Thread: Spaniel for deer dogs is it possible?

I've got a jack here that would take some beating regardless of the breed he's up against. He would be one of the most stubborn dogs I've seen.
And I've had spaniels but like them as a cross, there is in fact spaniel in about 1/4 of the dogs here

take him to a rabbit trial and see.
can't see the need to cross them myself.

Originally Posted by Wirehunt

Ok, another way to look at it. What other hunting do you do as well as deer?

The only Brittany I've had missed the memo, all it wanted to do was run/flush.

Yep my model has missed all memo's . Still a great friend to go bush with😀

Originally Posted by kawhia

take him to a rabbit trial and see.
can't see the need to cross them myself.

Because. Dogs get over other dogs that are different breeds. I know, shocking isn't it! I really wish they would only jump their own kind.
However the reward for me is a more versatile dog, you want something that flushes i want something that flushes then has the speed to catch and is driven.

hi spaniels are bred for flushing they move forward in a circle and flush back toward the hunter, you can never tell what any dog will achieve until you try.

I have used an English Springer Spaniel for the last 8 years on deer...are there better dogs suited for this ? - Yes - my Spaniel is never going to bail or pull down a wounded deer but he will indicate deer are in the vicinity and will find deer that have run on after being shot....am i happy with what he does for me ? - Absolutely !!! - i put a lot of work into him though, and wouldn't have bothered if he was hyper like a lot of Spaniels can be....you get out a dog what you put in.....i think the fact that my dog was getting a lot of work helped......there is a book called Training Spaniels by Joe Irving - one of the best books on Spaniels money can buy......anyway pals over here i hunt with all have dogs they swear by.....Border Terriers, Labs/ GSP's and Wirehaired Pointers....they all do great work....i only wish i had gotten into dogs a lot earlier.....

Dragging hides and things is teaching your dog to concentrate on following a track, it's the concentration you need to build.

but it is a separate skill in it's self, not many actually get the whole tracking concept, too hung up on the indication only for deer work.

Originally Posted by Zamkiwi

That explains the brittanys then.
I was not aware that they were classed as a pointer.
I see what you are saying about the flushing side of it as it would be a hard instinct to curb and require some serious training knowledge to make it work.
cheers

They dropped the spaniel on Brittany Spaniel a few years ago because as above they are a pointer just known as Brittanys now I have 2 good dogs birds and deer

they dropped the spaniel bit after they modified it, but like a half dozen pointing spaniel breeds from france you can still get a Brittney spaniel.

My bad I ment the NZKC dropped the spaniel I have both french and american. I have meet people who use springers on everything with great results their an awesome
dog