Dogs: Skills Training: Sheepdog, Gundog and Scent Work

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Please click here and scroll down for breed guides on border collies

Eminent Dogs, Dangerous Men: Searching Through Scotland for a Border Collie

Donald McCaig
Publisher: Lyons Press (July 2007)
ISBN-10: 1599210592
ISBN-13: 978-1599210599

Eminent Dogs, Dangerous Men is a hymn of praise to working border collies and their shepherds. The 'eminent dogs' are those collies which achieve miracles at sheepdog trials, and the 'dangerous men' are their handlers, shepherds who, like border collies, work 'because', because when you are working, you become whole, and for a short while after you have performed such a miracle, you understand the meaning of life.

Border collies come from Britain, and you can find them wherever there are sheep, especially in Wales and Scotland. They are also very popular as pets in Britain. Some of the most remarkable writing on border collies has, however, come from the United States. 'Do Border Collies Dream of Sheep?', also reviewed on this page, is the story of two collie littermates, born in the US. Eminent Dogs is the story of Donald McCaig's quest in Scotland for a well-bred collie, already able to work, to help him on his sheep farm in western Virginia. His ancestors came from Scotland, first driven to Glasgow by the Highland Clearances, and then seeking their fortune across the water. The Clearances followed Bonnie Prince Charlie's defeat at the hands of the English. First, there was a mass slaughter. Then big landowners evicted people from their homes because they were no longer needed. Sheep had become profitable, the landowners wanted to make money, and few workers are needed for farming sheep. There was work for shepherds in the Highlands, but most families had to leave for the cities. 

A working sheepdog needs both shepherd and sheep, while a shepherd cannot work without his dog, or sheep. A shepherd who has lost his job might also lose his home, and have to sell his dog. Farmers are often not keen on their shepherds taking part in weekend sheepdog trials, because shepherds are needed at weekends, and farmers don't always want shepherds training young dogs on their sheep. So it is partly a question of luck whether all three elements are in place. Working collies were never the dogs of aristocrats, and their fates have always been tied up with the fates of their owners. They have been bred to work, and if their owner has no work for them, they are likely to be sold. Some lucky shepherds manage to buy land and run their own sheep. Their collies can retire in comfort. But for many shepherds and their dogs, life has been precarious.

A border collie is a dog that works sheep in a particular way. The dog's worth is tested in sheepdog trials. Appearance counts for less than what the dog can do. A few years back, I was on a farm in southern England. The farmer had a 'pure bred' border collie kept as a pet, which was good looking, but ill-disciplined and brattish. His stockman had a working dog, a slightly built bitch, mostly collie and part spaniel. Every movement of the bitch's body language spoke border collie. The International Sheepdog Society registers sheepdogs, mostly border collies. When Eminent Dogs was written, registered dogs included two beardies among the collies. In theory, rottweilers can be registered, if they can do the job of a collie. This, for many people, turns the notion of 'breed' on its head, yet the essence of a dog lies inside that dog, not in its outer appearance.

In Britain, boxers are often goofy pets that never grow up, while pit bulls have acquired a badass mythology. Here, where I live in central Spain, both boxers and pit bulls work as cattle dogs. They are dignified dogs, with a sense of discipline. The nature of a dog lies inside, and is linked to what humans ask that dog to do, what the dog is bred for. Breed specific legislation in the UK defines dogs by their appearance, which makes no sense. A dog that looks like a pit bull is at risk, no matter what its temperament is like. I have heard Staffordshire bull terrier owners argue that their dogs are 'not like pit bulls' Yet in some parts of the US, anti-pit bull laws cover American Staffordshire and English Staffordshire terriers, as well as American pit bulls. The British popular press portrays pit bulls as badass dogs. Most Brits have never seen a pit bull, so many swallow the myths. Label a breed badass, and it starts to attract badass owners. Then along come laws that legislate against appearance, and responsible owners who have well-trained dogs with good temperaments are penalised. Breed, for many people, is all about appearance. Dog shows feed this myth. However, legislating against appearance is irrational, and breeding for appearance means losing sight of the essence of a dog, especially in the case of border collies.

