There is a local gun dog trainer, I see them when I go riding in that area, but I wanted to know how to start from the very beginning. My daughter is keen to get a dog sometime soon, her husband shoots a lot and would want a working dog (his parents have dogs so he uses those at present) and I think the plan is that I would also be looking after it a bit as well during the week.

Please note that Totally Gundogs receives a small commission if you make a purchase using one of these links. Yet when you try to put them into practice with your first pup, somehow the instructions don’t seem to bear any relation to what you have in front of you. Standard books on training and working, judging and field trials, veterinary advice, breeding, health and management.

Focussed on building a relationship with your dog that is based on trust and common sense, The Pet Gundog covers training exercises that enable you to walk out with a dog you can be proud to take anywhere, as well as behaviour changing techniques that help you develop a well-mannered and relaxed dog at home; after all, who wants to live with a bolshie, bad mannered gundog? Some of you will be familiar with Martin Deeley’s easy commentating style at the annual CLA Gamefair over the years, and his writing flows in the same relaxed manner. We had a fabulous Gundog Trainer when our boy as a pup and did 1-2-1 sessions as soon as vaccinations permitted which were great fun and very enlightening! This stunning 328-page hardback is divided into 25 easy-to-follow chapters with real world examples of how to build trust and mutual respect with your gundog, from tiny puppy right through to mature adult venturing out on its first day in the field.

The reality is rather more like this: Have your pup dancing around on the lead at all angles like a fish on a line. Chapters include: Choosing - rough shooting, wildfowling, moorland shooting, the all-rounders; Choosing the puppy - parasites, worms, fleas, lice and ticks, inoculations; Your new puppy - house-training, naming the dog, chewing, feedin, three to six old, early retrieving; From six to nine months - first steps in retrieving, walking to heel, introduction to water, quartering; Nine to ten months - steadiness to the dummy, jumping, introduction to shot, gun nervousness, whistle control at a disctance, dropping to shot; Ten months to one year - further water work, advanced dummy retrieving, directional hand signals and 'go back' command, use of the dummy launcher and blind retrieves, scents and scenting; One year to eighteen months - bringing out the gun, introduction to cold or dead game, taking a line, live game, pointing; Eighteen months to two years - going shooting for the first time, picking up, advanced water retrieving, wildfowling; Field trials - spaniel trials, retriever trials, trialing with hunting, pointing retrieving dogs; Bitches and breeding - seasons, false pregnancy, spaying, mating, bitches, youngs puppies, weanings, selling the puppies; Your dog's futures. Whether you are simply training your puppy or dog for basic good behaviour and conduct, or more advanced gundog training for the field or competition, we have a wide range of products to meet your needs. The ideal gift for a first-time owner or a handler wanting to deepen their understanding of dog psychology, Ben’s celebrated training methods offer unique insight and most importantly, results. His opinions, often openly controversial, are therefore backed by considerable experience, and given for what they are worth, without any attempt to impose them on the reader.It then moves on to work in the field, where it continues to be steady and perform as laid down in the closing chapters of the training manual. trekmoor wrote:My advice for good HPR books is to read a few books on pointer/setter training, a few books on spaniel training and a few books on retriever training. Author, Mentor, Trainer all rolled into one, Lez's passion for dogs led her to gaining a Masters Degree in Canine Behaviour and Psychology and dedicating most of her time to not only writing about dog behaviour, but helping people repair their relationships with their family dog and have harmony at home.