Teaching your gun dog to sit, stay and drop isn't as easy as the professionals make it out to be.
Gundogs
Gundog behaviour: top 10 gundog crimes
Bad gundog behaviour is not difficult to solve, but some adjustments to your training might be required. Janet Menzies charts the top 10 gundog crimes – and how to fix…
Bulldog health: the not-so sporting bulldog
The bulldog was once a legitimate sporting dog, but now they bear little resemblance to their bull-baiting ancestors. Bulldog health is doing far more damage to the breed than their…
Should your gundog live in or out?
Keeping a gundog in the kennel or the kitchen is the great debate between professional and amateur gundog handlers. Can a gundog that rules the house really be trained to…
Gundog grooming – top tips and techniques
The level of grooming required varies enormously between gundogs. While spaniels with their long coats require some time and effort, with a labrador you can get away with just a…
The best gundog: how to choose the ideal shooting companion
Choosing the best gundog for you is a tricky business, with thirty-eight recognised breeds by the Kennel Club from which to take your pick. Labrador or spaniel? Traditional or rare…
Terriers at the top: small dogs in stately homes
There’s much to love about terriers. They are loving, loyal and positively bounding with sporting instinct, making up what they lack in size with enormous character. It is no surprise…
Retired gundogs: when to beat the retreat
There is very little information and research about gundog retirement, which leading vet John Houlton is now attempting to change. If you have retired a working gundog, do take a…
Difficult retrieves: you’ve got to pick a…
Even a field-trial champion can be stumped by a difficult retrieve. Only one of the problems is that they are difficult to prepare for, as David Tomlinson explains. If you…
Can minority spaniels survive?
Today you are more likely to see minority spaniels on the showbench than the shooting field, but they are part of our sporting heritage. Radical desicions need to be taken,…