So the answer to the question 'what is a collie?' can undermine our notions of breed, and likewise, the answer to the question 'how do you train a collie?' can undermine our certainties about training. Often, as Donald McCaig notes, the owner is more ignorant than the dog. A well-bred collie knows what it is meant to do, while a novice handler may both mis-read the dog and the sheep. The work is too complex for simple commands, the handler simply imposing his will on the dog. Dog and handler are in a partnership. They need to understand one another, and both need to understand the sheep. This intuitive understanding comes from experience, from dog and handler being in tune with one another, and being in tune with the sheep, knowing what the sheep are likely to do, and anticipating them. Being a good working collie is about more than being biddable. A dog that is uncertain, constantly asking for orders and reassurance by looking back at the handler, is called a 'keeker'. One quality that Donald McCaig sought in his bitch was that she could think for herself.

Dangerous men, the best handlers, cannot always explain what they do, nor how they do it. They do what feels right at a particular moment, with a particular set of circumstances, the angle of the sunlight through the trees, the way a ewe carries her head, and the position of the dog, what its stance tells the handler about its confidence, everything is weighed in a split-second, and the handler decides whether or not to send a command to the dog. The best place to train a sheepdog is with sheep, on the hill where the dog is meant to work. A while back, I read a review of another book, written by a winner of sheepdog trials, a 'dangerous man'. The reviewer chided this champion for not using a more 'scientific' method in his training. Yet who was being 'scientific', a man whose way of training was proven to work, or the reviewer, who had no experience working sheepdogs, and who simply had an untested hypothesis based on 'learning theory'? Cultural myths,
such as that operant conditioning is the only explanation for how dogs learn, can blind us to what is under our noses.

The world of working dogs is bounded by the work they do. Until recently, humans bred dogs  mainly to serve a purpose. Back in prehistory, dogs helped puny humans to become successful as a species. They helped us hunt and guarded our camps. As Donald McCaig notes in Eminent Dogs, we had more time to develop our civilisations because of our partnership with dogs. Eminent Dogs was published in 1991. In 2011, twenty years later, New Scientist carried an article with the same startling revelation (1).

Dogs were created from wolves, but differ from wolves in that they have an inbuilt desire to be with humans. Some dogs like to be with just one, or a few humans, others are happy to be with any human who shows a kindly interest in them. In traditional societies, there was usually someone in the home, and dogs could often follow humans as they walked around on their daily business. When the human sat down, so did the dog. When the human got up and walked on, so did the dog.

Today, many people have lost contact with dogs. There are fewer dogs on the streets, and people use cars more, so are less likely to meet dogs walking. Owners sometimes leave for work by car in the morning, arrive home at night, and the dog has either been confined, or free-ranging all day, with no human to be with. This is a particular problem in Britain, where people work long hours, but we do have a strong tradition of dog walks, the saving grace of our dog culture. During walks, dog and owner can begin to develop that communion which comes from sharing experiences and tasks together.

Donald McCaig quotes Ingrid Newkirk, national director of PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who argues that companion animals should be phased out, and we should enjoy them at a distance (p132). Yet many pet dogs today suffer precisely because their owners are at a distance, at work all day. Like Newkirk, many owners have lost touch with what it means to be a dog, which is wanting to share activities with us. 'I took him with me to the chip shop last night, and he really enjoyed the walk, he looked really happy' (2), an owner told me of his young dog, who spent most of his day alone, and was not usually walked when the owner got back. That dog was later euthanized for behavioural problems. Deprived of human guidance, the dog got up to mischief. He was part collie.

Donald McCaig ends his book with a warning that collies do not make suitable pets. It is true that collies need owners with commitment and dog sense, who are prepared to put a lot of effort into their dogs. Many people in Britain do keep border collies and collie crosses as pets. Some were bought as pups for agility and obedience work, others are rescue dogs. Collies don't like being in shelters. They can hear a whistle two miles away, and the clashing, banging and barking in a shelter can be a bit much. They need peace and quiet to rest, when they are not working. Sometimes collies are not entirely sane when they emerge from shelters. Given patience and owners who can tune into them, their sanity can be restored, but it takes skill and commitment.

