8mo old Englsih Cocker

[Leon]

Hello. I am new to the forum and this is my first post. I was hoping to gain soem training wisdom for those out there much more seasoned than me. I recently got a wonderful field bred english cocker who seems to have amazing instincts. He actually spent months 2-6 of his life on a quail plantation on birds and retrieving some. He is VERY birdy and goes absolutely crazy (in a good way ) when he sees a shot gun or hears a gunshot. He is now to the point where I tell him to sit he does so on my left side, I'll then show him a bumper/dokkens wooduck and tell him to "mark" he'll watch it land and will not release until say so (my release command is his name). he brings it right back everytime, never tugs, and never avoids me. He will do the same thing if I tell him to sit and go ~30yds away throw the bumper-> he'll release on name and bring it to me. He will do all of this as well with water retrieves (he LOVES the water). Additionally out in the field he goes crazy after game (squirrels (actually caught one the other day), ducks, any birds you name it he chases it......hard.

I am very happy with his progress but am struggling for the next step and really do not know what to be expecting and at what age to expect it.

Other things he will do
sit to whistle (most times in the middle of a retrieve)
sit to hand command
he will not heel.

I don't really know what to do next, i.e introduce hime to pigeons, work on quartering, blind retrieves, more whiste commands etc. He is my first real bird dog. I have hunted dove, duck, and quail all my life but never with a brid dog of my own to train. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for being so longwinded and glad to have found this forum.

Thanks,
Ben

[Dennmor]

I'll leave the advice to those more knowledgeable than I.
But I wold like to say welcome!
I think diversity is a good thing on this forum and I look forward to hearing more about your Cocker's exploits.
dennmor

[mtlee]

Welcome and you would have loved the American Gun Dog I watched today. I'm not sure when it originally aired (I had it TiVo'ed), but they had 13 English Cockers I believe. They were hunting quail in Texas over Pointers. When the Pointers located birds, they'd shoot them, then they'd let 4-6 of the English Cockers out of the truck to retrieve all the downed birds. It was wild, those little guys were intense! I know that did not answer your question. Just thought I'd share.

[Don]

I'd like to see some photo's of your dog. I don't recall ever seeing one but have heard they really do still hunt.

To start field work, just plant lots of pigeons and turn her loose. She catches them, don't worry about it. The harder she tries to catch them the better she'll put a wild bird in the air. She flushes,in decent range, shoot the bird. Keep a good number of birds down so she's used to finding birds near you. Keep working on her dropping on commaand. She get's on a trail and leaving range you'll need to drop her to keep her from flushing out of range. Drop is the hup/sit command.

[bobman]

sound like the dog is already trained better than most, where do you live what state?

[Gordon Guy]

I use to own a English Cocker too. Great little dogs. I'm going to get one again, but not right now says my wife. I agree with Bobm, It sounds as if you're ready to take that dog huntin. Just be as disciplined with your pup while hunting as you are in training and you'll have a teriffic companion. Remember this though, he is only 8 months old. He's still too young to expects a lot from him. Hunt with him for a season, with the training you have already instilled, and determine what additional training you have to expand on before the next season rolls around. Finding a spaniel club in your area might be a good idea too. They could help you more than us pointer people can. Not that we don't want you here, but there aren't many spaniel owners on this board as compared to pointer owners. Welcome! Looking forward to your input.

Tom

[Killer Instinct]

Hi Ben - Currently I own a 1 yr old Springer Spaniel & found myself in the same position as you (what do I do next?) as I also haven't trained a dog for hunting purposes. Some options: You might want to check for local bird dog clubs in your area - they will have advise on training methods. Also you might want to pick up a book called "Working Springers & Cockers" by Mike Smith - I've discovered valuable training tips for my springer. And then there's the option of going with a pro for private lessons....
Hope this helps,
Tammy

P.S. From one spaniel owner to another - Welcome aboard!

[sparkyflint]

Couple of books to recommend:

Urban Gundoghttp://www.amazon.com/Urban-Gun-Dogs-Tr ... pd_sim_b_2

and

Huphttp://www.amazon.com/Hup-Training-Flus ... 689&sr=8-1

[snips]

I love those little guys! And I saw the show where they opened the doors and cut them little guys loose to retrieve, what a HOOT! Looked like a bunch of wind-up toys!! I would suggest let him find some wils or good flying liberated birds dragging a CC and start putting a soft HUp in after he flushes. Sometimes I let them flush the birds and start Hup in the field between the birds before putting it with birds. I use the whistle lightly for range control...

[Trekmoor]

Hi Ben. I hope this post reaches you, I am having computer problems . Your cocker pup sounds great and is doing much more than mine was at the same age. I bought one of this terrific breed 4 months ago from a man who couldn't keep him due to having injured himself in a shooting accident. This man had bred him himself and was intending field trialling him. The pup had been "free hunted ." This basically means it was let loose day after day among lots of wild rabbits while its owner turned a blind eye !

This kind of training makes for a headcase keen hunter of cover and of game. Then comes the fun part - keeping the pup hunting like fury but changing the chase into a sit to flush. It was at this stage that I bought my pup. He had never heard a whisle blown . He would sit to voice within about 4 feet of me and do a twenty foot marked retrieve on land. That was it !

He has come on very well, he is my first cocker. A brilliant breed , natural ability levels are so high they trickle out of the dogs ears ! I am very impressed with this breed.
We do use our cockers for flushing birds here. Mainly pheasants but also grouse. The breeds main trialling work is done on rabbits which is why keen triallers free hunt them on rabbits then pray that they can regain control !!! :roll: That is what I am trying to do at the moment, turn that chase to flush into a sit to flush while retaining the pups drive and boldness. If I come down on a chase too hard the pup might begin to blink the rabbits - a disaster !

I am aware that what you are aiming towards is a much more feather orientated dog but I believe you would be well served in the future if you carefully taught the sit to whistle and the sit to flush at all sorts of varying ranges.

Good luck , you sound as pleased with your cocker as I am with mine.

Bill T.

[Trekmoor]

Sorry , but YIPPEE this is the first time for months that I've managed to get into the forum !
Bill T.