Am I taking a risk having my working labrador as a house dog?
Gundogs
How to protect dogs from poisonous slug pellets
Dogs and slug pellets don’t mix and are in fact a lethal combination. However, it’s the time of year now when new shoots are coming up in the garden and you want to protect your hostas, bulbs and tender green shoots from voracious slugs. So if you’re a dog owner…
Best gun dog beds: which one will suit your faithful companion best?
We are supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more We recently wrote about the amount of time a dog spends asleep and as you might expect, it’s quite a bit of the day (and night of course). So…
Dog training with a whistle: some frequently asked questions
Dog training with a whistle means you don’t have to shout yourself hoarse when you’re teaching your hound how to behave. (Read how to teach reliable dog recall.) Having a whistle in your pocket is a useful tool and of course different blows on the whistle can mean all sorts…
How the cocker spaniel has changed
My first-ever dog was a remarkably handsome blue-roan-and-tan cocker spaniel. I loved him dearly, but he was inbred, neurotic and not really a nice dog at all. He was show bred, but I took him shooting and it was an infection of tetanus, picked up on a shooting day, that…
The Spinone Italiano – a gentle breed
The Italian spinone – Spinone Italiano – has been present here in Britain for almost the same time as the Brittany: the dogs first appeared at the Game Fair exactly 40 years ago, while they were first exhibited at Crufts in 1983. They soon gained an enthusiastic following in the…
All training disappears when my gundog is off the lead!
On the lead my 17-month-old springer spaniel is obedient, walks to heel well, sits on the whistle and is steady. Off the lead he is like a different dog. He runs away and won’t stay close to me. He does understand the turn whistle and will eventually obey it after…
What are the symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs?
What are the symptoms if a dog contracts Lyme disease and what does the cure entail? Is it usually successful?
Socialising puppies – top tips from a vet
Q: I am a first time breeder and mindful of all the negative comments about the temperament of ‘Covid puppies’. How can I ensure my kennelled bitch will produce well socialised offspring? What can you advise me about socialising puppies? (Read how to use a slip lead correctly.) Socialising puppies…
The best slip leads for working dogs
Slip leads were created to be easy to carry so that they can be “slipped” straight onto a dog after working. However, even the best slip leads need to be used correctly, the right way around and at the right tension. (Read more on how to use a slip lead…
Gundog tests – training to win
I have spent many hours watching gundog tests and as a result I have a good idea how to make sure that a dog performs to the best of its ability. Admittedly, you might not win a rosette or bag of dog food but you can do your best, whilst…
How to stop a dog chasing sheep and livestock
The costs of a dog chasing sheep According to Sheep Watch UK about 15,000 sheep are killed each year by dogs, when dogs are off the lead in a field with sheep or other livestock. This figure only includes the reported attacks, so numbers are likely to be more. Owners…
Are field trials champions REALLY the best?
Field trials are a tricky subject for a gundog correspondent to write about, especially as I’ve never competed with a dog in my life. I have watched AV spaniel, cocker, retriever, HPR and pointer and setter trials, and been to the championships of all five, so I do write with…
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.
Would a working cocker spaniel be right for you?
Back in the day everybody had a black lab. Then it was fox red labs. But nowadays you’re probably going to see a working cocker spaniel wherever you go in the field. (Read more about the cocker spaniel here.) Celeb owners of working cocker spaniels Guy Ritchie – film director…
Why working dogs retire and when it’s likely to happen
When working dogs retire One of the saddest sights on a shoot is seeing an old dog wandering around with a bird in its mouth, unsure of what it is doing. It’s poignant if, just a couple of seasons ago, this particular dog was one of the stars of the…
Looking after dogs in the cold
Can dogs suffer from the cold in winter? What are the signs to look out for and how best can we help them cope? (Read about hypothermia in dogs here.) Looking after dogs in the cold Dogs adapt remarkably well to living in extreme climates. Most of the breeds that…
How to stop a dog chewing the wrong things
Q: I am having a problem with my 14-month-old spaniel. He seems to love to retrieve, but chews hard on everything. He has chews in the house, but I had to take toys off him because he was destroying them too quickly. I always wanted to work him, but now…
Goldador: what happens when you cross a labrador with a golden retriever?
We are all familiar with sprockers, cockapoos and labradoodles, but what do you call a cross between a labrador and a golden retriever? A golden labrador? (The name is a goldador.) The ‘goldador’ cross A ‘goldador’ cross between these two closely related breeds makes a lot of sense and has…
HPR championship: victory at last
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. That’s a rule that applies to Rory Major, who last month finally achieved his lifelong ambition to win the HPR Championship. As he admits with a wry smile: “It’s only taken me 34 years to win it. I have qualified for…