The man who can teach any dog new tricks

For many, owning a well-behaved gundog is a goal we never quite achieve, but Ben Randall’s methods and training app look set to change all that, finds Paula Lester, as she watches him put her labrador through his paces

- Paula Lester

WOULD you like a dog that sits and stays, comes back when it’s called, greets people nicely without jumping up and doesn’t bark or chew its bedding?’ asks award-winning gundog trainer Ben Randall. ‘Well, I can help you get that.’

This might seem like a bold statement, but it’s an incredibly attractive proposition, because for those of us who own a dog, especially a gundog, there’s no greater source of pride than a companion that excels rather than embarrasses in the field.

It’s an aspiration that I’ve tried to reach with previous dogs and a goal that, when I got my labrador puppy Nimrod three years ago, I was determined to achieve. However, despite my best intentions, life—not least a very busy job on this magazine and a lack of confidence in my own ability (although I’m a gamekeeper’s daughter and am married to a retired keeper, my dogs have always been somewhat unruly)—soon got in the way.