spaniels!

[E13]

I know spaniels are working dogs, but I know NOTHING - what exactly do they do, with what species?? I think they retrieve quarry? And I know this is mainly springers, but do cavaliers ever work? I wonder about my two - they have a reaction to pheasants like no other, and I see some of the related behaviours

 

[satinbaze]

Cavaliers although bred to be companion dogs still have many spaniel like behaviours. My dear old Juno competed in working trials and was a fantastic tracking dog. She had a fabulous nose and was very soft mouthed (could retrieve a raw egg without a mark)
I know of many Cavaliers who compete in Agility and I also know of a few trained to the gun. Although they are restricted by the size of their mouths regarding game they can retrieve.
All my Cavaliers have had spaniel moments. Stated quartering whilst out on walks and heading off on the trail of a scent.
Training a Cavalier is very different to my retrievers you have to work with them by mutial agreement. Dear old Juno would only do an exercise twice before looking at me with that "not again" expression.
Juno was such a great little dog that I no longer own a Cavalier, she was irreplaceable.

 

[Spudlet]

Spaniels are meant to be used for flushing game on shoots, and may also do some retrieving as well. Traditionally Springers went after larger birds like pheasants, while Cockers were for woodcock. Originally the two breeds would come from one litter and be separated by size only, with the bigger a ones being Springers and the smaller ones Cockers. Now they are distinct breeds.

Even spaniels that never work love to use their noses and find things, so games involving hidden toys or treats tend to make them very happy indeed

I see no reason a Cavalier couldn't enjoy gundog training, and possibly go beating. Certainly on the shoots I go to, there tend to be all sorts of dogs on the beating line! Even if you never work them, basing your training around their natural instincts to hunt and flush will probably work well for you as you are working with their nature rather than against it.

 

[PorkChop]

Funny you say this as I was looking for a "working type" Cavalier for my daughter.

We have working springers but we thought that my daughter would be able to handle a Cavalier better.

However after a lot of phone calls and advice we realised that most are bred as pets now and seem to have lost their hunting instinct.

How lovely that you have one that does, and yes, you could train yours to flush brids.