So you’re looking for a spaniel, rather than a Labrador. But that’s just where the decision starts. What sort of spaniel would suit you best? What are you considering in the springer vs cocker debate? There’s plenty to say in defence of each breed – and each also has its…
Gundogs
Can a show-bred dog really be a working dog too?
There’s one piece of advice for the would-be gundog owner in every book I have: if you want a puppy to bring on as a gundog, make sure you buy one from working stock. Show dogs to workers? It’s really such an obvious piece of advice that it hardly bears…
A shoot day is no place for an overexcited dog
Q: I own a rather excitable dog, an exuberant German shorthaired pointer (GSP) that I take beating on several driven shoots. He works well once the drives start and always gets compliments. However, my problems occur at the start of the day and in between drives. He has rather a…
How to train your gundog to hold a line
At a recent gundog training session, all of my dogs were running well, handling and stopping, hunting hard and generally being very pleasing. However, the ground was a little different to what they’re used to. The ground I was on was much more unforgiving. It had small gullies, ditches and…
Are blue merle dogs prone to health problems?
Q: Is it true that blue merle dogs have health problems? I was told this after acquiring a blue merle collie from a dog rescue centre but as far as I can tell, so far, he seems to be perfectly sound and healthy. A: A blue merle is a black…
Just how much time does the average dog spend sleeping and why?
Sleep dog times Dogs spend as much as half of their day asleep, while for around 30% of the time they will be awake but merely keeping an eye on what’s going on. That leaves only 20% of the day when they are active. As they get older, dogs tend…
The dangers of choke collars and how they can cause injury
What is a choke collar? A collar made of metal links designed to control the dog by tightening around the dog’s neck Some people use them as a dog training tool There is no way to control how much the choke chain tightens A reader writes in with a question…
Why the bracco Italiano has real flair and all-round working ability
Though the bracco Italiano is one of the most visually striking of gundogs, it is also one of the most rare. I was delighted to receive an email from Michelle Ansell, who told me that she has two braccos, both of which work. The older of the two, Digger, is…
What’s ahead for field trials in 2021?
All being well as we come out of the paralysis of lockdown, field trials for dogs will return once again. Pointer and setter handlers will have missed the early spring grouse trials on the moors and the East Anglian pheasant and partridge days that are traditionally held in April, but…
What to expect when your gundog bitch gives birth
In the concluding part of a two-part series, Tony Price guides breeders through the process of bringing their working bitch’s puppies into the world
Day-to-day gundog training
Day-to-day gundog training Lizzie, the young flatcoat, has gone home for a little break. She is now one year old and coming on a treat, but she needs time to just grow up. It is easy to push a young dog too hard too fast so they become overwhelmed and…
How to teach your gundog to walk at heel
I’m training a seven-month-old gundog and I cannot make him walk to heel without constantly pulling on the lead. Can you suggest anything?
What can I do about the scratches on my spaniel’s face?
Q: One of my spaniels has so many cuts around her eyes and over her muzzle from having to retrieve birds from deep cover that it doesn’t take much to make them start bleeding again. Is there anything I can use to prevent spaniel scratches and stop them reopening? Treating…
Checking up on a pedigree
Q: I am doubtful of the pedigree details of some Labrador puppies I have been offered. Pedigrees are widely available online and provide information for those who can simply make up a pedigree — and often the buyer is none the wiser. So how can I verify what I think…
What you need to know about hip dysplasia and gundogs
A good question and well done for admitting that you don’t know about it or understand what hip dysplasia in dogs is. Explaining hip dysplasia in dogs The hip joints are at the top of the hind leg in dogs and are ‘ball and socket’ joints, so that flexion (lifting…
Why ‘play-training’ is crucial for gundog puppies
Tony reveals how 'play time' is an essential part of a gun dog's training.
Will another bitch coming into heat bring mine on as well?
Gundog training & health: Now it is the end of the shooting season, I want to breed from my bitch, but she is erratic with her heat cycles.
How to protect dogs from poisonous slug pellets
Dogs and slug pellets don’t mix and are in fact a lethal combination. Losing a fit and healthy dog through poisoning is dreadful, as illustrated by this story I heard. Watch out on walks During a walk on farmland in Kent a lagotto Romagnolo bitch discovered a small pile of…
Italian gundogs – what are their strengths in the field?
I’ve written recently about both French and German gundogs. On the same theme, this is a piece about Italian gundogs, but it wasn’t one I was planning to write. However, a friend with a passion for all things Italian — from formaggi to Ferrari and ciabatta to chianti — challenged…