Today, pet owners cannot usually offer collies sheep to work, but they excel at other activities. Collies of course can win agility competitions hands down, but agility does not really engage a collie. Collies are obsessives, they will do the course fast and accurately, as if driven. They will also play ball games until their feet are raw and they collapse. They can learn hundreds of commands, or the names of hundreds of objects. But if you have a bright collie, mindless, repetitive activity is a waste of a fine dog. Try something more complex, such as scent work, which allows the dog to use his or her brain. Working on a challenging task with his or her owner allows a collie to become whole.

This is a book that will enthrall people who love collies. Eminent Dogs also has a lot to offer people who want to understand how humans can learn to communicate with dogs, and what 'training' really means. It's a classic, written from the heart, straight and true, and as fresh today as when it first appeared. 

Notes

1) Pat Shipman 'Creature contacts' New Scientist, Vol 210, No 2814, 28th May 2011 p32-36

2) For readers from the US, a 'chip shop' is a place where you can buy 'fish and chips'. 'Fish and chips' is a dish comprised of fish in batter, and French fries. It is sometimes eaten in the street after the pubs, or bars, have closed, out of the paper rather than using a plate. Glasgow chip shops will fry anything for you in batter, including Mars bars, a type of very sweet chocolate bar with toffee and fudge inside. Some people attribute high levels of heart disease in Scotland to lack of vegetables and a fondness for deep-fried Mars bars, though there is also a correlation between low income levels, poor nutrition and heart disease. Glaswegian humor is instantly understood in Belfast, Ireland, but is not always understood by the English. Nor can the English understand the connectedness that the Irish and Scots have with their history. As with understanding border collies, this is a knowledge that you can only really achieve by experience.

Further reading

Donald McCaig has written numerous articles on dogs, several historical novels, and two works of fiction which have a border collie as a key character (see Dogs Fiction books). He has also written 'Dog Wars', an account of a battle between competing registries in America to define the border collie, by appearance, or by what the dog is able to do. He has a strong interest in British dog culture, and has advised Battersea Dogs Home on the best way they can help rescue collies.

Meanwhile, Lue Button's Practical Scent Work, also reviewed on this page, is a very good starter book for learning scent work with your dog, whether or not you have a collie. Lucky collie owners may also be able to find a good trainer, someone who understands that collies are capable of far more than zipping round an agility course, and who can help you develop your dog's potential.

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Do Border Collies Dream of Sheep? Full Color Edition

Carol Lea Benjamin and C Denise Wall
Outrun Press (28 Nov 2010)
ISBN-10: 9780979469091
ISBN-13: 978-0979469091
ASIN: 0979469090

This is the story of two littermate border collies. One, May, stayed on a farm in North Carolina with her breeder, Denise Wall, to work sheep. The other, Sky, went to live in New York with Carol Lea Benjamin, writer, trainer and illustrator, to become a service dog, with special privileges to go places where dogs are usually not allowed, such as on buses. The story tells how each dog-human pair learnt to communicate with one another so that each dog could do a very important job. Their jobs were very differemt, yet when the sisters met again as adults in North Carolina, Sky quickly got the hang of working sheep. Border collies have an inbuilt understanding of sheepdog work, hence the title of the book.

This is a fascinating story for anyone interested in canine-human communication, and how dogs can learn complex tasks. In each case the tasks go beyond simply obeying commands. The dogs come to learn that there is a wider goal, in May's case, for example to bring in sheep, in Sky's case, to ease pain. Each dog may sometimes take the initiative over the details of how the goal is achieved. This can mean disobeying commands that don't fit with the wider goal. Carol, for example, mentions that her other service dog, Flash, once insisted on lying on her to provide pain relief in a crowded cinema. Carol herself had not wanted to recognise the pain was there. This reflects the relationship of service dogs and their owners described by another writer, Csanyi. He mentions a guide dog which refused to let his owner take a step forward. The dog knew there was an unexpected pothole just ahead, and the owner did not.

