Thread: Working English Springer Spaniels in NZ

Are there spaniel men on this forum. Men that either trial and/or shoot over spaniels and maybe breed them. Any intresting websites?

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Be great to see a good thread on these little rockets with photos and commentary -who has them and tell us about their work habits

I got a few hundred more... just cooking dinner... will come back and give you some of my thoughts on our spaniels here in a bit.

love to see and know more for sure

Haven't got a lot of good video, but this is just some rubbish I had... I must do more videoing during the season.

if I had time id have one of these -are you in these vids Ruff

Nice video's. I am sorry that I don't have any. I only have one "burnt" onto a cd and I am very unskilled with the computer. Thanks for the photo's, video's, sites, etc.... I am intrested to see how spaniels are used the other side of the world. I even wasn't aware that there are pheasants in NZ. Do you have driven- as wel as roughshooting?

heres ruff

Clark Reid

Yes I'm in all of them... got some more to come soon....

Ruff are you trialing ? I have heard your name mentioned in the past but don't believe we have met as yet .

It is hard in your position to partake in trials I would imagine as it would open you up for scorn if not winning all the time with your training position which must take president over titles. It is great though I think you have made a career or part time career as I dont know of if its full time or not of something you are passionate about !! good for you

Originally Posted by el borracho

Ruff are you trialing ? I have heard your name mentioned in the past but don't believe we have met as yet .

It is hard in your position to partake in trials I would imagine as it would open you up for scorn if not winning all the time with your training position which must take president over titles. It is great though I think you have made a career or part time career as I dont know of if its full time or not of something you are passionate about !! good for you

No, it's not like that... I attended my first spaniel live game trial in 1989... and have been involved with the scene throughout most of that time. My field of experitise, if you like, is remedial training... fixing problems.. there are handlers out there who will take a pup and bring it through the trialling/hunting training and bring more polish and finish than I will... Peter O'Neil and Bob Whitehead to name two off the top of my head. But remedial training takes a different mind and skill set. To the point where now Bob often sends people my way... My old dog isn;t a great trial dog, though he has acquitted himself well and has become one o the most in demand stud dogs around the traps.. my young do has had one trial and placed and I believe will aquit herself well next trialling season, and while I support trials they are not my primary focus.. my primary focus is really great hunting dogs and breeding better dogs. While trials are not exempt from this, currently we see many imports which struggle to compete on the same level as Kiwi bred dogs... a testament to the stock we do have in NZ>

Having said that, I am also aware of not turning up to a trial with a half ready dog, and I don;t believe I have run a dog which has given anyone a reason to cast derision or aspersions on their performance. I'm not the best by any means, but I don;t think I'm a slug either and when my dogs run I am sure people respect their performance.

I didn;t set out to be a dog trainer, I was a flyfishing guide for 27 years, but at a point when I was running my own dogs, picking up on driven shoots three days a week and managing my own walked up shoot a respected breeder of spaniels directed someone my way for training, they were,m they felt, too old to take on the pup themseleves. I did that dog for that person, and others followed and the rest just blossomed... I am flattered by who brings dog to me for remedial training, including one FTCH that was losing trials and i fixed the issue and it then went on to win three championships the following season, so there is a modicum of respect out there for what I do. I'm not the best dog trainer in the world, b ut in this part of the world, while others may bring their dogs through with less faults, when you get a fault, fixing it is what I do.

I take a lot of pride in it, get immense enjoyment and I do know more than one dog is still drawing breath because of the work I did with it...

I do have one dog here at the moment though who i fear is my nemesis... maybe my first failure... I've got 12 days to try and sort the shithead out.

Good stuff Ruff, it sounds to me that you know your talents and managing them for others for best affect

Working English Springer Cocker Spaniels in NZ thread will have to look for some photos cant let ruff have all the fun










stop on the flush is good

Nice work Kaimai