TRAINING

Training sessions are arranged on a weekly basis on local grounds where members, new and old, can introduce their puppies or mature dogs to their jobs in the field.

We enjoy a full range of training experience in our membership and it comes to bear in every training session. Experienced members help newbies to train themselves and their dogs. While the veterans assist each other and work on fine tuning their own and their dogs abilities.

Whether you want to train your spaniel to hunt with you or you plan to have the next National Champion, training starts with the interest and desire to learn and work with your spaniel to get the best out of the team.

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of titles in electronic or hard copy form written over hundreds of years that can all offer some insight into reaching your training goals with your Spaniel.

Selecting the right Spaniel is the first step and there are some suggestions below.

Look at some of the resources here and then come and join us and learn with us.

Multi breed training session. Springer spaniels bernadoodle, mixed breed training session in the park

Multi breed training session with Spaniels in the park

Neighbourhood Classroom

Everyone is welcome.

These encounters provide a somewhat more challenging training session for each of the dogs to have to wait their turn.

Introducing a springer puppy to live birds

Wind Treatment - Contest Image

Wind and Pattern

Here is some GPS Tracking Data of the handler and the dog. The RED track is the handler who covered 919 meters, averaging 2.6 Km/H and the Dog BLUE track covered a distance of 4.1 km, averaging 11 Km/h with bursts up to 27 Km/h. The duration was 21 Minutes. The wind was out of the North East. The initial leg of the counter clockwise walk the dog was distracted by the backpack. Thereafter the dog settled in and ran the wind.

TRAINING

Training your Spaniel requires a few basics.

It requires a dog, some desire and commitment, knowledge and a goal.

Starting off with the right Spaniel for you is really one of the most important parts of the recipe. For comparison purposes, we will use a well known animal to illustrate a point.

Scottish Highland Pony or Triple Crown Winner Secretariat. There are both technically "horses", but have quite different abilities and purposes and excel in those areas of expertise.

highland ponies hauling red deer from the scottish highlandsd

Field bred English springer spaniel posing in the snow

English Springer Spaniels have branched into Show dogs and Field Bred lines. The Field bred side of the equation is very much focused on performance in the field and hunting ability. The differences become obvious after the puppy has grown up (Just like the horse illustration above). Both branches bird hunt, can do Agility, Obedience, Tracking and make excellent family members. Decide on your focus and then search for a puppy.

The English Springer Spaniel Club of Canada has an excellent website and their gallery demonstrates the breadth of the abilities of the Show bred English Springer Spaniel.

http://www.esscc.org/photo-gallery.html

English Cocker Spaniels are another Spaniel breed that has seen some branching off through breeding selection. Again, ensure that you are selecting the type of dog that meets your goals.

American Cocker Spaniel

English Cocker Spaniel

English Springer Spaniels and English Cocker Spaniels are far and away the predominant breeds involved in Spaniel Field Trials and Spaniel Hunt Tests in Canada and the US. These owners make up the greatest numbers of our membership.

There are several other breeds of Spaniel that need mentioning here which have their own qualities and boosters.

By no means is this a complete list of Spaniels, but we have covered the typical breeds we encounter regularly.

Everyone is welcome and we endeavour to assist every member is meeting their training goals with their Spaniel.

Welsh Springer Spaniels are a similar size to English Springers, having coat color and some confirmation differences.

Welsh Springer Spaniel

Clumber Spaniels are a much heavier boned spaniel and they are built for endurance not speed. In England a century ago the breed were the first Field Champions and were considered a gentlemen's dog. They have the friendly spaniel temperament and have good noses and hunt well.

Clumber Spaniel

You chose a dog.... now what?

From this point on we will have to assume that you want an excellent hunting companion and possibly some success in Hunt Tests or Field Trials.

Dog Sports Field Trails a Vet's summary.

Honestly, find a local Spaniel club or other hunting dog club that has regular training sessions and join. It is easier with other people to help.

There are a vast number of book titles on the subject of field training your Spaniel. The first is a Canadian Author and a good introduction. The rest noted below reach back all the way to the late 1800's.

Take your training/learning opportunities from a variety of sources.