Hunting what your thoughts?

[ESS]

Evening all,
Ive got a young cocker whos 12months old he was what i thought working quite well but has been pointed out hes going through the motions rather than working.
Ive taught him to quarter hiding tennis balls,
He works a pattern and finds them everytime with out fail so i thought he was mint...
Now hes working with his head up ish. Not nose right down. Ive got a few people who trial who have given me there advice but wondered if anybody can give me there thoughts and tips.
From day one ive had trouble with him always looking at me so which i know is great thing but not good for working.
I walk with my hands in my pockets as using my hands to get him quarter causes him look at me and he just gets to excited and is more interested in my hands.
Hes ball mad but my question is how would you get him work with his nose down more? He works about5- 10 yds and works withs my body with little turn whistle required.

Ive put a few pheasant feathers down which helps but once that dries up he reverts back to air scenting.
Im doing it for approx a few mins about 4 times a week.
He will do a bit of beating and did plan on doing a few tests if possible...
Thanks in advance
Just to add im coming to realise trialling, tests seem to appear more about style and pace.my other dog My springer is a proper worker all be it a wide ranging one he will find game if there is any in the thickest of cover but i dont actually shoot i just enjoy training, and thats y i wanted ago at a test.

[Judy]

Take him out on game.

[Naj]

Take him out on game.

Says it all

[Judy]

Succinct or what?

[newf]

Long winded bunch! Couldn’t keep it simple could ya ?

[Judy]

Nope.

[ESS]

Will that teach him to hunt with his nose down or only when there is scent about

[Judy]

There will be scent in the presence of game. If you are worried about him taking off chasing walk the ground first to move stuff away before taking him hunting. The only way to get a Spaniel properly hunting is to give him something to hunt for - rabbits, pheasants, partridge. I found hunting for tennis balls was slowing mine down, I may have been setting it up wrong of course as I only tried it a few times so I'm, perhaps, not best person to advise on that score.

[Springcopse spaniels]

Your dog is working correctly, when finding foot scent he is dropping his head carriage and when looking for scent his head carriage is correct position. This is the natural instinct of the dog and its breeding. This incessant thought of thinking a dog needs its head glued to the ground shows the extent of what trials have become not knowing what a game finding dog is to do.
I was marked down heavily by a B panel, and I asked why. He said his head carriage was to high whilst hunting certain terrain, and I replied stating that we hadn't missed any game on our run. There was no reply.

[ESS]

Thats interesting when ive been training with my mate who trials i planted some balls and hunted my dog up now his nose is something else i will hide them pretty well and he can be working then take a b line straight to where the ball is and my mate said thats a bad thing and to work the dog away from the ball. Now that has always baffled me but hes talking from a trials point of view
Ive not got masses of ground here with game on it but will maybe go out later and let him work a bit where i know there might be the odd pheasant and see what he like.
Maybe he needs that flush now for it all click together.
Thanks for the input