The right raw material

Training your own gundog can be enormously rewarding — but only if you choose the right puppy in the first place, warns Jeremy Hunt

- warns Jeremy Hunt

When it comes to training a gundog it is generally expected that success will be achieved by applying a set pattern of instruction and for the dog to respond accordingly. While you may have all the theoretical training information to hand and be determined to put it into practice, many training problems encountered by individual owners are the result of failings on their part rather than their dog’s.

It’s very easy to blame the dog when things don’t go according to plan. We all know that some people, even first-timers, are simply better trainers than others. But why is that?

A natural affinity with animals and an ability to establish a close working partnership through training is a gift to be cherished. It’s the foundation of creating that inextricable bond that we have developed with a host of animal species over centuries as we have trained them to do our bidding.

But when it comes to gundog training there are many who find it very difficult.

When the decision is made to buy a gundog puppy and to start its training, how many prospective owners think about what they, as humans, are like in terms of their own character and levels of patience? How many people can say they made a true assessment of their ability to train a dog before they embarked upon the project?

Of course, I am not suggesting novice trainers should be deterred from the hugely rewarding experience of producing a fully trained gundog themselves. But I do believe many of the problems that scupper what could be a wonderful dog and owner relationship could be avoided.

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