Gundog Training Forum

What do you do when she exhibits this type of behaviour? How do you react to it?

Rascal

have you ruled out a neurological cause? Also, when you say evening, what is the light like? I'm wondering if her sight is OK?

I had a similar problem with a Springer a few years back and it did get rather worrying. Outdoors she was her normal confident self but at home, particularly at night in the house she tended to curl her tail under her bum and skulk about at the slightest noise.

How we dealt with it was to play a game of encouraging her to investigate what caused the noise. Simple things like 'where's that bird' 'find that rabbit' all the things we would say in the field when we knew she was enjoying herself, but said in a playful almost baby like tone (you get the picture - I hope) and at that she would uncurl her tail and go into hunting/playing mode.

I don't know what triggered Meg to get jumpy but am certain that this. almost over the top 'parenting' helped her get over it.

Your dog may be different but we found that with patience and a bit of time encouraging her our dog got through it, even to the point of being back in the beating line.

I do hope our experiences have helped.

Regards

Stu