IF you want something done right, do it yourself’—so the saying goes, but I don’t suppose whoever first espoused this (especially if it was Napoleon) ever took it upon themselves to train a gundog. We’ve all been there: it’s the first drive on the opening day of the season and your young, over-zealous dog has—yet again—developed selective hearing and disappeared into the distance, leaving you with a hoarse throat and flushed cheeks, as you reflect glumly on all the hours, blood, sweat and tears that you’ve put in to training him since he was a puppy.
This all-too-familiar scenario is why, for many, buying an older, pre-trained gundog from a respected trainer and breeder is an appealing alternative. An experienced professional not only saves house-training and socialising a puppy, they can also provide a dog that works to a high standard in the field and fits happily into family life.
‘I produce dogs that I like to call the “AGA dog”, the ultimate family companion,’ states award-winning trainer and COUNTRY LIFE contributor Ben Randall. ‘Usually, it will be a working breed—springer, cocker, labrador—who relaxes at home, will heel on and off lead when out on walks, has good recall in any environment and, if you’re invited on a local shoot, will be well mannered enough to do a proficient job and not let you down. The truth is, it’s hard for anyone who works full time to produce a dog of that quality without the experience, time and knowledge.’
Denne historien er fra September 27, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra September 27, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery