Hey guys! I am getting a new gun dog (Welsh Springer Spaniel) and i can't wait to start working with her (She is the one one the right, her brother is on the left). What are some great training resources that i should start looking into? Also, what recommendations do you have for a good e-collar that won't break the bank?
The two biggest thing a bird dog needs to know: "woah" and "come" The rest is all instinct. I have a year and a half old Llewellin setter, got her at 6 weeks and have worked with ever almost every day since. Any bird dog, in my opinion, is the easiest to train. Woah and come are the two big ones, but you have to watch what you let them get away with as well. No running squirrels or rabbits or you'll have distractions from the field of birds and be on rabbits instead, which maybe I'm just mean, but it pisses me off. For an e collar, I went to bass pro and got a 100 yard IQpet, it was like 120 bucks.
Totally agree with Haywood, I believe the #1 thing is to be careful of gun shy dog. I took my buddy here Drake when he was 4 months old on a hunt with his dad and uncle. ish. I believe this made him safe from being gun shy because the first shot he heard he felt comfortable by his dad. Also if a dog does become gun shy or you want to prevent it I have also heard of taken a dog in the garage for feeding time and bang the dish on the ground 1 time then fill it with food and let him/her eat. This relates that sound with food. So in the field the bird would be the food. I have never used a collar for any dog. If trained properly and dog listens a whistle is all you need.
