How to Train a Spaniel to Hunt

The different breeds of spaniel are favored dogs for those who hunt, especially for birds. Many have a built-in instinct for hunting. As with any hunting dog, it takes patience and a logical flow to train a spaniel, though most breeds catch on fairly quickly.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dog treats
• Live or dead birds (or bird feathers)

1. Consider the breed of spaniel you have. There are many different kinds such as Brittany, Cocker, English and King Charles. All can be trained to hunt, though some are better at it than others. Experts suggest that pups of good hunting dogs will be good hunters as well.

2. Start with basic training. Simple commands such as "come," "stay," "go," "heel" and "fetch" will be used when you train the spaniel to hunt.

3. Work on retrieving once basic commands are in place. Use something the dog loves, such as a toy. Throw the toy, and as soon as the spaniel has it in the mouth, give the command to "come."

4. Move on to train the flushing part of the hunt. This is more complicated, and it's essential the spaniel obeys basic commands for this part. You have to teach the dog to move left, right and then forward. This is known as quartering.

5. Use a small section of low grasses or a field to train the flushing aspect of the hunt. Let the dog roam a bit, then give the command to stop and sit. Walk to the left of the dog and give the command to hunt, indicating the dog should move to your position. The "hunt" command is new to the spaniel, but eventually they get the idea. Repeat this to the other side.

6. Repeat the left, right and forward training using the word "hunt" as a command. The spaniel eventually works with the nose to the ground in a zigzag pattern.

Tips & Warnings

• Reinforce hunt training with your spaniel regularly.
• Always use praise but be careful in using treats for reinforcement. The treats are useful for the flushing training, but not when teaching to retrieve because the spaniel will drop whatever is in its mouth to get the goodie.
• Consider hunt classes or a professional trainer. Remember, though, it's best to participate rather than turn the training over to someone else. A local hunting club often offers beginning and refresher courses.
• Use live or dead birds to get the spaniel used to the prey in the hunt. Bird feathers can be substituted.

Resources

• Graigour Gundogs is an example of a profession hunt trainer.