Gundog Training - The Beating Line. 

Cockers will hunt when they find scent, Springers will hunt for scent.....

Dogs have jobs and I have seen some good labs hunting but as there not a hunting dog they never have the same ground treatment pattern as a Spaniel so in turn miss ground. Yes you will get the kennel blind people that will argue there lab can hunt as well as a spaniel comparing it to a dog on there local shoot. A well trained spaniel will always hunt better than a well trained lab just as a well trained lab will always have the edge on retrieving than a well trained Spaniel in terms of marking due to the high difference long distance retrieving lining and water work. As for the speed of the dog a faster dog will cover more ground so projecting more game a slower dog will cover less ground and not be able to keep up with the game as they will have time to run on. It’s total rubbish that a slower dog will be more thorough and find more game. I would say if someone has never owned a spaniel a driven one with speed and only had lads then a spaniel will probably be to much at first.

Evening Peter, it really is “horses for courses” a hard hunting spaniel (under control) will find game in the thickest of cover and they are also quick enough to pressure running birds to flush. It is said that cockers can be also very good on runners (pricked birds) and I have certainly witnessed that with my own dogs …in fact only yesterday Percy managed to find two shot birds that had gone in to deep thick bramble and two Labs had failed to locate them. You will have seen Ted and Percy work very differently and both have their good and not so good points. If I needed to put food on the table I would opt to take Percy out for the day and just make sure I have a stiff drink before hand! Hope this helps and thank you for taking the time to comment on the video. Cheers Nick

They are barrels that have been used for other storage and have either a spiral or pan feeder attached to the bottoms. You can buy the barrels on line….hope this helps. Cheers Nick