Meet Ferne

Ferne is affectionate, obedient, enthusiastic, interactive and very intelligent. She brings a smile to my face (and often a laugh) every day without fail. Our bond is strong. There is trust and loyalty on both sides. Every day we train each other (and have done since she was tiny). There is nothing more joyous than a well-trained dog.

Like many spaniels, Ferne sometimes pulls on the lead if she knows we are going for a swim or to play ball. But I can forgive this minor indiscretion as she is pretty much spot on with everything else. Sometimes her enthusiasm gets the better of her and she'll pin me down whilst licking the top layer of skin off my face.

Their infectious personality, their limitless energy and enthusiasm, their high levels of intelligence (sometimes I'm taken aback by things that Ferne does and how much she understands), the height they can spring to, their ability to search and retrieve, their determination to 'find' whatever it is they are looking for, how loving and loyal and affectionate they are. The list is endless.

Spaniels pull on the lead. They just can't help themselves! Train them from an early age. Spaniels are very focussed, especially if there's a ball involved. Use this to your advantage when training them. If your spaniel is focussed on the ball, they are not focussing on squirrels, rabbits, pheasants, deer, other dogs, or anything else that could distract them from recall.