Denise and Carol are talking about a relationship with their dogs, and two-way communication. How did they develop such good relationships? Before continuing with the story of May and Sky, I will backtrack to where the book starts, a chapter by Carol on how the wolf became the dog.

Click here to read more - an extended review.

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A Way of Life: Sheepdog Training, Handling and Trialling

Barbara Collins and H.Glyn Jones
Old Pond Publishing Ltd (31 Dec 1987)
ISBN-10: 1903366275
ISBN-13: 978-1903366271

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First Steps In Border Collie Sheepdog Training [DVD]

Andy Nickless
Format: Anamorphic, Dolby, PAL, Widescreen
Studio: Andy Nickless Media Productions
ASIN: B001DW1W6A

This is a set of two DVDs from a modern trainer, which is extremely useful for beginners to sheepdog training. It sets out both how to train the basics, and common problems and how to tackle them. It's also a DVD that will help you understand the body language of your collie, an understanding that is useful whether or not you want your dog to work sheep. Some of the ways that collies communicate are common to all the breed, but the way they 'eye', for example, can vary a lot from one dog to another. Watch this video, and you will have more insight into your dog as an individual, and more respect for what the breed is capable of.

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The Dog Wars

Donald McCaig
Outrun Press (1 April 2011)
ISBN-10: 0983484503
ISBN-13: 978-0983484500

"The Dog Wars" is the story of a battle by organizations representing owners of working Border collies to prevent the American Kennel Club (AKC) from "recognising" their breed. "Why the fuss?", you might ask. "Surely recognition from an influential body would bring benefits." Well, actually no, according to many breed organizations. For sheepdoggers, like Donald McCaig, the concern is that recognition brings pressures to breed dogs that conform to a particular appearance, the "conformation standard". Yet the essence of border collies lies in their ability to work. The ISDS, or International Sheepdog Society, will register dogs on merit, for their ability to work, regardless of their parentage or appearance. As anyone who has watched "One Man and His Dog" knows, Border collies come in all shapes, colours, coat types and sizes. A proposal to turn this particular breed into an attractive, but useless dog, conforming to just one particular appearance template for a collie, makes no sense. Border collies are dogs bred to do a particular job. Collies bred for appearance only are therefore not border collies, regardless of their pedigrees. Donald McCaig talks of this in terms of a religious war. Religion is about shared values and ethics, so in the eyes of people who love working border collies, breeding collies for appearance is sacrilege.

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The Gundog Veterinary Bible [Illustrated] (Spiral-bound)

Harvey Carruthers
Quiller Publishing Ltd; Spi edition (29 Jun 2009)
ISBN-10: 1846890500
ISBN-13: 978-1846890505

The Gundog Veterinary Bible a very useful manual for anyone who likes an active life with their dog, not just gundog owners. There is help on what to do in emergencies, such as when a dog has eaten something poisonous, or broken a leg. There is also advice on preventing problems, which is well worth reading, so that you do not have to use the advice for emergencies. The author is the vet columnist of Shooting Times, Harvey Carruthers MRCVS.

The book is very accessible, clearly written, with good illustrations. It is a handy size to take on journeys, and is also spiral bound, so it stays open on a car seat, which means that you can follow instructions and check on the dog at the same time. Very highly recommended.

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Practical Scent Dog Training

Lue Button
Publisher: Alpine Publications,U.S.; illustrated edition edition (Dec 1990)
ISBN-10: 0931866472
ISBN-13: 978-0931866470

Lue Button has written a very accessible book for anyone interested in scent dog training, whether tracking, trailing or air scenting. This is a practical guide which you can use for working on your own, or with a friend.. It is full of common-sense advice, such as the need to develop your powers of observation and discover how your dog tries to communicate with you. The first six chapters are helpful for all owners, and go a long way towards helping people to develop canine skills, and a better relationship between dog and owner. There are useful preliminary exercises for pups, useful for all pups, not just those destined to become professional scent dogs. The bulk of the book comprises lesson plans for different types of scent work. The lesson plans are clearly set out, with good illustrations in the form of line drawings. There is enough information to help experienced scent dog people who are encountering problems with a particular book. The joy of this book, however, is that is is an eye-opener for any owner who wants to do interesting activities with their dog.  Highly recommended, a gem of a book.

