Perhaps no other pointing dog breed has more endeared itself in the hearts and minds of American upland game bird hunters then the English setter. Only little more than a century ago, this breed was the dog of choice for most every aspiring hunter wanting a good (even "excellent") pointing dog. With its noble good looks and keen nose, the English setter was preeminent among field dogs for several decades. Even following the introduction of nearly a dozen other pointing breeds to America, the classy English setter has remained a coveted hunting companion and prized field trial competitor.
Early History
The lineage of this breed is steeped in history. As early as 1387 the precursor of the setter, the setting spaniel, was referred to in literature. It was described by Count Gaston De Foix of France as the dog used in pursuit of partridges and grouse for hunting with falcons.
Three centuries of English and European refinement elapsed for the dog then referred to as the "setter". By 1680, the advent of reliable firearms for game bird hunting brought the demand for dogs that "set" or froze action to point out birds rather than flushing them. The natural instinct of those early setter was to sniff out the quarry in a low, crouching or stalking manner, then freeze, or "set", when the game was within just a few steps. Some art from that period portray setting spaniels or setters hunting exactly as described here. For those early shotgunners, it was a near perfect scenario.
As the 1800s rolled around, the gamekeepers and kennel managers of England were pressed to develop better, smarter and faster bird dogs. Enter Edward Laverack (1800-1877). The renowned Laverack endeavored to improve his setters by selective breeding, more than anyone of his day. There is a lot of speculation even today as to the origins of the setter, but in his 1872 book, The Setter, Laverack himself clearly states that "the setter of today is but an improved spaniel." Indeed, if one bobbed the tail of a modern setter, would one not very nearly see a spaniel? One other issue Laverack was clear about--those setting spaniel were an older breed than the hound-like "pointer".
American Development
An English contemporary of Laverack's was R. Purcell Llewellin (1840-1925), a breeder and trainer largely credited with introducing much of America's quality English setter stock. In his kennel he kept many setters bought or borrowed for breeding directly from Laverack. Writing in 1917, Llewellin stated, "I discovered the Laveracks to be excellent, but inbred to the point they were headstrong and lacking docility." In the decades following Laverack's death, Mr. Llewellin crossbred his dogs, Laverack's dogs and dogs of other kennels in successful attempts to gain the traits he thought most desirable among those setters of the day. One of his better setters, Count Noble, was sold to America in 1880 and quickly became a field trial winner and top-notch sire. There were other great dogs brought to American shores, but as 20th century writer A.F. Hochwalt stated the English setter breed for field use rested upon the pillars of Count Noble, Gladstone, Druid, Leceister, Lincoln and Rake. Around 1900, the variety known as the "Laverack" diverged to become primarily dogs of the show ring. The setters of Llewellin gradually became our English setters for field dog stock. From the 1870s to the 1930s the English setter was highly in vogue as the preferred pointing dog.
In the Field Today
The English setter is still very much in demand today. The breed is to the woodcock and grouse hunter what the English pointer is to the quail hunter. The setter can be a fast dog that is capable of handling most any terrain, though the breed is not noted for endurance like a Brittany or pointer. In some regions, like the South, setters are hampered somewhat by their long coats, which readily catch cockleburs, briars and the like. (Hunting setters are generally trimmed to avoid this problem.) Because of the number of lines or strains within the breed, individuals may range from small dogs of 35 pounds to as much as 70 pounds for a big male. Hunting stock averages about 45 pounds. The preponderance of coloration is black on white, though many are orange and white, lemon and white and some times pure white. Tricolored dogs of black, chestnut and white are not uncommon.
In temperament and tranquility, none is superior to the English setter. It is said that the breed learns a little slower but remembers longer than other pointing dogs. With a great nose and an innate desire to please, the setter makes a capable and loyal hunting companion. They can generally be adapted to the range and pace of any hunter or field trailer.
There are other pluses to this breed. There are many breeders and kennels featuring setters nationwide, so access to pups is generally easy and a purchase can fit most any budget. Loyal and protective, the English setter makes a great family dog. In human perception, the setter seems to have one of the most expressive faces among all dogs. Barring the dog's accidental death or tragic illness, one can expect to keep an English setter around for a long time. Their longevity may exceed that of most field dog breeds, with some still hunting past age 14.
