Six dogs ran in that first Champion Stake in 1869 and the winner was Mr. Garth’s pointer dog Drake. One hundred and fifty years later we gathered on Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum’s beautiful Bollihope Estate to see forty-two pointers and setters compete for the oldest and most prestigious field trial…
Gundogs
Gundogs – In association with Chudleys.
Here’s just about everything you need to know about gundogs. This useful collection of information and advice covers field trial and working tests, gundog training and exercise, gundog health plus help with breeding and buying or selling your gundog.
If you’re looking for a companion in the field, browse through our section on different gundog breeds to help you decide which would suit you best.
History of dogs
You’ll also find interesting reading on the history of different breeds, for example the backgrounds of the Clumber spaniel, Vizsla and the difference between a Parson Russell and a Jack Russell. We’ve also written about the increasingly popular Sprocker.
Or if you have a query about gundog health – which could be something as simple as how often to feed your dog through to wondering whether gundogs get hypothermia, you’ll find the answer in our health section. Dogs frequently eat something they shouldn’t – particular the ever-hungry Labrador – and one of our most frequently read pieces tells you how to make a dog vomit in an emergency.
Finally 0ur panel of veterinary experts have a wealth of experience to help you take the best care of your gundog, whatever the breed and are always available to answer questions.
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 numerous pointing breed in the shooting field today, but strictly speaking a pointer is a pointer. Pointers are grouped with…
Are chocolate Labradors poor retrievers?
I was asked recently about my opinion on a dog’s eye colour. The inquirer felt if a Labrador had light-coloured eyes, it was more prone to be skittish and wild. It was something I had never even considered. I have always preferred a Labrador with darker pigment around their eyes…
My trained English springer spaniel isn’t listening anymore
Q: I bought a one-year-old trained English springer spaniel (ESS) last year and he was good out shooting last season, hunting and retrieving well when I was shooting on my own and when I took him beating. I was called abroad to work this summer for six months and when…
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 lovely dog but she really smelled, no matter what my grandparents did to try to stop it. Should I get…
Why you shouldn’t get more than one puppy at once
Taking on two puppies at the same time may seem a good idea, but it can have disastrous consequences. Stan Rawlinson tells why one at a time is best
How do I teach hand signals when training a gundog?
At what stage of a Labrador gundog's training do you introduce hand signals?
How to give your gundog puppy the best start in life
Over the coming months, many gundog bitches will cast off the lissom figures they acquired during the shooting season. They will take on a more matronly demeanour of pregnancy as they are given the important job of producing a litter of spring or summer puppies. But how prepared are first-time…
When you first take your gundog out on a shoot what should you expect?
What is the right age to take a dog on its first day shooting? You have decided you are ready to take your young dog on its first day shooting. This is a big deal for any dog and handler, particularly if you are new to training. I often get…
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
How to prepare for your dog’s first shoot day
Getting your dog fit both mentally and physically will help prepare your dog for the field and the rigours of his first shoot day. It is also important for you, the handler, to have a plan of action as to what you want your dog to achieve on his first…
Why won’t my springer spaniel deliver game to me?
Q: I have a 10-month-old springer out of a rescue kennel. He is obviously working stock, good looking, full of life and hunts like a demon. He was completely wild when I got him but after a year of hard work we are now enjoying shooting rabbits over the moors.…
Why does the springer spaniel have a reputation for being difficult to train? It’s not deserved.
The springer spaniel holds the greatest appeal of all gundog breeds for me. Springer spaniel skills include multi-tasking, drive, pace and style. No other breed comes close to a hard-going springer. However, the behaviour of some springers in the field has given the field a somewhat chequered reputation. Springer faux…
Got a working cocker that’s struggling with big retrieves? Try this solution.
Here's how to overcome a small dog's retrieving problems!
13 reasons why cocker spaniels and springer spaniels are different
Both springer and cocker spaniels are capable of doing a useful day’s work out in the field. Both are biddable. However, they do have different characteristics. Differences between cocker and springer spaniels Springers have a size advantage over cocker spaniels Cocker spaniels have a better engine and more staying power…
Is your gundog ready for its first shoot day?
Rather than ask how old your dog should be, ask yourself the following … Does the dog walk to heel on and off the lead? Is the dog steady to game, both fur and feathered? Is he on the stop whistle? Does he recall on the whistle? If the answer to any…
What happens when you try to train a spaniel as a peg dog?
My new cocker spaniel puppy is eventually going to replace my 10-year-old springer spaniel. I have spoken to several people and have received different views on training a cocker spaniels. I would appreciate some advice.
Teaching your gundog to work hedgerows
Q: I have a young spaniel, and when hunting along hedgerows he always pulls ahead and sometimes gets through to the other side — a couple of times he has run off. As I plan to do a lot of rough shooting with him, this is something that I really need…
What exactly ARE the differences between cocker spaniels and springer spaniels?
Our two most popular breeds of spaniel Cocker spaniel or springer spaniel. Which is better? Choosing between the two breeds has never been more difficult. According to the Kennel Club’s (KC) figures, cockers are the most popular of the two, with 23,297 registered in 2018, compared with just 10,152 English springers.…