what is the best way to teach you dog to quarter the feild

I don't know about a "best" way, but I will share the way I "train" to quarter. Starting with obedience, I make sure my recall (with whistle) is solid. I usually start in a confined, grass field (water retention areas work well, as they are usually man-made, rectangular depressions) so I have full visibility of the dog. I heal her to the down-wind side of the field (so I work into the wind), then I start walking the field in a zig-zag pattern, about 45 degrees to the direction I am working). When the dog crosses the center-line (when she goes from my Left to my Right, or my Right to my Left), I change direction 90 degrees (maintaining approximately 45 degree to the field). If the dog ranges too far, I do a recall whistle. As I recall less, I flatten my zig-zag to the center-line. As she gets better, I move to higher cover. If/When birds are available, I will spin and plant birds on the edges of the field, where she can find them, and tailor my zig-zag where she will get to them in-range. I have read that it helps to keep a bird, or wing in a pocket. When they range too far, drop the bird/wing, and whistle-in (make sure the dog doesn't see you place the bird/wing. My own experience, though, is that if the recall is effective, the dog will maintain range naturally with experience.  I did try to keep a wing with Sadie, but she wasn't really interested in wings after her first couple of times out.  She would just pick them up and chew on them a bit, then spit it out, and continue working.

Since training Sadie to retrieve, I now work her quartering drills, but hit a "Whoa!" whistle, and throw a bumper mark at random points in the field, then have her "Fetch!" (or recall, then fetch).  Keeps her thinking, and reinforces other commands, while maintaining the Field-work expectations.

Hope that helps!  If not, you may look online.  Try this article:  www.gundogsonline.com/Article/establishing-effective-pattern-hunting-dogs-Page1.htm

From the point of view of someone who is reading up on hpr training this is really interesting.  I had noticed that there wasnt much reference to quartering on this forum compared to uk  general gundog forums where the majority of posters own cockers and springers. I did watch a dvd recently by Tom Brechney who breeds and works with gsps and he trains them to quarter, although it's probably more along the lines of what tgatto described in that he made use of changing direction to reinforce what the dog was already doing and trying to increase the distance. 

This is great discussion! We may be on the border between the Training section of the forum, and the Hunting side of the forum. Quartering is something that is pretty specific to the tactics you may use when hunting.

Yeah, I really didn't mean for it to be "textbook example" of "windshield wiper fashion", however I do see value, personally, in reinforcing the commands for bending, recall whistle, and hand signals in creating a transition between the obedience, and field-work. I think Quartering drills during field training can create this, especially when birds are scarce (as in my situation for training). As I stated before, it also builds my trust in the dog that when there are not birds, she will default to the quartering pattern (roughly) when we are hunting, and that (as a counter-point) when she is not acting like I expect, there is probably a reason.

One other specific situation I find useful with a quartering pattern (especially with a young dog) is with early-season, multiple running birds that are being pushed. If the dog zones on one, the others will inevitably double-back. Slowly working the field, with a solid quartering pattern helps the young dog identify the situation, locate birds that may have doubled-back, and increase the effectiveness. It gives a solid base to build upon with experience.

I also like a dog to quarter in the woods. We usually work the edges more, having the dog quarter between a hunter on the outside, and the dog handler on the inside of the woods. Now, for tree-lines, on the other hand (trees planted between fields with some grass to break wind, catch dust), there is usually not enough space to quarter (nor need to). So, I like to work the dog on the down-wind side of the line where possible.

To Weerubbertummy's point, I also like quartering as a drill to control range (both to increase, but also to decrease range). I think it helps build the dog's confidence, as well as the Handler, and helps to build that cooperative effort between dog and hunter. I know a lot of trainers work quartering for different reasons (Brechney, Dobbs, Hickox, Lauber to name a few). I don't know if Evan Graham works Quartering, or not (although it appears he does, looking at some of the forums, and articles on SmartWork) - PB could probably provide more on that. It is a unique issue specific to Upland Hunting, though - that is the truth!