My husband Jerry and I have been involved with the field bred English Springer Spaniels since 1980. We have handled and trained many springers in field trials and have completed five Field Championship titles. Currently we live with six wonderful, crazy English springers named Step, April, Dex, Chance, Daisy and Colby. We hunt occasionally with our dogs, but are mostly involved with all aspects of field competition. In a field trial, a springer is expected to be “steady to wing and shot.” Many people who hunt their dogs do not think that this is necessary for just “plain ole huntin’ dogs.” Steady to wing and shot means that once the dog flushes the bird in the air, all forward motion stops until the handler releases the dog. It sounds like a difficult task, but introduced properly to commands from the very beginning of training, and consistent training to voice and/or whistle commands during the steadying process, the flushing spaniel can learn how to do this in a few months time. This article is not about how to steady your dog, but about “why” your hunting dog should be.

Safety, of course, is the most important factor. What if you shoot the bird and it lands on the other side of a barbed wire fence or over a cliff? You want to have control of where and when you send your dog. Even if its not a barbed wire fence, it could be private property that is posted. (This actually happened to a friend of ours in Nevada and the owner came at him with a shotgun!) Try these other scenarios. You’re hunting and your dog flushes a hen, and you, by law, cannot shoot the hen. Your dog breaks, (chases the hen) and runs down the field and before too long, flushes every rooster left in the field, out of gun range. You go home angry and ready to trade your springer for a pointing dog....or.....You’re hunting with a buddy and his dog flushes a bird. Your buddy shoots the bird, but before his dog can complete the retrieve, your dog breaks and gets to the bird first. Not good manners. Let’s hope your friend and his dog have a good sense of humor.....How about if it’s a stranger and his dog, both with an attitude? He may not be so nice about it! Just a little kibble for thought. There may be some reasons not to steady your dog, but in the long run, it seems to make more sense to do this, or at least make sure your dog comes in right away, after a bird is missed or not shot at, and certainly will make your day in the field more pleasurable.

In field trials, we run in a brace; two dogs at a time, each with their own side of the course. (See "What is an ESS Field Trial".) Each handler has a judge standing beside him and his dog, evaluating their performance. When the dog on the right side flushes a bird and it is shot, the dog must be steady and can not retrieve the bird until the judge instructs the handler to release the dog. The judge must be sure that the bird is dead or wounded before sending the dog, and that it is a safe retrieve. The dog on the left side must “hup” (no forward action, usually in a sitting position) when he hears the shot (or handler’s whistle commanding to “hup”). This is called “honoring” the other dog’s retrieve. If it fails to do so by breaking toward the fallen bird and “stealing” it from the other dog, it is grounds for disqualification. This is just an example of a few of the things that we expect of our springers. If you have not ever watched them in action, come to a field trial or hunt test in your area and experience the versatility and intelligence that these wonderful animals possess in the field. Happy Hunting!