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Tracking Dog: Theory & Methods

Glen R. Johnson
Barkleigh Productions Inc
ISBN: 0914124048

This short book is the 'bible' for trackers from an innovative and highly experienced handler. Johnson has a wide range of experience from finding poison leaks, to work with dogs in the armed forces. A 'must-read' for anyone seriously interested in teaching tracking skills to their dog.

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Search and Rescue Dogs: Training the K-9 Hero

American Rescue Dog Association
John Wiley & Sons Inc
ISBN: 0764567039

Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs save lives - wandering toddlers, people trapped in collapsed buildings, or lost in the wilds. This is a gripping account of their achievements, with advice on how to train them. This account will give you new respect for the abilities of dogs. Not all dogs are suited to high-level SAR work, but it is possible to train any dog to do some of the things that SAR dogs do. Training dogs to find people on command can bring benefits in terms of improving communication between you and your dog, and because dogs like to be given jobs to do. You can also train dogs to find other dogs, which is very useful if you have more than one dog, and one gets lost. You can even train dogs to find missing objects, like your car keys!

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Ready: the Training of the Search and Rescue Dog

Susan Bulanda
Doral Publishing, Inc
ISBN: 0944875416

This is a classic 'how to' book for training Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs. It's very easy to follow, and gives you a very clear idea of the training needs of SAR dogs. The rationale behind the training procedures is explained well, including how handlers should be trained! There is a troubleshooting guide for helping handlers tackle common problems. The book is also very well illustrated. This is a very useful resource for dog clubs, as well as owners interested in SAR work.

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Gundog Training Made Easy

Eric Begbie
Lulu.com (12 Nov 2006)
ISBN-10: 9781411670297
ISBN-13: 978-1411670297
ASIN: 1411670299

This is a short book, but packed with enough information to teach your dog the basics of gundog work. It is very easy to follow, and is geared to pet owners, in that the methods used are those that pet owners tend to feel comfortable with (ie no ear pinching or electric shocks). It won't take you very far, but if you are starting out, it's much easier to understand this guide than many others which give you more information than you can take in at first.

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The 10-Minute Retriever

John and Amy Dahl
Willow Creek Press
ISBN: 1572233036

Amy and John Dahl are highly respected trainers in US retrieving circles, though some of their methods are now seen as old fashioned by many pet dog trainers. A British pet owner reading their book is making an exploration into a different dog culture. The dogs trained by the authors, and described in this book are expected to win competitions. If they don’t do their jobs well, they are given to other owners as pets. Pet dogs in Britain tend to be part of the family. They may have useful roles, like keeping us warm in winter, making sure we get exercise, and keeping burglars at bay, but they are primarily companions. This difference in roles goes some way to explaining disagreements on training methods. Amy and John Dahl want results, above all. People pay them to train their dogs, and their own dogs have to win competitions to help maintain their reputations. Retrieving is an optional extra for pet dog owners, something fun to do if the dog enjoys it, which retrievers usually do. However, most UK pet dog owners feel there is little point in coercing a companion dog to take part in a sport, even if coercion may be needed at other times, to keep dogs out of trouble, so they don’t endanger their own and other lives.

Pet dog training has also developed differently in the UK from in the US. There is more of a close co-operation between trainers and behaviour counsellors in the UK than there is between trainers and ´behaviourists´in the US. Behaviour counsellors in the UK are expected to have training skills, and to understand dogs from a wide range of perspectives, whereas ´behaviourists´ in the US tend to be more academic, and more focused on ´´behaviourism´´, as in the view of learning developed by Skinner and Watson, and popularised by Karen Pryor. The British APBC, Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, long ago moved away from force in training, and this, in turn, has influenced British pet dog trainers. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), set up by Fisher, is opposed to the use of coercion in training, so those UK trainers who have kept their skills up to date have moved away from force. There are other differences between US and UK pet dog cultures, but a key difference is that methods based on force are less likely to seen as an option among pet dog trainers who have kept skills up to date in the UK. This is less true of British hunting dog culture, where coercive methods are still common.

