Too late to learn?

I have the chance of buying a 12-month-old springer spaniel from an elderly gentleman who has suffered a stroke and is now unable to train it. It has never had a lead on and has lived with its owner in the house and garden since it was a small puppy. It is from good working stock. Do you think it would be possible to train the dog up to a good level for shooting or would I be wasting my time?

I have trained several dogs that were well past puppyhood. One was a 15-month-old springer bitch that had lived all its early life in a remote kennel and run, only being let out for exercise a couple of times each day with the owner’s older working dogs. She had not been on a lead nor socialised with other people, or indeed seen any other environment away from her kennel. This was a first for me and, based on her lack of mental development, I began as if she were a young puppy.

Socialisation was the first challenge, but as she gained in confidence she took to the more formal gundog training well. Her progress was rapid and within four months she was fully under control off the lead, retrieving dummies and cold game and ready for the first introduction to the shooting field.

I would not hesitate in your situation to take on that year-old springer. Assess it carefully and if necessary go back to the start as I did with mine. It may be the opposite and be as bold as they come, but it is still wise to go back to basics and make sure it is obedient and under full control before starting on the gundog part of its education. PR