With plume tail and feathered legs, the English setter makes a flashy and capable hunter. Where some breeds may fail to fine game, the English setter sallies forth to frequently and aptly gain the title "meat dog".
COME OCTOBER
"Janos is a litter mate of our Sue."
Quail Unlimited Magazine January - February pg14
www.qu.org
By Nick Hon of Jim SaNik Pointing Dogs
A good friend and hunting buddy of mine stopped by my house to trade stories and laughs at the late summer door steep of fall harvest, and more importantly, quail season. As we engaged in our typically light conversations, he browsed out at the dogs I had in training. He was immediately impressed by the regal poise of a 16 month-old English setter named Janos that I was wrapping up in the started phase of his training. As a professional trainer for 16 years, I have seen and worked with my share of setters. It came as no surprise to me that Janos caught my friends eye just as he had caught mine 13 months earlier. My friend asked me about him, and since Janos was not only my star pupil but also my go-to-guy, come October, I was more than happy to tell his story.
Many of the Signature Setter puppies that we raise at Jim SaNik Pointing Dogs are sold before they hit the ground. Most of the others are snatched up soon thereafter. The remainder of the litters, however, are held back and started into the training regime to be sold down the line. I took a liking to Janos early on, so he was chosen as one of the prospects for training.
The training process for Janos began soon after he and his liter were weaned from the mother. The first steps included exposing the puppies to light gunfire from a gradually decreasing distance, as well as exposing the puppies to light gunfire from a gradually decreasing distance, as well as exposing the litter to live birds. We began with young birds such as pigeon squabs that were old enough to attempt an escape, yet underdeveloped enough to be unsuccessful at doing so. The puppies' curiosity attracted them to the young birds and overcame any early intimidations, it became time to make the transition to adults. For the adult birds, the wings were first defeathered enough to prevent their escape, yet left intact in order for the puppies to experience and get accustomed to the flapping of the wings.
The first pigeon squab that I threw in the the setters traveled a mere three feet before it was apprehended by a mob of curious puppies. I saw right away the the leader of the effort was Janos. Exposing them to birds early in their development was crucial for accomplishing two tasks. First, if familiarized each of the pups to the birds' scent, taste, appearance and actions. Plus, the excitement of chasing the birds helped bring the less aggressive puppies out of their shells and taught them to be competitive. Carrying the birds around the pen, which began as a game, turned quickly into a territorial matter and led to the development of the picking order within the liter. The less aggressive puppies saw that something was up and tried to join in the jousting over the bird.
The time soon came to make Janos a man by removing him from the puppy pen of his early days and familiarizing him with the concept of the collar. He wasted no time in illustrating his disapproval of the dreadful device. The trauma did not end with his first corded walk, as he soon found out, because he was taken afterward to his new domain. As with all dogs that I have in training, I hooked Janos up to a staked chain. Being kept on a chain not only aided the process of weaning him from his siblings, but it also allowed him to fight the tethering around his neck for as long as it too him to become accustomed without wearing my arm out in the process. This proven set-up (a ten foot chain driven roughly a foot into the ground via a wooden or metal stake with a swivel on the end) has always worked well for me. With a house at the perimeter for shelter and pans for food and water at his disposal, Janos was ready to begin.
I've found over the years that dogs in training that were kept on stakeouts in this fashion benefited greatly by being able to see their surroundings without the hindrance of kennel walls. Plus, when other dogs were worked within view, the dogs on their chains could watch. This method has always helped increase the percentage of dogs that honor each others' points.
I gave my pal Janos 24 hours at his new condo to get a handle on things. His pulling, jerking and bellowing for the first few hours made it all too clear just what he thought of the situation. By the evening, however, he was running around with his tail high. He no longer paid any attention to the chain, with the exception of a few kicking and and scratching episodes with his collar. The brand new navy vinyl made him look sharp, but it was a tough sell for the first few days.
I started Janos on basic obedience by leading him up and down a gravel road on a check cord. He learned to heel by walking on my left, as I am right handed and carry my firearm likewise. For the first week, I only used the cord and gave sharp jerks to keep him at my side and make sure he minded the given command. After that, I began using other tools to help enforce it. First, I used a rope harness, which is a check cord with an additional steal ring up at the swivel end so that the other end of the cord can be pulled through the ring making a loop. This is used as a harness to fit around the dog's chest behind its a harness to fit around the dog's chest behind its foreleg. The rope harness worked well for the controlling his rambunctious puppy ways without giving him excessive discomfort that could have led to shyness or fear.
