Distance learning

How far away from the handler should a spaniel work when hunting?

Fran says: By far the most common training issue I see is when handlers allow their spaniels to hunt too far away from them. The effective range of a shotgun is around 35m to 40m. If your dog is hunting, say, 25m either side and in front of you, by the time a bird has flushed and you have mounted your gun and fired, the bird would either be at the maximum range or out of range. If you are working your dog in the beating line, birds will naturally be running on in front and the dog will inevitably pull on the foot scent. If he has been trained to work close, you will be able to keep on top of him and maintain control. This is not so easy if the dog has a habit of hunting way out in front. Ideally, your spaniel should be covering the ground no more than 10m to 15m either side of you, and 5m to 10m in front.