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silvpig
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The best way to become a Gundog trainer is to get out and train dogs, lots of them of lots of different breeds of lots of different ages with lots of different problems. Then you will be a Gundog trainer. Whether you can then impart that knowledge and become a coach to Gundog handlers is another matter entirely.

 

Experience is the only way, I don't think you can be an "apprentice" because dogs and people are so completely individual... and then there is the secret squirrel element where trainers think they have a wee secret remedy or trick that they won't tell anyone about. Then there's the BS factor, there's so much **** gets talked about how to train dogs it's a wonder we can get them to do anything at all!

 

To add to this, don't expect to be taken seriously as a gundog trainer by the 'big boys' until you've at least 10 years under your belt! It's a competitive world out there in the gundog bubble and people do talk, often not favourably lol.

We've had some success this year in tests and hope to be trialling this year but under no circumstances would I call myself a 'gundog trainer', I don't even rate myself as up to Novice standard yet - you can learn so much from other people, often things you kick yourself for not figuring out yourself!

Probably your best bet is maybe to go along on a shoot, look for the guy(s) with the best dogs and try and pick his/their brains (assuming they're forthcoming!)

Edited by bigbird
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The best way to become a Gundog trainer is to get out and train dogs, lots of them of lots of different breeds of lots of different ages with lots of different problems. Then you will be a Gundog trainer. Whether you can then impart that knowledge and become a coach to Gundog handlers is another matter entirely.

 

Experience is the only way, I don't think you can be an "apprentice" because dogs and people are so completely individual... and then there is the secret squirrel element where trainers think they have a wee secret remedy or trick that they won't tell anyone about. Then there's the BS factor, there's so much **** gets talked about how to train dogs it's a wonder we can get them to do anything at all!

 

And aint that just the truth !!!

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To add to this, don't expect to be taken seriously as a gundog trainer by the 'big boys' until you've at least 10 years under your belt! It's a competitive world out there in the gundog bubble and people do talk, often not favourably lol.

We've had some success this year in tests and hope to be trialling this year but under no circumstances would I call myself a 'gundog trainer', you can learn so much from other people, often things you kick yourself for not figuring out yourself!

Probably your best bet is maybe to go along on a shoot, look for the guy(s) with the best dogs and try and pick his/their brains (assuming they're forthcoming!)

That's good advice and good to know, thanks :)

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Ok so experience, in your opinion is the best way forward, but what about before? Cuz I haven't got a clue how to train dogs, doesn't strike me as something you can just blag your way through until you get it right lol, specially as I haven't got my own to try.

You will find it very difficult without a dog to work with, but looking to the positive, many people get a dog without actually knowing what they want it to do.

 

DVDs are probably the best starting place, David Lisett's spaniel training series is, I think, very informative with regards to training spaniels and Drakeshead do a retriever series. Those would be good reference points, and as others have suggested get out and see dogs working. Don't always assume either that dogs working are doing it correctly, look at their behaviour and analyse it for yourself, there are plenty wild dogs about to show you what you should not end up with.

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Davy's a top bloke as well as a cracking trainer and a cracking setup, never actually watched his dvd yet (got it on loan of a mate, lying next to broken dvd player) have heard of people travelling long distances to go to his training days/wknds but there will be plenty other trainers well worth watching and davy says that himself. Everyday is a school day and esp with dogs

 

When u say u want to be a gundog trainer do u mean professionally? or just learn more before u get ur first dog?

 

While u can read and watch as much as possibe but the thing that seperates the good and great trainers from the rest is their natural ability to work with and read dogs. There is no subsitite for that and i doubt u can really teach it either. So until u actually start to work with dogs u will never know

A lot of sense in some of the above post's and while experience and sheer volume of dogs is the only way to really learn i know people who i have beat beside for 30 odd yeas and there dogs are as bad now as there were 30 years ago in some cases worse, as they don't learn from there mistakes and keep repeating them. Make a mistake learn how to fix it and try not to repeat it and just keep going. Thats why group training can e handy so to learn from other peoples mistakes

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It's just something I'm really intrigued in, I will defo try and train 1 of my own when the time comes, as for professionally, who knows, my 4on 4off shift pattern would allow for it on part time terms, but Obv that's years off yet :) great knowledge in the post mate.

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Who do u shoot with? Do u not know anyone with decent dogs to get ur head round the basics?

 

I would go along to ur local gundog training club, most clubs are always looking for volunteers to throw dummies on training days or working tests/fun days, usually hard to get folk as everyone wants to run therir own dog. Amazing wot u can learn by just watching other dogs and handlers, body language of both dog and handler etc, the good ones all tend to handle in a similar way (no fuss, simple clear directions/commands that the dog obviously understands) sounds simple but plenty don't. Get to know a few local faces that way and then get to know ur local trainers.

