How to begin

Most game birds - - partridge, quail, chukar, and pheasants (even turkey and chicken) - - are gallinaceous.  Most galliforms are weak flyers and prefer to scoot along the ground or even burrow into the grass. The spaniel roots them out and gives them cause to take flight, where they can be shot. You want your dog to cover the ground thoroughly, and not overlook any birds, but quickly and without dawdling over barren ground.

The shake-a-bird exercise is used to teach quartering (zig-zagging in front of you and over the field). But first you need to know how to begin.

Stand in the middle of a line that reaches from the left- to right-hand gunner. The gunners face the field.  On a football field layout, the gunners are on the sidelines like split ends, facing toward the goal line.  You and doggie are in the middle, the quarterback's position, but facing your own goal line.

Hup your dog and take a second to calm everyone. Now take two steps or so from the dog, turn, and face him. You are now in the quarterback position.  Your dog is in the center position, but facing you.  You are ready to begin.  But it's up to you.  So wait a second or more.  Maybe take one more step back to get some separation between you and your dog.  Let's get everything under control.

Whisper is hupped and faces Venee.  Joe gives some tips to the team.




This next step is complex.  Call your dog ("here boy!" and pat your thigh) and let the dog take a step or two toward you, then cast the dog right or left away from the wind.  Tell your dog "get on."  That is his oral cue to start hunting.  Use your right hand if you are casting to the left, and your left hand if you are casting to the right.  Let the dog get moving along the line.  Then pip him to turn into the wind.  Now you are off.

Here's the thinking on this sequence.  By initially calling your dog toward you and then casting him off you are exerting a little additional control over the dog.  Covering the field is not chaos.  It is controlled.  You and your dog work as a team.  Beginning the run in the field by calling the dog toward you impresses upon doggie that you are in control.

Dogs prefer to work into the wind.  They get a full measure of scent from the breeze that way.  Casting off away from the wind is a bit unnatural, and that is the point.  The dog is not as eager to go downwind.  The scent is the other way!  Now, you don't have to let him go very far before you pip him and turn him into the wind.  Just a bit so that he does not start out as a wild animal.  You are in control.  When he turns upwind, he will have to cross your path and therefore engage you.  Another point of control.

Oh, and stand still any time your dog crosses in front of you.  Don't move your feet, don't move forward.  Don't confuse your dog.  Stand still.