Is there hope for my excitable gun dog?

You must have total control over your gun dog before entering the field.

By Mark Whitehouse

Wednesday, 08 December 2010

My one-year-old spaniel still has a lot of puppy in her.

I brought her into the field on the second day I had her and let her off her lead.

She ran and stopped as we walked-up to a ditch about 10-15ft in front of me, which I was pleased with.

But when I called her name to come back she was reluctant to do so and carried on searching.

The cover got heavier and she got further away.

I eventually caught up with her and put her on the lead as a punishment.

Her previous owner said when the dog gets a rabbit scent she will not come back. What should my next move be?

MARK WHITEHOUSE SAYS: Taking an untrained one-year-old into the field the second day you’ve owned her is a tonic for disaster.

The previous owner did not have her under control when she came across rabbit scent, so what chance do you have after only owning her for one day?

She will need at least two to three weeks to adapt to her new surroundings.

Reinstate all foundation training in a confined space; walking at heel on and off the lead and teaching sit and stop to the whistle are all imperative with a hard hunting dog.

The stop whistle will act as the brakes at all times.

Recall is important as this keeps matters under control if things get tense, and if you are not in control at a distance you can call her to heel and let her settle.

Once you feel that you have total control of your dog around the home and garden, and all foundation training is back in place, take three or four lessons with a professional trainer in a rabbit pen.

Training in this controlled environment means you and your dog can be put to the test before a professional and all mistakes can be ironed out.

For more gun dog training advice click here