working Cocker Spaniel training

My 7 month old working cocker learning to take directions while retrieving in water

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Gun
• Dog
• Training

[RandomDancer117]

Aw! I have 2 cocker spaniel puppies (10 months) and they have working and show in them, and I wish we had trained them to do this!

[stevesarah]

@RandomDancer117

Hi

They are still very, very, young and you can still get them to this stage easily, see my other posts regarding retirieves. Most trainers do not recommend formal training until 12 months anyway. Mine just happened to want to do this at 6 months, persevere and enjoy your lovely dogs whatever they achieve

[ilovemypony7]

hiya!! i have a working cocker spaniel who has the tinest bit if show in him and he runs away with the toy when i ask him to come back with it?? he is 8months old. please help!!(:Xxx

[stevesarah]

@ilovemypony7

Hi and happy new year

Try him on a long (very long) leash and use short retrieves to start with lots of praise when he completes, graduate to the same length of retrieves but get a gundog whistle and 'pip' him while still on a leash until he gets the association and reward the retrieve. And so on until he really gets it. You will need to persevere these dogs are willful. Let me know how you get on

[turnertower]

How did you get him to remain interested in retrieving so much? My chocolate boy is 4 months and he's interested for a bit but gets bored unless I use treats all the time!

[stevesarah]

@turnertower

Hi

4 months is a little early to expect him to be very focused and on task. Mine has always been an avid retriever and I used treats when he returned a ball or dummy gradually, reducing the treats for every retrieve to every other for a week, every third for a week etc until setting him off for a retrieve became the reward for bringing the ball etc back to me.

Don't try to get him to do too much at once as he is still very young.

Enjoy him

[wilson34211]

How do you get them started on the whistle anyways? Our new pup is a little retriever i just feel like she could do so much more If I knew a little on the training. I'm a avid bird hunter think it would be an awesome experience to be able to take my dog.

[wilson34211]

great looking dog by the way..

[rosegrabham]

@wilson34211 Springers only come in Liver and White or Black and White rarely with tan markings. Working Cockers are similar looking but much smaller and come in a variety of different colours, like this lovely chocolate one.

[stevesarah]

Working Cockers are very different from show cockers and do look like small springers. have a look at some workers on line and you will see what I mean