Early spaniel training mistakes 

Chris, I have been training bird dogs for just over 40 years. This video echoes my sentiments. VERY sage info here. Some folk may need to watch this more than once. ;) Well done Sir!

Thank you x

Good advice

There are those who are Dog aware and manage the challenges and some are not. Training the owner is always more difficult than the dog

Great video..👍👍

Makes good sense Chris. Informative as always 👍🏻

Thanks - encouraging video 😊

You have a business to run, your telling people what to avoid. They can take your courses, book your time or see another professional. Why give away loads of information for nothing? It took you years and investment of money to get where you are. The videos are great keep them coming.

I agree about the recall. So nice to hear that from a trainer. I have 1 who I pretty much never recall, however if I did happen to say his name, he would spin round like a bullet because he knows we do exciting games together. I've never had to train him to ignore dogs; he ignores them because retrieving is his passion. I have never had to train him (in detail) to stop or recall off of a rabbit. Again, he does it because of his passion of retrieving. He does a perfect stop whistle because it is linked to the retrieve sequence. I have another dog who I brought up differently, he has great recall but his attention outside is minimal. He sticks with me but is not interested in games. Guess which one of these is more under control, the one that can recall or the one who I have a whale of a time with!?

Understanding the need for restrictions doesn't come naturally if you have never owned a Cocker, but based on my past experience, I understand completely the need for it. I grew up with a Lab and then Newfies. Then I got a non-working Cocker, followed by another 18 months later. Cocker's were VERY different and so much more fun and rewarding. I fell into all the traps that Chris has outlined .. Some were a problem, others I just tolerated. They were both very different dogs and well behaved. But as Chris highlighted, Some of my issues: Straying too far, Chasing Birds, and their ongoing mischievous 'con's' .. Didn't show up until 18-24 months. Many issues I managed to correct, other's I learned to tolerate. I had put a lot of hard work into them but was guilty of 'too much too soon' and then thinking that I had done a reasonable job working hard at what I thought was the way I was supposed to train them .. and then after 6-9 months I figured job done and I stopped the training. I took them on 30-40 min walks daily, and looking back, always felt the dogs grew bored and that I could have given them a much more rewarding life if I had known what I've learned watching Chris' vids and provided training that is specific to the breed. ... While I still mourn the loss of my two best friends, I'm looking forward to an even more rewarding lifetime with my next dog in a couple of weeks and working with Chris to bring out the best in her (and me)

🤣you funny , I rock wit you .

Hello, I’ve read online that owners try to ‘desensitising’ by getting their puppy used to the boot of their car for example then eventually park the car in different locations so the puppy can look out and get used to different sights/noises etc before it’s had all vacations and safe to go out properly. What are your thoughts on this?

Hi how can I stop my working cocker jumping up and biting me pls ,, it fetches blood 😢

Hi Chris, great videos! Is there any way to contact you directly as I’m keen to discuss training of a new puppy and some advise? Thanks, Sarah

What issues

Hi I've just came across your account I have just got a 26 week old sprocka spaniel could you give me some tips on how to train him because he doesn't really no any commands

Much for an O of the Bolivian

Sit n stay at those ages? Recall will save its life…..Recall is #1 and the root of retrieving. Be home base and you will always have a buddy. Keep forcing sit n stay at those ages and keep setting up opposition and defiance.

You keep talking about issues but have not explained any of them and how to over come them, pointless video IMHO

You said a whole lot of nothing