Skip scanned the expanse of field briefly before sitting and focusing on his handler, Ruth Heston, Chester Springs. Their training partner, Joe DeMarkis, New Ringgold, readied his shotgun as the two briefly discussed the training exercise plan for the young English cocker spaniel.

I would be the second gunner, on the opposite side of the area from Joe, with Ruth walking between us and handling the dog.

Released, he began coursing the field back and forth, working to me and back to Joe, covering an area easily 50 yards wide, taking bites forward as he advanced through the field.

When he caught a whiff of a game bird, he nearly rolled himself over as he hit the brakes and dodged back to that spot. He left skid marks. With reckless abandon, he dove at the bird, flushing it into the air.

Joe made the shot. As he’d been trained, Skip had sat down as soon as the bird flushed – in the flushing dog world this is known as the “Hup” (short for head up, sitting) position.

He had marked the flight and fall of the bird and sat quivering, waiting for Ruth to say his name, which would release him for the retrieve.

Although the dog couldn’t see it, due to his short stature and the high cover, we had seen that although the bird was hit, it had run when it landed on the ground. It had crossed a dirt old field road and continued into an adjacent field before expiring.

But Skip never hesitated; he barreled out like a torpedo, picked up the bird and returned it proudly, delivering it to Ruth’s hand.

“Well,” I said to Joe, “I could see myself wanting one of these sometime!” I could only fit four German shorthaired pointers in crates in my Suburban, why, if I had an English cocker spaniel it could ride in a little crate in the front seat.

In those brief minutes with Ruth, Joe and Skip, I’d seen a display of all the traits that make the English cocker spaniel a gun dog that’s increasing in popularity.

They are compact, and don’t have the heavy coat of the show-lines of cocker spaniels. They also excel in water work and are often used for duck hunting as well.

But the most attractive part of the package is that the majority of the English cockers have a natural retrieve, coupled with a strong desire to please the owner and deliver to hand.

They are cooperative and can be easy to train. As with any upland bird dog line, the field trial lines are distinct and known for speed – as I had witnessed.

In fact, Ruth and her English cocker spaniel Tirbracken Tighe competed at a field trial in March where Tighe won two of the competitions, the Amateur and Open classes. She has finished several field champions, including Trinket, who is Skip’s mother.

Joe, who lives near Pottsville, has been training pointing and flushing dogs for many years, and has had much success in both types of competitions. He said that the English cocker spaniel, with its size, drive and friendly nature, make a great hunting and family dog. Is one in your future?