I would imagine most trainers will already have a group of helpers/friends that they already knowand know they know wot there doing. I would imagine slightly hard to get ur foot in the door when u don't own a dog, most will get foot in the door by going for lessons first (unless known throu working/trailing their dogs)

 

I think kent's point is not all gungog traines are good communicators or writters (i know a couple who are great with dogs but not so good with people), althou nowadays there is a lot who are, but there is also folk who write books that couldnae really train a dog, i know 1 in paticulat who's dogs are terrible despite writing a few books on it, but to be fair his books are actually ok. He must not be applying wot he preaches in his book.

Also many different ways to train a dog, most now are heading towards positive based methods but i still know 1 or 2 old school who train dogs to very high stanards that use more old fashioned methods, just got to find a style that suits u and ur future dog

 

Most gundog books are fairly similarish, there is a host of well known trainers/writters. I always thought James douglas's book was a good basic starter and fairly easy to read/understand, but loads of others out there

Your very perceptive and got my point, a good dog man can generally pick this bit out of the statement I made easy (regardless of the skill set they personally hold they have that way of thinking)- Its got nothing to do with golf and I hardly know one end of a golf club from the other! I made COZ it aint written in no book, spoke about on a video and never asked on the tinternet etc. Some just talk the talk and work on std answers they hear

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You will find it very difficult without a dog to work with, but looking to the positive, many people get a dog without actually knowing what they want it to do.

 

DVDs are probably the best starting place, David Lisett's spaniel training series is, I think, very informative with regards to training spaniels and Drakeshead do a retriever series. Those would be good reference points, and as others have suggested get out and see dogs working. Don't always assume either that dogs working are doing it correctly, look at their behaviour and analyse it for yourself, there are plenty wild dogs about to show you what you should not end up with.

:good:

 

 

 

To add to this, don't expect to be taken seriously as a gundog trainer by the 'big boys' until you've at least 10 years under your belt! It's a competitive world out there in the gundog bubble and people do talk, often not favourably lol.

We've had some success this year in tests and hope to be trialling this year but under no circumstances would I call myself a 'gundog trainer', I don't even rate myself as up to Novice standard yet - you can learn so much from other people, often things you kick yourself for not figuring out yourself!

Probably your best bet is maybe to go along on a shoot, look for the guy(s) with the best dogs and try and pick his/their brains (assuming they're forthcoming!

 

Why??? Are people on here confusing gundog trainer with professional gundog trainer who trains other people and their dogs for a living?

 

Anyone who has a dog and is training it can call themselves a dog trainer. No matter how good or bad the dog is they can still call themselves a trainer of dogs. You do not have to have won field trials/tests/championships or anything else, to be able to call yourself a trainer of dogs/gundogs. From day 1 with that first dog, you are a gundog trainer.

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There are many many gundog trainers out there. There are very very few good gundog trainers. Like one guy already posted the ******** spoken by some is incredible.

You will find that the good ones don't paint by numbers :shaun: and they are open minded, innovative, and prepared to listen to all and change/ make adjustments to their techniques and methods. They are the good gundog trainers.

 

There are the other types. The painters by numbers merchants who listen to one voice, and one voice only. Closed minds, closed ears, closed eyes. This type tend to look at one way only, and believe that because one trainer has been successful doing things a particular way, they too can just follow the same steps and be successful. These same folk gauge success as being something other than having a nicely behaved good working gundog. They see adulation and flashing cameras as success. They are quite happy behaving like sheep to be part of the crowd. :whistling:

 

:yes:

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Just go on facebook, call yourself something gundogs and hey presto you can be a gundog trainer! Sounds too easy? Well seems to work for dozens of folks! Mind, not just gundog trainers, facebook creates instant experts in most things! (Google experts)

 

Mike

:good: could not agree more. They have a list of disciples following them as well.

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Most of the best will tell u to go to a few different ones and pick and choose wot is the best mix of techniques for u and ur dog, which may be a different set of techniques from dog to dog.

Althou that is more advanced, not for starting of as u might just confuse urself with loads of techniques/styles. Which is not good

 

Folk have trained dogs for hundreds of years long before the internet, dvd's and even dog training books, it isnae that hard to get to a basic working dog standard, althou gets harder as standard rises

I used to make it up as i went along as i never knoew any better and managed to get dogs to a working standard, it is a lot easier thou when u are shown the easy ways and a few tricks along the way

I wouldn't get too hung up on it or watch too many clips on the internet esp, as u don't know how good they are,

But watching likes of davy lisset, halsteads,opie, simon tyres, or rory majors etc dvd's will put on the right path but i'm sure plenty of other good ones i've not mentioned

 

Offer to help at group training/working tests and see how different people approach it first, even watch a trial or 2, then approach the people who u get on well with and like there style when u get a dog, its no real biggy and no big drama. I'm sure u'll do fine when u get a dog.

Do u beat on any local estates? That is also a good way to met dog folk and get an idea of standards althou not always very high on some shoots. But amazing how u can get by with a fairly poor dog

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