Gun Dogs
Training your dog

Gundog training is far too large a subject to cover in just one page of a website, there are also many differing views as to the best methods of dog training and more than one is correct.

The main points are:

Training methods - whichever method of training that works for you is the best one.
Listen to experienced trainers, read books attend training classes but at the end of the day train your dog YOUR way.

Patience - the saying goes 'make haste slowly'. Take your time - learn one thing at a time ensure your dog has fully learnt just one thing over a period of time - before moving onto the second. Once the second thing is learnt go back to the first.

Consistency is the key - ensure that you ask the same thing of your dog today as tomorrow and indeed everyday.
Never accept one standard of behavior one day, then another the next.
Use the same hand signals, voice commands and whistles. Avoid allowing any other member of your family (particularly children and well meaning but ignorant friends 'tamper' with your dog, this type of interference could set your schedule back by weeks.
Be especially careful who you allow to look after your dog if you plan to go away on holiday. If possible and especially in the first year - take your dog with you!

Obedience will allow you to cure most problems that you come across, however a willfully disobedient dog will never learn anything.
Practice obedience from the first day you get your pup. Certainly be your dogs friend - but reinforce the fact that you will NEVER tolerate disobedience of your commands. Reward obedience so tat your dog knows he/she has done well. In the first six months all that is required is general obedience, sit, stay and come. (Stay is really unnecessary as sit also means stay - the dog can't move if he/she is properly sitting.

Natural instinct - ensure that you do not train the natural instinct out of your dog by training too intensely or training too early.
Additional training can be applied at any time of a dogs life however it is impossible to put back natural instinct that has been lost. There are many books on the subject of training - some specify the traditional ways of training dogs, some apply new methods. There are also many web resources and videos. A more experienced dog trainer or a professional dog trainer can often help with a problem that you may be experiencing with your dog.

Remember - the only problem that you have with your dog is a problem that you are not prepared to tolerate. If you can accept a particular type of behavior from your dog, then that type of behavior is not a problem.

Work out what you expect from your dog and then train him/her to that standard.

Electric Collars
The electric collar is a relatively new training tool, which can easily create as many problems as it solves. If at all possible avoid using an electric collar. Proper training can solve nearly all problems with basic obedience, and you don't need an electric collar to do so.

If you require help or advice in training a gundog, club members can ask a more experienced member of the club, since virtually all club members own a working gundog.

BASC members can contact the gundog officer at the BASC who can help with most questions about gundog training that you may have.

Checkout the gundog links page for web sites that are specific to gundogs.