**New class for 2025** Starting in March 

I see a lot of the gundog breeds as part of my work. They make great companions but they can be challenging at times! Understanding your gundog’s genetics, their motivations and what brings them joy is key to having a successful partnership. Too often these dogs are expected to be satisfied with a sedentary lifestyle when actually they were bred to work and they really enjoy it! There are of course anomalies - my first working cocker was very calm and would never venture near any bramble cover and was never interested in game, but he wasn’t normal for his breed type. My next two threw my world upside down and I had to really up my game and get inventive to keep them content and happy. It is important to remember that our gundog breeds were selected for specific traits - tenacity, grit, high energy, stamina, strong drive to hunt and pick things up in their mouths. Now if you had to ask for traits for a pet dog would you choose these? Probably not, but if you are willing and committed to skill up and you enjoy training with your dog, then these breeds can be so much fun and can turn their ‘paws’ to anything?

For this reason I have decided to start a pet gundog class to tap into the skills needed to teach your dog a rocket recall, fabulous lead and heel walking and focus and engagement in challenging environments. But most importantly I hope you will gain a greater understanding of your dog’s particular needs and be better placed to meet them. And we will have some fun doing it!

What will we cover (in no particular order):

 

Automatic sits

Stay

Place training

Whistle stop

Recall

Lead walking and heel walking

Hunting patterns

Retrieve

Steadiness around moving objects

(We may even add in some fun stuff like scurries and retrieve/scentwork games)

 

The course will run over 8 weekly sessions (depending on weather of course!) I hope to hold them either on a Saturday at 11.30 or a Sunday at 10.00am. Week 1 will be a live zoom call discussing the needs of gundogs, the role of genetics in behaviour as well as what equipment you might need etc. It depends on which has most demand. There will be a maximum of 6 dogs in the class. I am happy to accept ‘honorary’ gundogs i.e. other breeds if you feel this training class will be helpful.

The cost is £150 and will include notes, course homework and relevant video tutorials.

 

**Please note - this is a class with multiple dogs so will not suit dogs who are anxious or reactive around other dogs.**

**Dogs will need to be able to wait in cars for some of the sessions**

**This course is not designed to prepare dogs for actual field work, it is for pet dogs**

​

​