a rabbit pen - and an experienced trainer to work you through the misstep. Good luck, MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattc83 Posted January 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 i didnt beat him if thats what your implying. just had to be a lot stearner on him as nothing i did would work, let him know that i was the boss no him.tried numerous trainers and one old school gun dog trainer told me i would never be able to work him which made me more determined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 i didnt beat him if thats what your implying. just had to be a lot stearner on him as nothing i did would work, let him know that i was the boss no him.tried numerous trainers and one old school gun dog trainer told me i would never be able to work him which made me more determined. I don't think anyone is implying beating in that way, think about it as trained so well he won't break on live game. Its quite funny but I have seen it a few times this year and with dogs from very good trainers and they have stopped terrified when they have lost contact with the handler in stuff like maize cover crops. Its a catch 22 you have a cracking retriever and you could keep him like that or have a rough shooting dog thats a little rough round the edges if you want to start working cover properly get another dog working along side and it will soon get yours to stray My dog being a pointer used to be iffy over thick cover but now goes at it like she has been trained by the SAS flat on her belly at times under brambles all its taken is half a seasons beating. However they do get very clued up on game and there you have another problem as the season progresses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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