Gundog Training Q&A – Your Labrador & Spaniel Questions Answered

When it comes to gundog training, there is rarely a single answer that works for every dog.

A young Labrador that is naturally steady and eager to please may need a completely different approach from a high-drive Springer Spaniel that wants to hunt every inch of cover. Age, breed, temperament, previous training and, perhaps most importantly, the individual dog in front of you all make a difference.

Watch: Labrador & Spaniel Training – Your Questions Answered

In this week’s video, Carl answers gundog training questions sent in by our viewers, covering Labradors, Spaniels, young dogs and some of the common challenges owners come across during training.

As always, the answers come from Carl’s experience of working with dogs every day here at Kugae, with the emphasis on understanding the individual dog rather than expecting every dog to progress in exactly the same way.

Rather than looking for quick fixes, the Q&A is about understanding why a dog may be behaving in a certain way and what we can do to help move its training forward.

Watch the full video here:
https://youtu.be/ThqN-r3gd6Y

If you have a gundog training question you’d like Carl to answer, leave it in the comments on the video. We may be picking more viewer questions for future videos.

Every Gundog Is Different

One of the most important things to remember when training a gundog is that dogs do not all develop at the same rate.

We regularly see owners worrying because their dog isn’t doing something that another dog of the same age can already do. But comparing two young dogs can be misleading.

Some mature quickly. Others need considerably more time.

Some are naturally confident retrievers, while others are more interested in hunting. Some are naturally steady, while others have a tremendous amount of drive that needs to be channelled in the right direction.

That is why at Kugae we train the dog in front of us, rather than simply following a timetable based on age.

Don't Be in Too Much of a Hurry

This is particularly important with puppies and young dogs.

There can be a temptation to keep adding more exercises because a puppy is progressing well. Sit becomes stay, then retrieves, heelwork, hunting, steadiness and increasingly complicated exercises.

But more training isn't necessarily better training.

We want our puppies to develop good foundations, but we also want them to have the opportunity to be puppies. Play, exploration and building a relationship with the handler are all part of their development.

There will be plenty of time for more advanced training later.

Giving a young dog time to mature can often make the next stage of training considerably easier.

Labradors and Spaniels – Different Dogs, Different Strengths

Labradors and Spaniels are both fantastic working gundogs, but they have been bred to perform different roles in the shooting field.

With a Labrador, much of our training may ultimately be directed towards steadiness, marking, handling and retrieving confidently over increasing distances.

With a Spaniel, we want to encourage that natural desire to hunt while gradually developing the control needed to keep the dog working effectively with its handler.

The important word is balance.

We don't want to take the hunt out of a Spaniel simply because it is easier to control. Equally, we don't want a dog hunting independently with no regard for its handler.

The same applies to retrieving. We want enthusiasm and confidence, but that eventually has to sit alongside control, delivery and steadiness.

Good gundog training is about developing the dog's natural ability while teaching it how to use that ability as part of a team.

Foundations Before the Fancy Stuff

Many problems we see with older dogs can be traced back to gaps in the foundations.

Before worrying about long-distance retrieves, blind retrieves or advanced handling, ask yourself:

• Is the recall reliable?

• Can the dog walk calmly at heel?

• Does it understand sit and stay?

• Is there a good connection between dog and handler?

• Can the dog remain focused when distractions are introduced?

• Are the basics reliable away from the familiar training ground?

A dog performing an exercise perfectly in the garden is very different from a dog performing it with other dogs, livestock, scent and live game around it.

This is why we gradually increase the difficulty rather than expecting everything at once.

Training Around Real Distractions

Eventually, a working gundog needs to learn that the same rules apply regardless of what is happening around it.

That might mean another dog retrieving, birds flushing from cover, exciting scent, water, gunshot or simply being somewhere completely new.

But introducing distractions doesn't mean deliberately putting a dog into a situation where it is almost guaranteed to fail.

We want to increase the challenge gradually and give the dog the best opportunity to understand what is being asked.

Sometimes that means going back a stage.

That isn't failure. It is simply part of training.

Look at the Reason Behind the Problem

If something starts going wrong, it is easy to concentrate entirely on the unwanted behaviour.

Instead, try asking why it is happening.

Is the dog confused?

Is the exercise too difficult?

Has the dog become overexcited?

Have we progressed too quickly?

Does the dog genuinely understand the command in that environment?

Or have we inadvertently allowed a habit to develop?

Understanding the cause of a problem gives us a much better chance of finding the right solution.

There Are No Shortcuts to a Finished Gundog

Social media can sometimes make dog training look remarkably quick.

A short clip shows the polished retrieve, the perfect stop whistle or the Spaniel sitting beautifully as game flushes.

What it doesn't necessarily show are all the small sessions, mistakes, repetitions and changes of approach that came before it.

At Kugae, we don't believe in pretending every training session is perfect.

Dogs make mistakes. Handlers make mistakes. Sometimes an exercise simply doesn't work as planned.

The important thing is recognising what happened, learning from it and deciding what to do next.

That is real dog training.

Watch the Full Gundog Training Q&A

If you own a Labrador, Springer Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel or another working breed, this week's Q&A is well worth a watch.

Carl answers questions sent in by our viewers and discusses the practical realities of training dogs with different personalities, abilities and levels of experience.

Watch the full Q&A on the Kugae Gundogs YouTube channel.

And if you have a question you'd like Carl to answer in a future video, leave it in the YouTube comments. Your question could be included in our next Q&A.

Need Help With Your Gundog?

Sometimes it is difficult to see what is causing a training problem when you are working with your own dog.

At Kugae Gundogs in the Lincolnshire Wolds, we work with dogs at all stages, from young puppies learning their foundations through to working gundogs preparing for the shooting field.

We offer one-to-one training, group training, assessments and residential gundog training, allowing us to tailor the approach to the individual dog and handler.

You can find out more about our training, follow our latest videos and browse the training equipment we use ourselves through the Kugae Gundogs website.

Train the dog in front of you, build the foundations properly, and don't be afraid to give a young dog time.

📞 WhatsApp: 07505 014363
📧 Email: info@kugaegundogs.uk
🌐 Website: https://www.kugaegundogs.uk