Recalling exactly when you first set eyes on your house, your spouse or even a grouse is to be expected but I am slightly taken aback that I can clearly…
Gundogs
Rewarding and reprimanding dogs: how to do it correctly
How do we deal with our dogs? Dogs get left in the back corridor or chucked in the kennels and it’s only when they start barking that we rush out…
Long live the labrador: the world’s most popular pedigree dog
The ancestral roots of the world’s most popular pedigree dog, the labrador, may have come to us via the Atlantic but it’s the most British of animals, despite its name.…
Cast your vote now in The Field Top Dog Awards 2026 in association with Skinner’s
Honouring all breeds of dog irrespective of function or form, The Field Top Dog Awards acknowledges the importance and invaluable contribution of Britain’s best canine companions. Whether being towelled down…
Beds for working dogs: how to make the right choice
Thoughts on dog beds My dogs are always keen to sample new dog beds. During the year we have a number of short-stay canine visitors who invariably bring their beds…
Essential gundog handling kit: No bells, just whistles
I was recently asked what is essential gundog handling kit. I thought about the question for 30 seconds before replying: a slip lead and a whistle. If you have these…
Prepare your gundog for scurries at country fairs
Scurries at country fairs are a highlight of the summer, but as many handlers discover, they can be a quick lesson in humility. If you want to avoid the “leg-lifting”…
A class in gundog retrieving
Working your gundog successfully is a matter of straightforward common sense. Keep it simple, avoid these common errors and you will have a wonderful shooting season ahead. 10 basic blunders…
Hunt point and retrieve breeds: a Continental divide
Your first day’s driven shooting is invariably memorable. However, for one friend of mine this was for all the wrong reasons. The much-anticipated outing dawned cold and frosty, and it…
The weimaraner: silver shades of grey
How nice to see a weimaraner working.” It was a comment directed to me as a nervous novice in the beating line but I still remember this remark, made by…