Dearest All,

I am in need of some simple, basic advice if possible.

My partner and I are avid shooters and we have recent agreed to buy a Springer. We have seen many and have finally (a lot of blood, sweat and tears mind) agreed on one. He is 4 weeks old and we will pick him up in a few weeks once everything is sorted. He comes from a great family of working docs, field champs, docked, dew clawed, KC registered etc etc.

However, he will be an outside dog and solely for working, any idea's, tips, websites, books for basic gun dog training?

All help/advise welcome.

Thanks,

Carly Parkinson.
carly@bluewaveinternational.com

Hi and Welcome...how about this ? other than that I'm of no help at all when it comes to working dogs

Hi Bagpipe,

Mnay thanks for your quick reply. I will check it out now.

Thanks again,

Carly.

Hello Carly,
welcome to ST.
Have you had a dog before ?

Hi Penel,

I have had dogs in the past, but not for working, pets/house dogs only, hence why all advise required!

Thanks,

Carly,

if you do a google search of a simple guide to gundog training by john weller which is available thro labrador rescue northwest plus the gundogclubs passing phase one is also an excellent guide

I was just wondering why you were going to make your new pup live outside that's all. Plenty of working dogs live inside and work just as well

Try books by Joe Irving - we have Training Spaniels, and it follows from pup through to adulthood and is geared towards working your spaniel.

Try contacting any local gundog clubs. They may hold group training sessions or they might be able to give you contact details for a good trainer, although you'll have to wait until the pup is 6 months old before any 'proper' training begins.

Where abouts in the country are you as we may know of someone in your area?

Don't know if you have a run yet, but caninekennels.com do some great stuff. That's where we bought our panels, and the girls have just moved in, and they love it

I agree with Penel about plenty of gundogs living in the house but I would say that it is easier to train a spaniel that is kennelled.

In the house there are many distractions and confusing activities going on. Lots of people passing by and probably lots of people giving the young dog the wrong signals and commands.

In kennels, contact with people can be limited to whoever is going to train the dog. Contact with other people can be supervised and because the dog is not with you all the time he/she looks forward to training sessions and you are more likely to be the centre of the dogs universe.

Good gundogs can be indoors or outdoors but I think it is a bit easier to train if they are kept outside.

Having said all that, all 3 of mine are indoors but I am great big softeeeeeee

Steve

The reason they work well if they are kennelled is because they don't have access to you all the time. For some dogs this is better, for some it's a relief I am sure to get away from the hoomans but others, and esp young pups, will need people around - they are, after all, pack animals.

After re-reading the opening post, I would have to say that an 8 week old pup would probably be better off indoors for the first few weeks and then introduced gradually to the run/kennel over a few weeks.

It would be traumatic for a pup to be taken from it's litter mates and put into a kennel on it's own. I was thinking other dogs would be there for company I seem to be able to read what's not there

Stev

Steve

Come and introduce mine to their kennel slowly please I think i may be doing a bit too slow as in there's the kennel andrun, now come on it's cold out here let go in by the fire

Carly - a great book is - Gundog training made easy by Eric Begbie
but as you can no doubt tell by my offer to Steve, I am a very big softie

agree that out in the kennel on his / her own to start with will be too much after leaving mum

Spose you could always sleep out there with the puppy

Hi Guys,

Thank you so much for you advice and pointers. I must agree, I think it will be traumatic enough for a 7/8week old pup to go straight outside. I will look into keeping him in the watmth and close to hoomans first. My concern with that is what if he gets comfortable indoors??!!?? We all do!

Maybe you are right penel, I should get my partner to sleep in the run with him too!! lol. Im not- Brrrr!

I will check out the books too, thanks again.

Carly

Our 2 are 2 1/2 years old and 18 months. They've both lived in the house up until a week or so ago. They have now moved into their new kennel & run and have adapted really well and really quickly.