# Uninterested English Springer Spaniel



## DacMan (Nov 14, 2010)

Hey everybody,
I'm new here so here's my little intro, I'm DacMan and my dog's name is Anna. I have a question for all the dog guys out there (I'll try to keep it short) My dog Anna is a English Springer Spaniel, and like most is a really sweet, compasionate dog, but she seems to have zero hunting sense. I took her rabbit hunting this weekend, and she didn't neccesairly quarter, but instead ran to each of the hunters who were abreast. She won't inspeact brush. I killed a rabbit while she was there and she had no intrest. I put it in front of her and she couldn't have cared less. I don't know what to do but i'm kinda stuck. BTW she's 5 years old is not gun shy, and I have taught her to retrieve dummy toys with great precision on land. Any advice other than get rid of her would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, DacMan


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## DacMan (Nov 14, 2010)

Anybody? oke:


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Hunting a dog such as yours with another, much more experienced dog will sometimes get the "light to come on". To my knowledge, springers are not much, as rabbit dogs go, although I can't think of any reason they should not be used as such. I know that my springer and her kennel mate cocker, will both retrieve the occasional cottontail I shoot to hand. I do not, however, allow either one of them to persue rabbits in the field as a matter of course. We take to the field to hunt birds, and I try not to let the girls change their focus very often.
Best of luck,
Burl


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## DacMan (Nov 14, 2010)

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. She has spent her life with an english setter who is crazy about birds. But ofcourse that's a pointing dog not a flusher. I just feel that I need to get her excited about birds and rabbits, and am beggining to think that possibly rewarding her with a treat every time she's around a bird might be a good thing, sortof a positive reinforcment deal.

DacMan


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## The_Edouard (Oct 5, 2010)

Have you tried hobbling a pheasant or pigeon and letting her chase it to build her enthusiasm about birds? Just let her catch it and do whatever she wants to with it and give her lots of praise. After you do that a few times then start planting birds for her and have her flush them (followed by lots of praise), then shoot one over her (followed by lots of praise). You have to start with her like she is a puppy and treat it as such, no pressure and you can not get frustrated just let her learn. Of course this does not work over night and is just a short overview of the process. You just need to be patient and she will atleast become some sort of a bird dog for you. Oh yeah and it would probabaly help to do hunting related activities all year and not just during hunting season, even if you are just taking walks in the trees or through a field.


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## DacMan (Nov 14, 2010)

Thanks for the advice, I was actually thinking of doing somthing like that, I should cut the "flight feathers" of the initial training birds correct? Thanks Again

DacMan


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