They’re intelligent, they hunt well and they make superb retrievers. So why aren’t tollers more in demand as working gundogs
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…
Pointer and setter Champion Stake 2019 report
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…
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.…
10 things you should know when naming your gundog puppy (and why to avoid the name ‘Teal’)
We are soon to take delivery of a Cocker puppy which I hope to work when it’s older. Problem I’ve got at the moment is the kids and wife are already arguing over a name for it.
Whistles and working dogs – some frequently asked questions
Full-time gundog trainer and A-panel spaniel judge
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…