Thread: Article

I fully agree that Lisset's dogs probably never have seen an e-collar. Spaniels changed so dramaticly the last decades that the majority of UK springers no longer truly hunt. If you have a soft, fast, stylish springer who only thinks about pleasing you instead of finding game, you don't need any repression. I know what I say. I only am two hours from the UK and had and have seen enough of those modern spaniels to make an opinion about them. The trough spaniel, who after hitting sent only once or twice at young age, goes berserk and turns a wood up and down to find what is in front of him, that's the one I speak about. The type of dog that needs the skills of the most experienced trainer to be kept under control. The pitty is that you hardly don't find them any more. In Mike Smith's book, Lawton Evans ( one of the greatest trainers ever), declares that he had to exaust Coppicewood Carla the 2 or 3 days before the trial in a root field, just to be able to keep on top of her. These days there hardly is a dog that boils over, because they lack the steam.
Ian Bateson told me that 25/30 years ago you could see 12 out of 15 handlers struggle to keep the dog under control and now you're lucky if you see 1. Are all the trainers that much better or is the breed going down?