training a springer

[glenure]

My first spaniel was sired by Hales Smut. Would work all day; usually in Shropshire. I was shooting in Cheshire! Best nose any of my dogs have had. Must be 35 years ago now! Memories hey?

 

[Hales Smut]

Probably 45 years ago. Smut was in trials in the sixties, even the early sixties. You will be much longer in spaniëls then I am. I got my first springer in 1991 after owning a Griffon Korthals.

 

[Legolas]

Simon, I have a springer who will walk to heel anywhere on either a slack lead or no lead. It took a bit of work but it really paid off. The method I used was to get a chest harness and use this for day to day walks / exercise when you aren't training him. Only ever put the slip lead round his neck when you are doing lead training. That way he can get used to pulling all he wants on the harness but when the lead goes on his neck he knows it's different. With respect to the training, you need to associate any tension on the lead with the dog not being able to make any progress. So literally, if you take one step and the dog pulls, stop, once the dog stops pulling, guide him back into the heal position and then take another step/steps till he pulls again, then stop and repeat. It will take ages to get even a few metres, but it doesn't matter because you are safe in the knowledge that when you need to rush him out for a walk or a quick crap etc you can put him on the harness And he can pull all he likes.

If if you are 100% consistent in only using the lead when you are actively training, after a while of the basic stopping as described above, the dog will cotton on and then start to look at you when you stop, when he does this you can start adding praise as you move him back into the heal position, eventually he'll start to move back on his own accord. When this happens you can start to add the heal command, that way he wil associate it with being by your side - there's no point yanking a dog about on a lead randomly shouting heal as it will mean nothing to them. As long as he's in the right position the word will be associated with the location.

after maybe a few weeks of half an hour training four or five times a week you should be able to walk further and further with a slack lead, just make sure that as soon as it goes tight, stop and carry out the above. You have to be so very consistent to ensure that pulling on the lead equals getting nowhere, and for all other times when you are not training use the harness so there is a distinct differation to the dog between pulling on the lead and the harness. Eventually you can bin the harness.... And to a degree the lead, if your dog walks to heal without the lead, as soon as he goes a little bit forward, stop, and again he will soon make the association and come back to heal.

im no dog trainer by a long shot but the above worked brilliantly for me and my dog and it makes for such an easier life not being dragged around.

 

[JMH123]

Good luck with the training. I always thought of springers (I have two) as the classic car of the sporting world. Not always that reliable, but totally rewarding and always interesting. The lab is I'm afraid the Ford Mondeo. Nothing wrong with it, perfectly reliable and indeed the sensible choice. Not very memorable or exciting though......

 

[Steve7046]

Simon, I have a springer who will walk to heel anywhere on either a slack lead or no lead. It took a bit of work but it really paid off. The method I used was to get a chest harness and use this for day to day walks / exercise when you aren't training him. Only ever put the slip lead round his neck when you are doing lead training. That way he can get used to pulling all he wants on the harness but when the lead goes on his neck he knows it's different. With respect to the training, you need to associate any tension on the lead with the dog not being able to make any progress. So literally, if you take one step and the dog pulls, stop, once the dog stops pulling, guide him back into the heal position and then take another step/steps till he pulls again, then stop and repeat. It will take ages to get even a few metres, but it doesn't matter because you are safe in the knowledge that when you need to rush him out for a walk or a quick crap etc you can put him on the harness And he can pull all he likes.

If if you are 100% consistent in only using the lead when you are actively training, after a while of the basic stopping as described above, the dog will cotton on and then start to look at you when you stop, when he does this you can start adding praise as you move him back into the heal position, eventually he'll start to move back on his own accord. When this happens you can start to add the heal command, that way he wil associate it with being by your side - there's no point yanking a dog about on a lead randomly shouting heal as it will mean nothing to them. As long as he's in the right position the word will be associated with the location.

after maybe a few weeks of half an hour training four or five times a week you should be able to walk further and further with a slack lead, just make sure that as soon as it goes tight, stop and carry out the above. You have to be so very consistent to ensure that pulling on the lead equals getting nowhere, and for all other times when you are not training use the harness so there is a distinct differation to the dog between pulling on the lead and the harness. Eventually you can bin the harness.... And to a degree the lead, if your dog walks to heal without the lead, as soon as he goes a little bit forward, stop, and again he will soon make the association and come back to heal.

im no dog trainer by a long shot but the above worked brilliantly for me and my dog and it makes for such an easier life not being dragged around.

We are using a similar approach on the slip lead with our working Clumber.

 

[willowbank]

Im currently training my springer who is 10 months old, or should I say trying to train..He's really steady using dummy's which is great and will hopefully move onto rabbits soon. He's only going to be used to retrieve rabbits and then hopefully track deer.
The problem I have with him is on the lead, he pulls like a train even with a slip lead. I would like to get him to walk nicely to heal and then progress to no lead so any advice would be nice

Cheers

Training a Springer...... Good luck with that..... Get yourself "a proper dog" ,

Labs are born half trained and Springers die half trained lol.

