A comprehensive guide to selecting, training and enjoying working spaniels. Spencer explains the job of the flushing spaniel and helps you decide which breed to choose. Then he leads you step by step through training--from puppy basics to the finished hunting or trial dog.

Hunt tests are noncompetitive testing programs where each retriever entered is judged against a written standard and passes or fails the test on his own merits. Compared with competitive events, the atmosphere at hunt tests is refreshing. Writing for hunt testers at every level, Spencer fills in the “things they forgot to tell you.” Whether you are beginner, a skilled handler needing an occasional refresher, a judge or a worker—this book is for you!

PERFECT FOR THE TOTAL BEGINNER TO THE MOST EXPERIENCED HUNT TEST HANDLER!

This book contains an extensive collection of drills that, through repetition, will become a conditioned response in your retriever. Each drill is diagramed, plus Spencer carefully explains the purpose, prerequisites, necessary equipment, and pitfalls to avoid.

New retriever trainers often focus on the dog-human relationship and are unconcerned about the environment in which their dog is working. However, a slight change in wind, terrain, cover, placement and sequence of falls, etc., can make a very easy hunting test into an extremely difficult one. This book is the first to focus on environmental factors. It will enable novices to understand the subtleties of tests they encounter at field trials, in working certificate tests, and in hunting. It can also help trainers of non-retrieving breeds.