Sporting Shooter UK – August 2019

GUNDOG TRAINING

Howard Kirby runs Lains Shooting School and Mullenscote Gundogs in Hampshire

with Howard Kirby

W

ith some luck and dedication, your gundog

training is probably coming along very

nicely. Last month, we looked at how we might

use a retrieving corridor to help develop a split

retrieve. I encouraged you to think about the

effect that introducing a second dummy would

have upon your training plans.

We now need to give the dog clear instruction

as to which dummy we require them to pick – and

we need to train the dog to understand that he is

to ignore all others until instructed.

Mastering Part 1, checklist:

STAGE 1: The dog is well schooled to be steady

and, when asked, to go straight out, pick a

dummy and deliver to hand cleanly from a ‘send

away’ position. Go to stage 2.

STAGE 2: The dog is able to execute a 180° split

retrieve. Now we can really have some fun! Go to

stage 3.

STAGE 3: Mixing it up!

It’s important to mention that as we

progressively make the retrieving exercises more

difficult we musn’t make things too complicated

for the dog. It’s not uncommon to see a youngster

that was really enjoying its retrieving suddenly

start to look lacklustre and even become

completely disinterested at this stage.

More often than not, this will be caused by an

over-zealous handler who has rushed the process

and made things so difficult for the dog that it is

constantly getting things wrong and subsequently

The clock face

Now that you’ve mastered the retrieving corridor and the first stage of the clock face, Howard

Kirby ups the ante and adds the remaining dummies and some more distractions into the mix

PICTURES:

REBECCA GREEN

PART

TWO

CLOCK FACE //Adding the remaining dummies

3. Repeat the exercise, this time adding the 3 o’clock dummy. Remember to
   line up the dog correctly with the 12 o’clock dummy each time...


4. Start with a simple Send away to your 12 o’clock dummy, leaving the other
   hoops clear...
   4. The final stage is to send the dog for the 12 o’clock dummy with all other
   dummies down. You can then increase the distances.
   2. Then throw down the 6 o’clock dummy, turn the dog around and line him
   up to retrieve the 12 o’clock, ignoring the 6 o’clock...