update on my not so little 10 month old and controlling him when out

after taking advice from members on here and some reading up off the back of that advice, I got a 'Spaniel Specific' whistle of the right frequency and started using this while he was on long lead in the local park.

We did this over December and the New Year just seemed to produce a new dog.

We are both now able to enjoy some good walks around Sherwood Forest and other places (im lucky enough to live only 10 minutes drive from Sherwood Pines) with him running around off the lead and responding almost perfectly to the whistle for recall.

Thanks to all who gave advice, my next steps are to move onto the stay and other more complex stuff.

Sit and or stay is the easy bit, every time you've out with the dog just tell it sit over and over gradually extending the time do this while on the lead. When he is sitting go back to him to praise him, don't call him to you or the reward is for coming to you not for being sat.

Cheers for all your advice Archie

In conjunction with the whistle, we always hold our arms out, making a letter 'T' so they can pick us out from a distance if other people are about. We have two deaf Cockers in our group too and they come back on the 'T'. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

yes I do that too without even thinking about it, my old Springer had declining hearing for a long while prior to going pretty much totally deaf so I always put my arms out particularly if there are crowds of people about on Sunday strolls.

I also have 2 kinds of recall that both of mine respond(ed) to which is if I recall and stand still, come back to me and sit/lie at my feet or if i recall and carry on walking then that means to come back but only to touch base and carry on. The new pup has picked up on that already and behaves well.

Molly. Not long after she was born it was found that she was deaf. Then her head twisted to one side. The vet gave her 6 months to live as he said brain damage. That was 15 years ago! She had an incredible sense of smell and could always find a downed bird in the woods when the others couldn’t. If she got lost she would just howl until we came to her. She was even dognapped by travellers 6 years ago for over a week and was only returned when her female owner went into travellers sites and caused all sorts of a fuss. Ended up on the Alan Tichmarsh show when they did a programme about stolen pets. She was known by all as 'the deaf 'un' and was put to sleep today after deteriorating badly over the last few days. Vet said the deterioration was so sudden, he suspected a brain bleed. She went to sleep while being fed her favourite - a gravy bone. She had such a personality and will be sorely missed by everyone but she had the absolute best of lives and that’s all you can ever hope for.

Molly - back right.

 Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

sorry to hear that Steve, but from 6 months to 15 years... clearly an amazing dog and very loved.

Spaniels are such amazing animals, my vet has said to me that all animals can mask pain very well, but Spaniels are the most resilient. They all love the breed at the vets, and mine has won a few hearts there even if he can be an idiot sometimes.

I do however think you need a car with a bigger boot

im sorry to hear Steve.
I always found it the hardest thing to do is to take a dog to the vets for the final time.
I lost my Beagle over 25 years ago but that day is still stuck in my mind and still miss her very much. She was one huge character and a total pain in the back side but loveable.
We had 13.5 years of fun and joy. better to of had than not at all. Jaguar x-type sport gone
Jaguar x-type 2.2d sport one of my best cars ever sadly gone
Freelander 2 GS auto 2008 most unreliable ever ! gladly gone
Freelander 2 GS manual 2013 only time will tell !

It's always a sad time but take heart you gave her a good life.

Today we went to a game fair in Hertfordshire with our friends and our dogs. There were all sorts of displays going on with shooting, gun dogs, retrievers, falconry etc. There was one field that visitors could enter their own dog in a competition, a 'scurry' it is called. Basically, you and your dog stand in a square in a field and someone on the other corner of the field throws a dummy pheasant into some bushes, your dog retrieves it and then it’s repeated on another corner of the field. It’s all timed and the fastest dog of the day wins. Anyway, our Cocker Spaniel is normally good at that sort of thing so I entered her. What a farce! My dog failed to see the dummy being thrown so was running around aimlessly with me pointing and shouting directions to no avail and then she suddenly stops and decides to have a poo right in the middle of the field. Everyone was laughing, especially my wife and our friends. Of course I had no poo bags on me so I had to go over and get one from my wife. Then, I couldn’t find the bloody poo so I’m doing exactly the same as my dog - running around aimlessly while my wife, friends, assorted onlookers and the organiser are directing me to it’s location. Apparently it’s quite common as the dogs get all excited. Still, funny for the onlookers as well as my friends. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

We went there today as well and had a good day, anyway that's spaniels for you but it was just a bit of fun.

Like they say, Labs are born half trained and spaniels die half trained  D4 HSE Lux for me
FL2 HSE Zermatt & Alpacca for the wife now gone
Skoda Yeti L&K for the wife.

You have never had a well trained spanner then

Just pulling your leg, a well trained spaniel is a joy, unfortunately too many are incapable of training them. We breed whippets, some of which my wife has done competitive obedience with if they haven't made the grade in the show ring. I used to course them and had one who used to come shooting with me. My wife however has just bought this.

Click image to enlarge

You are correct lots of folk have a spaniel and don't understand the drive and work it needs. This is little Stan he is a truly amazing gun dog, my last one was good but Stan I think will be a dog in a lifetime and been a pleasure to train.
I love the little whippet I I didn't have a spaniel I would have one
Stan is two and a half years old he was in a rabbit pen at 8 month old, he seamlessly goes from beating, to peg dog to a pigeon hide dog with no fuss or drama.