What may first strike pet dog trainers, and pet retriever owners about this book, then, is that some of the methods described, such as jerking to prevent pulling on the lead, and ear pinching to teach a stage in retrieving, are now seen as unduly harsh for pet dogs. However, the 10-Minute Retriever does make very interesting reading, because the authors clearly love training dogs, and bond with the dogs through training them. It is a very pragmatic book, based more on decades of refining traditional training methods, rather than a ‘grand theory’ of training. The authors’ one foray into behaviourism as a way of explaining their methods is a little confusing, because the terms they use are different, or used in different ways from terms used by academic behaviourists. Many of the points the authors stress, which they have learnt from experience, are the same as those stressed by more ‘softy’ trainers, for example, that harsh methods tend to be counterproductive, by making dogs less enthusiastic about working. They also note that jerking on a choke chain can injure a dog’s neck, that electric collars can make dogs fearful if misused, and all that collars can do is shock, not teach. They recommend electric collars for some work, but also suggest using whistles as an alternative way of communicating to dogs at a distance.

The chapters on puppy training contain little to upset ‘softy’ pet owners and trainers. There is a stress on the need for patience and encouragement, and not allowing unwanted habits to develop, rather than chastising pups. These chapters cover good manners, general obedience, and fostering enthusiasm for retrieving. The authors warn owners to be restrained over teaching obedience up to the puppy’s limit, because, though puppies are capable of very high levels of obedience, this can hinder the development of confidence, desire, and initiative. It is refreshing to read a book which suggests ways to develop dogs’ cognitive skills and joie de vivre, as well as obedience.

One particularly interesting section is the discussion of what constitutes rewards for retrievers, which includes the act of retrieving, praise, and exercise. Food is not mentioned once. This is a useful reminder that food is not the only way to motivate dogs, and may not always be the best way. Food, of course, has many uses in training dogs, but it is possible to become a ‘food junkie’, so it can broaden our understanding to hear from trainers who don’t use food at all. Other important points stressed by this book include the need to keep sessions short (the ten minutes of the book’s title), to develop skills using a logical sequence of training ‘building blocks’, and to be consistent. They remind owners to remember to give a release command to end ‘heel’, ‘stay’ and other commands, something it is easy for owners to forget. They also stress keeping one’s temper, rather than chastising dogs for not understanding what one wants, and advise owners never to train when they feel upset or angry, or to take it personally if dogs don’t follow what is required.

There are four young Labrador retrievers in the Spanish village where I live. They are kept in yards with little human contact, and no training. Here, hunting dogs are just taken out when their owners go shooting, which may be once a week. These dogs are seen as disposable, usually shot when they do not do their job properly. Most of these dogs would probably trade an ear pinch or two for more companionship and more interesting things to do. Many hunting dogs in the UK are kept outside the home, not (as is true in much of rural Spain) because they are seen as too big to be pets, but because owners feel they would be spoiled by too much attention as pets. Such owners feel that the dogs learn better if the only attention they receive is while being trained for hunting.

In many hunting dog cultures, in Spain, the UK and US, there are owners who think they should dominate dogs by means of force, allowing no space for initiative. This is, of course, a misunderstanding of wolf ethology, the role of the alpha wolf, and the role of humans as leaders. As Amy and John Dahl stress, a true leader is sparing with corrections, and has the confidence to encourage the dog to enjoy retrieving, and to leave some space for initiative. The result of excessive use of force can be dogs that gag when a retrieving object is placed in their mouths, and a lack of trust between owner and dog, so the erosion of a basis for co-operation between dogs and their owners. Gun dog owners sometimes buy e-collars over the internet, and treat the dog as though it were a machine with push button controls, which again can ruin dogs for retrieving. In the context of some hunting dog cultures, then, this book not only aims to help owners to get results, but is relatively humane, even though some of the recommendations may jar with pet dog owners. The authors recommend that owners live with their dogs in the home, and are sometimes criticised by hunting dog people in the US for stressing the need for allowing dogs to have some initiative.

