Working with Different Dogs

I’m a setter bloke. I’ve owned Irish setters and English setters, and one day I might even get meself a Gordon setter. I like the way they hunt with their heads up high, their energy, and their easy-going natures. Setters are fond of people, and even better, they love having a job to do. Yeah, they’re a bit sensitive, and while I reckon other bird dogs are alright, I probably won’t own one. Why? ‘Cause I’m a setter bloke.

Most of me mates run other breeds. One, for instance, is a die-hard pointer bloke. Another is a shorthair sheila. Another favours Griffons. And another has Brits. None of 'em will likely own a setter or any other breed for that matter, and that’s fine. The real fun for me comes when we hunt and train all these different breeds 'cause I learn something new every time.

My mate's pointers are like well-oiled machines. They're tough, accurate, and never tire out in the bush. My mate's commands are tailored for his dogs: they're sharp, clear and straight to the point. He doesn't beat around the bush, he trains with a firm hand, and he's always one step ahead of them. His dogs work with the precision of a surgeon. They comb the highlands leaving no birds behind. Sometimes they'll want to stretch their legs properly and really open up. During those times he'll switch to a field hunt for pheasant or quail and give them a bit of space to run. I observe his methods and adopt some of his techniques with my own dogs.

The shorthairs are a funny mob. They're clever and gutsy and if I had to say so they're independent. They like people but they're keen to be challenged. My mate has developed a progressive training routine in which she regularly ups the ante. A top training mate for the shorthair is the pointer; they've got a natural competitiveness that boosts both dogs' intensity. Sometimes the shorthairs want to dip their webbed feet in the water and that's a crucial part of the training routine. To keep her dogs' attention my mate mixes field work with a bit of a splash now and then. The switch from casting in the bush for woodcock to blind retrieves on ducks brings out their very best, and during the hunting season she'll routinely switch it up from the uplands to the marsh. A constant challenge is important and I make sure to use that tactic with my setters.

Springers are keen to please, quick to learn, and happy to obey. They're natural retrievers with gentle mouths, and me mate had no worries training his dogs to fetch-to-hand. His dogs quarter well but he did have to put in some time on the positive flush. When they were young they hesitated when they found birds, and regular practice with pigeons and spring woodcock helped them learn the difference between foot and body scent. And since they're dogs with a strong desire to please, me pointer mate had to learn to ease up a bit on his handling.

Every handler has a breed that simply steals his or her heart, and setters stole mine. But working with different breeds helps me improve my own training. And it helps others with theirs. Our training routines are a team effort, an interesting one that enables each of us to elevate our dogs’ levels of play. We are all better for it, and in the end, that’s what matters.