IT’S IN THE GENES

New Canine Friend To Be Obedient

It is fair to say that for centuries dogs have been present in the countryside in one form or another, assisting the work of countrymen in their daily endeavours, either for herding, guarding, or companionship. It did not takse long for country sportsmen to also realise that dogs could make finding and locating food for the pot easier and with a greater chance of success. It therefore made great sense to train dogs for this task and quickly became apparent that certain types of dogs were better suited to particular types of hunting, depending on such factors as the terrain and quarry available. The ‘pointing’ breeds were favoured on open ground such as moorland where they could quest over larger distances; find game and hold it ‘on point’ till the handler came close enough to shoot once the quarry was flushed. For the shooter that had access to the hedgerows and spinneys, the spaniel came to be the dog of choice; hunting fervently, they leave no bush or tussock untouched and flushing game the moment it found it. With the development of driven game shooting, where the shooters are positioned and remain static with game being flushed over them, the ‘retrieving’ breeds came to the fore, and today there is no more popular a dog than the Labrador for this task.

According to Kennel Club records, Labradors and spaniels count for the most popularly bred and owned dogs today in the UK. Although it is reasonable to say that the greater majority are not used for shooting or sporting purposes, deeply rooted in their ancestry would undoubtedly be a dog from working stock. Spaniels and retrievers remain the dogs of choice for country fieldsportsmen, owing to their suitability for task (‘biddability’ and fitness).

Gundogs are a key element of any shooting day and there is an expectation that they will be steady and reliable with impeccable obedience – only achieved by implementing a consistent staged training plan. It is any live quarry shooter’s prime objective, once the trigger has been pulled, to ensure that shot game is collected as quickly as possible for obvious reasons (only with a well trained gundog to hand can this be achieved swiftly). In the high octane atmosphere of a shooting day, involving dogs off leads, the movement of game and the bangs of guns, there is clearly no room for an out of control and excitable dog creating havoc as well as potential danger. Trained into the dogs from early days is the requirement to be responsive to the handler; walking at heel both on and off the lead, to sit still and steady off lead when required, ignore all livestock and possess a solid 100 percent recall, to name just a few. Further advanced training involves teaching the dog to be responsive to whistle and hand signals at distance from the handler, as well as to be able to retrieve with speed and efficiency from distance, over obstacles such as ditches, fences or water. Traits I am sure that any nonshooting owner of a highly charged gundog breed would love to emulate. The secret to this level of obedience is good training and a calm but assertive and confident approach.

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Supporting the gundog world, a whole industry sector has evolved, from working dog feed to specialist training dummies, used to train a dog to carry and retrieve, mimicking both the feel and weight of real quarry. In addition, a vast network of trainers and gundog clubs and societies exist throughout the country, helping owners to achieve a high standard of obedience. Dogs from working stock have a history in demonstrating that they have a great aptitude for training, being both very biddable and keen to please. However, without the right stimuli they may become frustrated and develop unexpected behaviour issues for the unwary pet owner.

For anyone thinking of buying a gundog breed puppy, or rehoming an older dog,