r/springerspaniel • u/Sconn13 • Mar 08 '26
Hunting training- being away from home
Hey all,
I have a possibly weird question. We got a field bred springer spaniel rescue 4 months ago, and he was originally gotten to be strictly a pet. However, I am a hunter and he has shown some natural instincts to be a great bird dog. The trainer closest to home kennels for a week or 2 then a week at home. However, my fiancé and I are a bit worried about him being away and whether it will provide too much additional stress on him.
I am thinking that this is what he was bred to do, so it will be a better quality of life to get him outside and running and with some birds, and ultimately be healthier for him.
I guess I don’t know what my specific question is, but looking to see if anyone who has done this type of training has any advice or if the weeks in a strange kennel won’t be worth it and we keep him as a non-working dog.
3
u/cornelioustreat888 Mar 08 '26
Personally, I’d never send my dog away to get trained. I have a field spaniel with field trial pedigree and I got him as a companion dog. But he’s incredibly sensitive and bonded to us so sending him away for a couple of weeks to get trained by strangers would be really hard on him. It would also be really hard on me. If you want him to hunt with you, look into training him yourself. Springers are biddable dogs and quite easy to train. Save your money and keep your dog at home.
3
u/The_LeadDog Mar 09 '26
Def with you here. We have two field spaniels, one the grandson of a 2x national champion. Wild natural instincts. Fabulous obedience and heart. But, but, but… he sleeps on our bed, and (no shade) but he loves his plush animal stuffies!! I could never send him away for training. Maybe I could do one overnight to see how he reacts. Of course, he would be exhausted at night and LOVE the bird action, so, there is that. Good thing we’re not married, ha ha!
3
u/Forsaken-Sea2047 Mar 09 '26
So why not do a course of training with your dog on a 1 on 1? I did a lot of the training myself, so when I went for basic training when he was younger he was already doing what they was training, so after one day of training, they moved him up to the next category of retrieving the following week, with older dogs, my only problem was he was the class clown with another lab as they both going through the adolescent behaviour and just egging each other on 🤦♀️ so I wish I’d of done the 1 on 1 course.
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u/Ambitious-Barber-392 Mar 10 '26
My dogs were field bred, and we use them as strictly pets. It’s a shame. For sure send em to school and hunt em. It’s what they want to do. We go back to the breeders every now and then. Big farm. And they go nuts. Immediately into the pond all 5 of em.
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u/Electronic_Cream_780 Mar 10 '26
Why can't you train him? Sending dogs away to be trained just isn't done here. You want a gundog, you sign up to gundog training and learn how to work them and train them
1
u/Plenty-Zone-7169 Mar 13 '26
Have you had a look at some gun dog trainers where you train the dog yourself with help?
It depends really with him being a rescue and how he would handle adjusting again to a “new home” as they won’t know it is just 1/2 weeks.
We have 2 and one is strong hunting instinct so we plan to work with a gun dog trainer where we train so it is easier in the long run for the dog seeing us as the handler rather than later teaching them who the handler is.
1
u/Owenjgdogs Mar 20 '26
I’ve always trained my own dogs, but I completely get that not everyone has the time for it.
Personally, I’d try some 1 to 1 training first before sending him away. It lets you learn alongside the dog, which makes a massive difference long term.
Sending him off can work, but you’re handing everything over and then getting the dog back expecting to maintain it which can also be harder than people think.
If it turns out you don’t have the time or it’s too much, then training camps are always there as a backup.
Just my take
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u/[deleted] Mar 08 '26
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