A good gundog is the difference between a frustrating day and a memorable one. Whether you’re starting a puppy from scratch, working through handling problems or trying to close the gap between the training ground and the real thing, the answers matter — and they need to come from people who actually work dogs.
ShootingUK’s gundog pages cover the full range: breed guides, puppy training, obedience and whistle commands, advanced handling, working tests and field trials. Labrador, spaniel, retriever, HPR — whatever you run, the content is written by handlers who train and work their own dogs.
Gear is reviewed practically. Health advice comes from experience in the field as well as the consulting room. And when the hard days come — the ones that have nothing to do with training — we cover those too.
Charles Smith-Jones recalls some of his more memorable experiences from the various high seats he has used while stalking over the years
Can I clean my gun dog’s mouth of feathers after it has delivered a bird in a field trial?
I keep getting conflicting advice about where to start.
<strong>In his 20 years of service to HM The Queen Bill Meldrum produced seven field trial champions from the royal kennels</strong>
I’m in two minds about sending my 13-month-old labrador to a professional trainer.
Since Reeves first launched dog kennel and run systems, they have been active in developing new and innovative products which have evolved to produce outstanding quality animal housing with an excelle...
In the past I have fed tripe and meat mine with a plain biscuit mixer and had good results.
I've noticed that my young gundog is finding it difficult to balance game he was retrieving especially when the birds were still alive.
He is reluctant to release freshly shot birds and his grip gets tighter. Dummies are no problem. I've tried to be firm and gentle but it's not working.
Will my gundog change in temperament if used at stud and what should I charge?
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