Disease from foxes All dogs, including gundogs can get the following disease from foxes: Sarcoptic mange Lungworm Rabies Dogs and foxes do suffer from the same diseases, though, of which…
David Tomlinson
Should we neuter dogs? When is the best time and what are the health implications?
We take neutering of dogs for granted. But should we? When to neuter your dog – and the behavioral risks Pre-pubertal neuter — under six months: Infant brain — needy…
Why you shouldn’t let your dog drink from puddles
Q: I have often found my dog drinking from puddles. Is this source of water for dogs safe? Are there any risks and should I prevent her from doing this?…
Why raw chicken wings are perfect for dogs
Raw chicken wings for dogs are ideal It’s often claimed that chicken bones are brittle, liable to splinter and are thus dangerous for a dog to eat. That’s certainly true…
Is a cavalier King Charles spaniel a gundog at heart?
I’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that inside many a cavalier King Charles spaniel there’s a cocker spaniel trying to get out. So I wasn’t really surprised when I read…
Just why is the “sprocker spaniel” becoming so popular?
Sprocker spaniels – the lowdown Sprockers have masses of energy and need to be kept busy They are intelligent dogs and easy to train – but keep training consistent. They…
Which breed would suit you better – a springer or a cocker spaniel?
So you’ve decided to take on a spaniel. Springer vs cocker spaniel – the differences Springers have a size advantage over working cocker spaniels Cocker spaniels have a better engine…
We’re all cocker hoop
If you were planning to buy a puppy to train as a rough-shooting and beating dog, which would you get, a springer or cocker? It’s a question I was asked…
Why dogs love an AGA
Until recently I knew little about the extraordinary cast-iron cooker known as an AGA, but for the past three months I’ve lived in houses with AGA kitchens, so I’m now…
Should there be random DNA tests for cocker spaniels?
You may recall sprockergate, the scandal that shook the cocker trialling world a couple of years ago. What brought the story into the tabloids was the accusation that HM The…
Christmas presents for working dogs
A dog is for life not just for Christmas is a saying that will be familiar to most of us. But I’ve never met a working gundog that was a…
Why you should consider taking on an English springer spaniel
Throughout the 20th century English springer spaniels were the most popular shooting dog in Britain. Whether it remains so today is debatable. In recent years I’ve been on a number of…
The history of the pointer
When someone tells me they own a pointer I always have to ask what sort. Usually it turns out to be a German shorthaired pointer, as this is the most…
Do spaniels smell more than Labradors?
Q: I would like a springer or working cocker spaniel to train as a gundog, but my father is not keen. My grandparents had a show-strain cocker who was a…
Is the Nova Scotia duck-tolling retriever a good gundog?
They’re intelligent, they hunt well and they make superb retrievers. So why aren’t tollers more in demand as working gundogs
The Irish water spaniel
The joker in the spaniel pack. No, not my words, but those of an Irish water spaniel owner and enthusiast, talking about the foibles and idiosyncrasies of his favourite breed.…
How did traditional gundogs fare in Kennel Club registrations in 2018?
Has the dog-buying British public gone barking mad? Last year, as was widely predicted, the French bulldog became Britain’s most popular pedigree breed, ousting the Labrador from the top spot…
Should you vaccinate your dog every year? Is it necessary?
Vaccinating gundogs If you read any of the old dog books, you will be reminded that distemper was once the most feared of canine illnesses. A highly contagious virus, it…
Keeping your dog safe in the snow
Dogs in snow Arguably the biggest problem with working a dog in snow is ice balling in the dog’s pads and, if it is a spaniel, its feathers. Ice balling…
Blowing the whistle on harsh dog handling
Earlier this year, the resignation of the honorary secretary of the Utility Gundog Society (UGS) Kent and East Sussex, Bernadette Restorick, not only caused ructions in the society, but also…