Gundog training book recommendations

[Manish]

Hi folks,

All being well I should be welcoming a keeper bred lab to my home in the new year. I was just wondering if there is a good book for training a gundog or might I be better off getting some lessons with a pro?

This will be my first gundog but not my first dog. It's the hand signals and whistle work that I think I might need tips and help with. My friend who's litter it is has basically said I will be surprised with what 10mins a day and a good reference book will do and to save my money by not bothering with a pro. I get his point but always good to get other opinions

 

Look forward to seeing what you chaps think

[dipper]

Quote

Old book by Peter moxan  basic but good.

 

[WalkedUp]

Get some lessons too, worth their weight in gold to have someone watch you and the dog interact and then be able to advise. My favourite books (Guy Wallace) are all HPR. 

[mgsontour]

Gundog Sense and Sensibility

Wilson Stephens

[Manish]

4 hours ago, dipper said:

 

Would the be the one titled Questions and Answers?

[Dave at kelton]

4 hours ago, mgsontour said:

Gundog Sense and Sensibility

Wilson Stephens

+1 and Gundogs their learning chain by Joe Irving. Another old one but worth reading. Add to these Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson and you won’t go far wrong. 
 

decide what you want out of the dog and go from there. Is it a peg dog or to beat. Will it wildfowl or pickup. What terrain will it work in. These added to the basics of come when called, stop when told and don’t move, and walk politely to heel.

let it be a pup and don’t push it. First 8 months is about building a bond not training as such. The dog needs to see you as all that is good, food, shelter, fun, company etc. The longer I train the slower I go. My aim is to have a dog ready for the field around two years old or so. Not easy to be patient with your first dog but it pays dividends over the following ten years or more.

Good luck and enjoy!

[dipper]

Think it was training the rough shooters dog ,also did one called?gundog training and field trials.You should pick them up cheap.

[marsh man]

If you are near any wildfowling clubs in Norfolk they do gundog training for pups and older dogs throughout the Summer months , you can also go as a non member for a small charge ,whereas members are free .

Look on Ebay for gundog training d v ds , a lot easier to see how it done rather than reading about it , also Mid Norfolk Gundog Club is well known at the East Anglian game and country fairs , I know one or two members and they are very helpful towards people seeking advice , you could also go to there training sessions to weigh up the pros and cons on where and when to start training a pup .  GOOD LUCK

P S    If you need any telephone numbers on Yarmouth or Norwich W A then feel free to get in touch , or failing that, have a look on there web site.

[Manish]

2 hours ago, marsh man said:

If you are near any wildfowling clubs in Norfolk they do gundog training for pups and older dogs throughout the Summer months , you can also go as a non member for a small charge ,whereas members are free .

Look on Ebay for gundog training d v ds , a lot easier to see how it done rather than reading about it , also Mid Norfolk Gundog Club is well known at the East Anglian game and country fairs , I know one or two members and they are very helpful towards people seeking advice , you could also go to there training sessions to weigh up the pros and cons on where and when to start training a pup .  GOOD LUCK

P S    If you need any telephone numbers on Yarmouth or Norwich W A then feel free to get in touch , or failing that, have a look on there web site.

Im with Fenland. I'll ask about and see what the score is

 

3 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

+1 and Gundogs their learning chain by Joe Irving. Another old one but worth reading. Add to these Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson and you won’t go far wrong. 
 

decide what you want out of the dog and go from there. Is it a peg dog or to beat. Will it wildfowl or pickup. What terrain will it work in. These added to the basics of come when called, stop when told and don’t move, and walk politely to heel.

let it be a pup and don’t push it. First 8 months is about building a bond not training as such. The dog needs to see you as all that is good, food, shelter, fun, company etc. The longer I train the slower I go. My aim is to have a dog ready for the field around two years old or so. Not easy to be patient with your first dog but it pays dividends over the following ten years or more.

Good luck and enjoy!

Dave the dog will be used for fowling with the odd day on pigeons. I would also like to train it for deer tracking as I do a good amount of stalking too

[mgsontour]

14 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

+1 and Gundogs their learning chain by Joe Irving. Another old one but worth reading. Add to these Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson and you won’t go far wrong. 
 

decide what you want out of the dog and go from there. Is it a peg dog or to beat. Will it wildfowl or pickup. What terrain will it work in. These added to the basics of come when called, stop when told and don’t move, and walk politely to heel.

let it be a pup and don’t push it. First 8 months is about building a bond not training as such. The dog needs to see you as all that is good, food, shelter, fun, company etc. The longer I train the slower I go. My aim is to have a dog ready for the field around two years old or so. Not easy to be patient with your first dog but it pays dividends over the following ten years or more.

Good luck and enjoy!

I agree 100% sir and it astounds me when I hear that dogs are trained at 12mths

[Manish]

7 hours ago, mgsontour said:

I agree 100% sir and it astounds me when I hear that dogs are trained at 12mths

I don't think a dog is ever fully trained. It's something we have to keep at

[Dave at kelton]

4 hours ago, Manish said:

I don't think a dog is ever fully trained. It's something we have to keep at

Agreed. It is though a matter of degree. I always say when asked it takes a lifetime to train a dog

On 04/11/2021 at 16:36, Manish said:

Im with Fenland. I'll ask about and see what the score is

 

Dave the dog will be used for fowling with the odd day on pigeons. I would also like to train it for deer tracking as I do a good amount of stalking too

Can’t help on deer tracking but if it’s wildfowling and pigeon the most important thing is to teach the dog to lie down and relax for long periods. Don’t start this too young or you will bore the dog senseless.

[Manish]

12 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

Agreed. It is though a matter of degree. I always say when asked it takes a lifetime to train a dog

Can’t help on deer tracking but if it’s wildfowling and pigeon the most important thing is to teach the dog to lie down and relax for long periods. Don’t start this too young or you will bore the dog senseless.

I'm sure that will be covered in one of the books. I've got some ordered up can't wait to get reading them.

[Dave at kelton]

2 hours ago, Manish said:

I'm sure that will be covered in one of the books. I've got some ordered up can't wait to get reading them.

Actually haven’t seen it covered anywhere but hope you find it. I start by just having them with me when I am doing something like gardening or cleaning the car. They learn that they can relax without being under pressure to be hunting or retrieving. You can then take them onto the point where they do it naturally. They learn that lying down is a relax position so when I say “down”, they lie down and just wait to be invited to do something. Easy to take that into the field on geese, pigeon or in my case picking up.

Good luck and feel free to pm if you ever have any queries.

[Manish]

On 06/11/2021 at 14:20, Dave at kelton said:

Actually haven’t seen it covered anywhere but hope you find it. I start by just having them with me when I am doing something like gardening or cleaning the car. They learn that they can relax without being under pressure to be hunting or retrieving. You can then take them onto the point where they do it naturally. They learn that lying down is a relax position so when I say “down”, they lie down and just wait to be invited to do something. Easy to take that into the field on geese, pigeon or in my case picking up.

Good luck and feel free to pm if you ever have any queries.

Thats rather good. Now how do I get them to do that?? I might just take you up on that PM mate

[Dave at kelton]

This why I teach my dogs to lie down. Critical when we are on the Merse where I don’t like using cammo nets and the only cover is the lip of the ditch or a bit of reed.

[Mr. Merkel]

Susan Scales book "Training the labrador retriever " is a good book sound methods and well worth a read, often on fleabay for £2-3 a copy.