There were a handful of instances where Janos still wanted to lead me as opposed to me leading him, so I had to utilize the pinch collar on him. I've found that dog training usually goes the smoothest and easiest if the least discomfort I can get by with is used as opposed to relying on pain for reinforcement. Keeping his spirits–as well as his tail–up had a large impact on his style and the way he carried himself as an 'adolescent.'
Once Janos started heeling well, I began teaching him to stop on command and to come when released. As with all hunting dogs, stopping on command was the very base cornerstone of his entire training process because once I could get him to stop, I could get his attention directed where I wanted it. I began by simply giving him the command (in my case, I use "whoa") and stopping in my tracks. In the early stages of his training, it was imperative to cease my own movement just as I had directed him. Movement on my behalf sent mixed signals and made the instruction confusing. The grasshoppers frolicking about didn't help matters any either. It took a couple of days before he was fully halting on his own with out a jerk on the cord to convince him. Once the stopping was down, I was able to start stepping off a little bit further each time while he stayed in place until I gave him the release command, "okay," and called him to me. After a couple of weeks' time, I was able to walk up to 30 feet away from him. This led us to the next step: being able to walk around him in a circle without him wanting to follow me. I must say that I was pleased with the rate of his progress.
An important yet often overlooked command is the release word, which acts as a buffer between other commands. Personally, I just use the term "okay." The release command is used in conjuncture with the commands for stopping and freeing the dog from the stop, as well as releasing a retrieved object on command. Going straight from a stop to heeling without a designated release word will lead to , at best, a dog that will not stay stopped and, at worst, a dog that no longer stops at all.
As he began to get his basic commands down to a satisfactory level, it was time to start working on bringing out and enchaining his natural pointing ability. To do so, pigeons and tame bobwhites were given a mild case of vertigo and then hidden in various types and quantities of natural cover for Janos to find using their scent. This has often been referred to incorrectly as teaching the dog to point, when in fact that isn't what it is at all. If the dogs come from hunting stock, the instinct is already there. Having them locate and point planted birds simply brings that instinct out and allow them to be taught to hold the point until being released after the flush. Oftentimes, at first, Janos would lockup on point, but begin to creep when he saw movement by the bird or me. Once his whoa was down solid, giving him the command remedied the situation. It also cured him of wanting to look back at me or wag his tail when he heard me move. Practice and experience, as always were the keys.
Janos comes from a line of naturally retrieving setters, so I frequently worked with him in controlled environments, such as our gravel road, with retrieving cloth dummies.. When he began recovering the dummies satisfactorily, I changed to frozen pigeons and quail. As his retrieval percentage rose on the frozen birds, he was graduated up to working with living squabs, going full circle back to his first experiences with birds as a pup. Now, however, he was retrieving the birds back to me, for the most part, anyway.
Being a young dog, I did not want to overdo the retrieving and take a chance of making the process a chore for him without a proper command for the procedure. That comes with Command Retrieve Training or Force Breaking. This phase of training is all about teaching dogs to retrieve any and all sorts of items on a designated command. It is started on a table or bench and then shifts to an open area such as a yard or on a road before being completed in a field under simulated hunting conditions.
I put Janos through the same command retrieving program that I put all dogs trained at Jim Sanik through. He was started out on a wooden dowel, followed by a hard dummy, which was followed by a soft rubber dummy, then by a cloth dummy. Once he was picking each of these items up and bringing them back, I had him bring back frozen birds to me,, followed at the end of course by living birds. As he reached and completed the final phase of this training by retrieving both dummies and birds in the field, I knew that he was ready to be taken on his first actual bird hunt come October.
A I explain the training journey of Janos to my engrossed friend, he simply nodded his head and offered the occasional, "I see". His gaze seldom left the setter, whose own attention shifted about from barn swallows wanting a drink of his water to cattle calling from the distant hills. As I finished my story, my buddy finally turned back to me and grinned.
"October 27th," he said. I immediately knew what he was talking about. The first day of quail and pheasant season was already circled on my calendar. I looked again to Janos and saw his wagging tail and unmistakable panting grin. The meaning was all too obvious.
"Me too!"
