Pup hunting scent

[Damien]

I've a 8 month old bitch springer that I've just started walking around ground that holds rabbits in ditches
She doesn't seem to know what to do
When I have her hunting tennis balls she hunts hard for them and not afraid of cover
Is it just a matter of keep walking the ground until she catches on
Don't think she will get a flush off the nose as the rabbits are gone as soon as they see us

[WGD]

She's 8 months, she'll learn with experience

[trekmoor]

Sooner or later a rabbit will hold for her in one of the ditches and she'll begin to get the idea. There is a place where I could take my 9 months old pup who has never seen a rabbit but the ground is very open fairly short grass. As you have found where you are the rabbits there run off as soon as I enter the field......it's no use at all with a spaniel. I am concentrating on hunting my pup where there is some cover and MAYBE a rabbit or two. Sooner or later he will flush one that he sees and then the fun will begin !

Wullie

[Springfield Pointers]

The dog needs to associate the smell with the rabbit. At the moment it's just smelling something nice that races its motor. Once it flushes one off its nose it will discover sin.

[Damien]

Ya I bet I'll be trying to apply brakes when she does realise what it's all about

[Dawnrazor]

Enjoy this time, for when it's flushed a few rabbits off its nose and the penny drops you're next post will about steadying it!! Like what's been said already, it'll soon put 2 and 2 together, just give it time and the opportunities.

[Naj]

You want to be working on the brakes now. All my pups seem to switch on to scented ground even though they may have not seen a rabbit. Perhaps it's because I don't mess about with hunting them on planted dummies?

Naj