Making all the wrong noises

While genetics can play a part, unwanted whining or barking is often due to mistakes made in training, explains Ellena Swift

- Ellena Swift

There are many disqualifying faults for a gundog in competition. These faults are not just things that are undesirable to see, they are also detrimental to the job the dog can do. For example, a dog that runs in is a danger to itself and a Gun who could easily trip, but it also means they may miss picking a wounded bird because they have run in on a dead bird.

One of the most frustrating and possibly common faults I see is noise. This can be anything from a small whine to a full bark. Either way, this habit is mightily frustrating and irritating to the handler and anyone else within the vicinity. Not only this, but anyone who has worked around game will know how impossible it is to move game into the right area if a dog is merrily singing away. Partridge in particular are unlikely to move to a flushing point if all they can hear is a screaming dog. For other handlers, sitting in a hide with a whining dog while waiting for pigeons or ducks is torture.

Hereditary

So why do dogs start? There is a lot of evidence to suggest that whining can be a hereditary problem, passed from one generation to another. I have seen evidence of this many times and can vouch for the fact that very often a noisy bitch will breed noisy puppies. However, frequently I find that noise is just as much a ‘nurture’ issue as opposed to purely nature.