Full-time gundog trainer and A-panel spaniel judge
Gundogs
Can you prevent arthritis in dogs?
Q: Is there anything that can be done to delay or prevent the onset of arthritis in older dogs? Controlling your dog’s weight by feeding a healthy diet and keeping your dog fit by providing regular exercise are probably the most significant things you can do to prevent or delay…
The trick to training an HPR breed
Some traditionalists dismiss HPRs as unnecessary for British shooting, but David Tomlison finds out why owners of these dogs so passionately disagree
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. The Irish water spaniel, he assured me, could lay claim to being the only HPR native to these islands. He…
The law on tail docking
Docked tails: I want to ask my new picking-up team about their dogs' docked tails.
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 it has held for many years. According to the Kennel Club 36,785 French bulldogs were registered in 2018, compared with…
Where are all the best dogs being seen? In the Orvis Dog Of The Week gallery in Shooting Times of course …
We’ve heard it said that Crufts is a thing of the past. Nowadays, real working dog owners strive for their canines to be chosen as a frontispiece in Shooting Times, which sees them featured on the ‘Orvis Dog Of The Week’ page. However there’s nothing elitist about Dog Of The…
How long will it take my gundog bitch to get used to the whelping box?
Step-by-step instructions on how to build a whelping box to make a safe birthing environment for your litter
Why ‘play-training’ is crucial for gundog puppies
Tony reveals how 'play time' is an essential part of a gun dog's training.
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 was commonly called hard pad because one of the most obvious symptoms was hardening of the pads. With no known…
Which gundog puppy will be pick of the litter?
Gun dog puppy: I’m planning on breeding a litter of gun dog puppies from my bitch this spring.
What food is best for my gundog puppy?
I'm 15 years old and about to buy a ten week old cocker spaniel bitch. At the moment it is being fed on Beta puppy food as I'm planning to work her when she’s older.
What’ll it be like when my gundog has puppies?
I'm apprehensive about the big day and want to be prepared.
Six frequently asked questions about gundog puppies
Why won't my puppy concentrate during our gun dog training?
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 depends on the type of snow and the air temperature, but it can be a real distraction to working dogs,…
What to look for in a gundog’s pedigree certificate
The breeder should provide the puppy’s pedigree before you make a commitment to buy. The pedigree is one of the things a serious breeder uses to plan a litter. An educated buyer looks at the pedigree when deciding whether to buy a puppy, and a responsible breeder will be proud to…
Be careful of the water your dog drinks
Dogs need lots of water. There are records of dogs living for weeks without food, but if they are deprived of water their survival is limited to days. Quite how much an individual dog needs to drink every day depends on a number of factors, ranging from diet to the…
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 generated headline stories in The Times, the Daily Telegraph and Our Dogs. What Mrs Restorick had done was raise the…
Why you should never feed your dogs chocolate
I have always been told that chocolate is poisonous to dogs. Is this really true because I have a friend who often uses choc drops to reward his dog and has never found them to be a problem? Toxic chocolate Chocolate is definitely poisonous to dogs and, in sufficient quantity,…