ATB a Lab man.

 

[willowbank]

Good luck with the training. I always thought of springers (I have two) as the classic car of the sporting world. Not always that reliable, but totally rewarding and always interesting. The lab is I'm afraid the Ford Mondeo. Nothing wrong with it, perfectly reliable and indeed the sensible choice. Not very memorable or exciting though......

All depends on the breeding, good Labs can be too much dog for some handlers, having a litter in July!!!

ATB WB

 

[JMH123]

Absolutely. Get a lab. Easy life. Eat ready meals too. And paper plates. MMM. Only teasing. I'm sure labs are very rewarding

 

[willowbank]

Absolutely. Get a lab. Easy life. Eat ready meals too. And paper plates. MMM. Only teasing. I'm sure labs are very rewarding

HA HA For many years there has always been this good natured rivalry on shoots about Springers and Labs and I hope it continues. But to be fair they are dogs bred for completely different purposes the Lab is the steady hunter/ retriever, a very good swimmer but (to be fair) not that keen on heavy cover, a rock solid peg dog.

Wheras the Springer is the "Maid of all trades" flighty and a bit headstrong but fearless in cover (and suffers terribly with the long tail) can be a tad hyperactive leading to unsteadiness this is where the Lab scores.

When I was younger I trained 2 Springers as rough shooting dogs, I now keep Labs.

ATB WB.

 

[JMH123]

Bang on willowbank. Accurate summary. One takes ones choice and we all love our dogs. I would love a lab too- if I had one. Both springers watching telly with me now. One of them smells a bit funny- I think they've been rolling In badger poo again.....

 

[Dogs]

The old fashioned/ Field trial ways was not to train a spaniel to heel, until it is hunting like a mainiac, and even then most never really walk to heel. Esp the FT trainers are too worried it will impact on hunting drive. Se them on trials pulling handlers about no good for an average rough shooter or dog owner.

I generally attempt to get a dog walking to heel straight away when i get them at 3 months, then they don't know any better, althou with my GWp it was a real mission started geat got to about 6-12 months was a real PITA, fine on/off lead now thou but bloody hard work

Patience and repetition is the only ways, even get a lesson of a decent trainer is never a bad thing.

If ur timing for correction or when u say heel is off the dog could be understanding hee to be something different entirely. Same with treats or praise if ur timings off u could be rewarding the thing ur trying to stop.
Someone already mentioned the slip lead are u sure u've got it on the right way? Be amazed how many folk dont know, the metal ring should always be on the bottom part so comes slack straight away.

Try altering speeds of walk esp walking slow, dead slow changing direction and walking figure of 8's, but only praise and say 'heel' when ur dog is in the EXACT position u want, as soon as he pulls forward u must correct, no good letting it walk for 2,5, 10 mins out of position then correct dog doesnae know wot its getting corrected for. Just confuses them
I was always told a sharp jerk upwards in inwards is the best to corect as pulling straight baack just encourags it to pull.

Other things already mentioned like turning 180's away from dog (ie to right if dog on left side) as soon as dog moves in front, or stopping every time he goes in front. Often a dominance thing trying to be the leader of pack so out in front leading

if more persistant the figure of 8 with slip lead over nose works but have to be gentle as casn strain neck, or the FT hpr style put slip lead very very high on neck and use the stop to hoold it there sometimes tucking a lug into it (but sort of defeats the point of a slip lead, but most hpr pull a lot too)
If ur using a thin whippy stick to touch its nose u want the stick to be swinging like a pendulum all the time in front so dog walks into the stick, not u hitting it with it, give it a visual thing not to pull as always swinging in front of its nose.

Always worth gettin a lesson of a deent trainer, i had dogs for years afore i went to local gundog club and had a lesson or 2 with decent trainers, wot a difference it makes. It's so easy when folk show u the right/easy way.
Even reading books or on here or watching a dvd easy to misunderstand or miss an important but subtle thing there doing that makes all the diffrence.
A dog that is going to pull for the next 10+ years is a PITA a lesson is well worth it

Is it true that walking to heel will mess up hunting drive? How come?

 

[timbrayford]

Im currently training my springer who is 10 months old, or should I say trying to train..He's really steady using dummy's which is great and will hopefully move onto rabbits soon. He's only going to be used to retrieve rabbits and then hopefully track deer.
The problem I have with him is on the lead, he pulls like a train even with a slip lead. I would like to get him to walk nicely to heal and then progress to no lead so any advice would be nice

Cheers

That's normal for a spaniel. Try just getting him to walk to heel , hold the unattached lead in the hand nearest him and every time that he advances in front of your hand flick the lead in front of his nose nb no need to make contact. It requires a bit of patience and a lot of repetition but it works.

 

[Len the dog]

I think in the intervening 8 years he’s either mastered it or given up.