John Dahl describes training retrievers in the early 1950s, and is cheerfully frank about his early mistakes. He conveys a sense of training as a work in progress, that new dogs can always teach us something new, which rings true for people deeply involved in training, rather than just writing books. Amy Dahl has been experimenting with clicker training. Maybe one day, when she has built up enough experience, she could be persuaded to write a book that softy pet owners could happily use, explaining how to use clickers for retrieving, and whistles for distance work. Only a minority of retriever owners can, or want to win competitions, while most pet retriever owners want to have fun with their dogs, and to teach their dogs at least some of the activities that they were designed to do.

This book is not, then, a complete guide for UK pet retriever owners, though it could be a useful supplement to more conventional training. Owners can skip the problematic sections. These problematic sections tend to deal with skills that can usually be learnt in local obedience classes in the UK, using methods more suited to companion dogs. It is also easier to learn how to train a dog in basic obedience and retrieving with the help of a good trainer than with a book, because a trainer can provide feedback on the owner’s handling. Labrador and Golden Retrievers tend to do well in obedience classes, being generally quite robust, large and easy going. The value of the book as a supplement is because The 10-Minute Retriever has a lot of useful ‘softy’ advice on specialist retrieving training, such as fostering enthusiasm in puppies, and teaching retrievers to like going into water on command, rather than taking a dry land route (involving entering the water oneself!). As a way of taking retriever training that bit further, then, this book has something to offer even to ‘softies’. It is also worth reading simply as an insight into a different dog culture.

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Gundogs: Training & Field Trials

P.R.A. Moxon
Quiller Publishing
ISBN: 1853105856

The late Peter Moxon has been highly influential in the world of gundog training, and this is an excellent guide for anyone interested in working gundogs. The illustrations are not as fancy as in some of the more modern books, but the content more than makes up for this deficiency. There is a lot of helpful detail, so it's ideal for novices who need clear explanations. More experienced handlers who have not yet read this work will enjoy it, and will have a better understanding of the development of gundog training, since Moxon is such a key figure.

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Working Gundogs: An Introduction to Training and Handling

Martin Deeley
The Crowood Press
ISBN: 1852237643

Martin Deeley is very well known internationally as a gundog trainer and author, and 'Working Gundogs' is his introduction for beginners who are serious about the sport. He looks at both the skills that handlers need to develop, and at how to select the best pup for the job. He places a lot of stress on the importance of basic training, and gradually building up skills. There is also a troubleshooting guide, with examples from his own experience. The book is clearly written, and the illustrations also make the explanations easier to understand. The main breeds covered are the retrieving breeds and spaniels, though owners of other gundog breeds will find the book useful. This is a very helpful book for people wanting to start off on the right track.

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Advanced Gundog Training: Practical Fieldwork and Competition

Martin Deeley
The Crowood Press
ISBN: 1861263961

'Advanced Gundog Training' is the next step up from Martin Deeley's 'Working Gundogs'. This book is geared to the more advanced handler, who wants to participate in UK field trials and formal shoots. Different aspects of fieldwork covered include rough shooting, wildfowling, pigeon shooting, and beating. Deeley writes well, and his enthusiasm for the subject comes through clearly, making this book enjoyable to read, as well as a useful reference manual.

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Gundogs: Their Learning Chain

Joe Irving
Quiller Publishing
ISBN: 1840370335

This is a very useful guide to gundog training for novices, which is worth reading before owners obtain their dogs. Every stage of training is covered, from selecting the right sort of pup for the handler, to field work. There are also explanations of the training needs of different breeds of gundogs, such as the retrieving breeds, spaniels, pointers and setters. There is a lot of help with building up skills, in the form of lessons that are clearly explained. Experienced owners will enjoy this book for its common sense approach and clear explanations, but it's most helpful for beginners who want to know what gundog training involves.

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