Understanding Hunting: A Beginner’s Guide for Spaniels, HPRs and Their Owners

Many new gundog owners tell me the same thing:

“I know my dog should hunt… but I don’t know what hunting actually looks like — or how I’m meant to be part of it.”

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Whether you’ve brought home a lively young spaniel or an elegant HPR such as a Weimaraner, hunting is an instinct that often feels mysterious until someone shows you how it works.

Cocker spaniel running through long grass

In this blog, I’ll walk you through the core ideas from our Introduction to Hunting Session— the same concepts I teach new handlers every month. The goal is simple: to help you understand how your dog hunts, how the wind affects scent, and how to become part of the team rather than a spectator.

Why Hunting Matters — Even For Pet Homes

A dog bred to hunt needs an outlet for their nose and their brain. You don’t need to pick up a shotgun or enter a trial to benefit from foundation hunting work. Teaching your dog to hunt with you gives you:

• Better recall

• More connection

• A dog who checks in naturally

• A calmer, more thoughtful working attitude

• Far less “self-employed” hunting on walks

When the dog realises that you help them find the good stuff, they begin to slow down, look back, and work in partnership rather than disappearing into the distance.

Understanding Your Dog’s Breed: Spaniels vs HPRs

Before we teach any exercises, I always explain the difference in how these dogs hunt.

Spaniels

Spaniels hunt low to the ground, using short, busy movements. They naturally want to:

• Work within 10–20 metres

• Zig-zag across the wind

• Flush game by getting close to it

• Keep the pace quick and lively

Their style is close-range, energetic and rhythmic.

HPRs (Weimaraners, GSPs, Vizslas)

HPRs tend to hunt further forward and use their head to air-scent. They may:

• Take a wider pattern

• Slow down when they catch scent

• Freeze or “point”

• Indicate game long before they reach it

Their hunting picture is more about seeking, locating and holding before they move in.

Neither style is better — they’re simply built for different jobs. Understanding this makes training far easier.

How Wind and Scent Work

One of the biggest “lightbulb moments” for new handlers is realising that wind direction changes everything.

Working Into the Wind

When the wind comes towards the dog, scent travels straight into their nose. This is the easiest setup for beginners.

Crosswind

This creates a scent cone that the dog enters from the side. Spaniels use this beautifully in their quartering pattern.

Downwind

The hardest position — scent blows away from the dog. Dogs often overshoot before they detect anything.

In our workshop, I show owners how to test the wind quickly and how to use it to set the dog up for success.

A group of handlers getting ready to hunt

Exercise 1: Simple Scent Line (Beginner-Friendly)

This is often the very first hunting exercise we teach.

How it works:

1. Place a few scented items (or toys) upwind in light grass.

2. Start the dog 5–10 metres downwind.

3. Walk forward slowly and quietly.

4. Watch for the dog’s nose switch — head drop or lift, pace change, tightening of body posture.

5. Allow them to work out the scent and find the item.

This teaches handlers to see the moment the dog hits scent — a key skill that improves recall, control and understanding.

Exercise 2: Beginning a Hunting Pattern

For young spaniels and HPRs, the first pattern is simple and gentle.

Spaniels

We encourage them to sweep left → return → sweep right → return, always in front of the handler. This develops:

• Rhythm

• Ability to work both sides

• A manageable working area

• Automatic check-ins

HPRs

Instead of a tight zig-zag, we build a casting pattern:

• Wider left and right movements

• Encouraging pauses (pointing behaviour)

• Reinforcing calmness when they catch scent

I always remind handlers:

“Your feet and shoulders guide the dog. Say less, show more.”

Exercise 3: Introducing Boundaries — “This Is Your Area”

Intermediate hunting relies on controlling how far a dog hunts. You don’t want a spaniel disappearing 40 metres out or an HPR running a mile ahead.

We teach a simple boundary rule:

1. Mark a 15–20 metre working area.

2. If the dog begins to push out too far, the handler changes direction and pace.

3. A soft whistle invites the dog back into the working zone.

4. The moment the dog turns in, we praise.

This becomes the foundation for future steadiness, control and safe off-lead work.

Why Calmness Matters More Than Speed

In every hunting class, someone asks:

“Should my dog be faster?” “Is my dog hunting properly?” “Why does my dog stop and think?”

My answer is nearly always the same:

Calm, thoughtful dogs become reliable dogs. Fast dogs become unpredictable unless the calmness comes first.

Whether your dog is a young spaniel clipping the grass or an HPR locking into a beautiful point, we focus on:

• Self-control

• Clear routines

• Working with the handler

• Rewarding good decisions

This is where real progress happens.

What Owners Usually See After Their First Hunting Session

Most owners report the same changes within a week or two:

• Better recall

• A dog who looks back more often

• Less frantic searching on walks

• More engagement

• A calmer dog at home

• A sense of partnership beginning to form

For many, it’s the moment everything “clicks”. They finally see their dog doing what they were bred to do — but with them, not without them.

Would You Like to Learn Hunting With Your Dog?

Whether you have a cocker, springer, Weimaraner, or any working-bred dog, introducing structured hunting helps them become:

• More focused

• More obedient

• Happier and more fulfilled

• Closer and more connected to you

Our workshops run throughout the year and are suitable for complete beginners through to intermediate handlers.

If you’d like to join us, learn more or ask a question, feel free to get in touch through the website.