The Kennel Club has issued extensive guidance for staging field trials for dogs during the pandemic. Last month, the International Gundog League (IGL) cancelled this year’s Retriever Championship. It was…
David Tomlinson
Why gundogs shouldn’t eat pork pies
Pancreatitis in dogs can be serious. I received a salutary tale from reader and regular correspondent Arthur Moore, who had just returned from walking Hadrian’s Wall with his wife Ann…
The elusive ptarmigan – Britain’s wildest quarry
Of all the gamebirds on the quarry list, there’s none so little known nor seldom shot as the ptarmigan. It may have the same open season as its more familiar…
Is a gun-shy dog a lost cause?
There’s probably no greater disaster that can befall the gundog trainer than to discover that their talented new puppy is gun-shy. Is being gun-shy inherited? Many breeders maintain that gun-shyness…
The history of spaniels
If you want to wind up your cocker spaniel-owning friends, just tell them that their dogs are springers. They may argue otherwise but, technically, it’s true. History of the spaniel…
How can I protect my dog’s ears from grass seeds?
Grass seeds can easily become lodged in a dog’s ears or paws. Grass seeds are a particular problem for spaniels As the hay fever season fades away, so the grass-seed…
Why is the large Munsterlander not seen more often?
The large Munsterlander is a spaniel-like German breed, looking very like a black and white springer.
Unusual gundog breeds
David Tomlinson suggests some unusual gundog breeds for the adventurous Gun who fancies something a little bit different
Cocker spaniels come in almost any colour you can think of
Last season, I admired a handsome black cocker dog I met on a shoot. His owner, unaware that I make a living from writing about gundogs, proceeded to give me…
Why aren’t golden retrievers more popular in the field?
You’ll see plenty of Labradors in the field but not so many golden retrievers. Which is rather illogical because a golden retriever that has been well-trained is definitely the equal…
How to get ticks off your dog and keep them off
A welcome consequence of the recent drought has been an absence of ticks. I have yet to find any ticks on dogs of mine this year. Ticks like nothing better…
Why is the springer spaniel becoming less popular?
In the 1980s I belonged to a shooting syndicate with one simple rule: every member had to own a working gundog. It was a walk-one, stand-one shoot, so it was…
Let sleeping gundogs lie in comfort
A favourite subject for debate in the gundog world is whether working dogs should be kennelled or kept in the house. I don’t think dogs mind much either way, as…
Why do dogs point?
Pointing is one of the most fascinating of dog behaviours and one that was recognised long ago as a useful trait to encourage in hunting dogs. Today, there’s a misconception…
Why the Hungarian wirehaired viszla is becoming more and more popular
I first came across the Hungarian wirehaired vizsla (HWV) more than 16 years ago. The vizslas in question belonged to a reader who invited me to see them working. I…
Can you give a rescue dog a home?
There are hundreds of gundogs out there in need of a good home. So instead of buying a pedigree puppy, why not investigate getting a rescue dog? If you haven’t…
Do springer spaniels get bored?
There’s one thing I’ve learned about springer spaniels in nearly 40 years of owning and working the breed: there’s no dog that loves to hunt more than a springer. And…
How to teach reliable gundog recall
Teaching reliable dog recall is one of the basics of gundog training in the early days. Here's how to do it.
Should healthy dog breeds be cheaper to insure?
Dog insurance might be much simpler if healthy dog breeds attracted lower premiums, much as happens with the difference between insuring a Porsche and a Volkswagen Polo. Healthy dog breeds…
Which is the UK’s most popular gundog breed? And which breeds are in decline?
The Labrador is again the most popular gundog breed, having regained its number one slot in 2019. The Frenchie reigned at the top of Britain’s pedigree league table for just…