How to Train a Springer Spaniel to Beg

The English Springer Spaniel is bred to work. Because it is bred to be a working hunting dog, the Springer Spaniel is easy to train. According to Pet Planet, the dog is neither high strung nor aggressive. It is, however, a quick learner. You can take advantage of the dog's working background and teach him easily to obey trick commands, such as "Beg." The process is similar to training any other breed of dog to "beg."

Things You'll Need

  • Clicker
  • Treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Click the clicker and treat your dog several times and at random times. You are getting the dog accustomed to the clicker. You want the dog to associate the click with a treat. This way you can mark the moment your dog has performed a desired action. The clicker sound provides accuracy and can be timed to the exact second of desired behavior, letting the dog know that what he is doing at that very second is what you want. Clear communication between trainer and dog results in accelerated learning. Yes, you can train your Springer Spaniel to "beg" in one day with effort on your part and a desire for treats on your dog's part. Click and treat until the dog stops what he is doing to come get his treat when he hears the click. Now, you know that the dog understands what the click means.

    • 2

      Break your dog's favorite treat into small bite-size pieces. You want the treats to go a long way. You do not want your dog to get full after only a few repetitions. Just a morsel is enough to satiate a dog for his performance unless you are asking him to jump through a hoop on fire. That might require a big hot dog for a reward.

    • 3

      Lure your dog into a sitting position with one small treat piece. Click the moment the dog's rump hits the ground. Treat immediately after clicking. Repeat several times until the action is smooth. By teaching your dog to sit first, you are helping the dog to reach the final result in small, easily attainable steps. You are building the dog's confidence and having fun at the same time. Getting treats is always fun for a dog.

    • 4

      Raise the treat slowly over your dog's head as he is sitting. Click the moment his front paws leave the ground, while the dog's bottom is still on the floor. Repeat again, but click when the paws are a little bit higher off the ground. Keep repeating this until the dog is able to raise himself completely erect into a "beg" position. Some dogs may need a little bit of help in balancing themselves at first.

    • 5

      Introduce a verbal cue, such as "Beg" or "Are you hungry?" or any other phrase or word that suits you, once the dog is offering the "beg" behavior on his own. At this point, click and treat only when the full behavior is offered to you. Give the verbal command as the dog is giving you the "beg" behavior. Click and treat when he gives you the behavior successfully.

    • 6

      Stop clicking and treating when your dog offers the behavior without your verbal command. This teaches the dog to wait for your command before he performs. You can also introduce a visual cue, such as raising a fork to your mouth, to trigger this behavior the same way you are doing for the verbal command.