What is the best age to start training a gundog puppy ?

Most people will say dont bother til they are 6, 9 12 or more months of age. By which time they have had the potential to become little buggers. So what should we do?

Start as soon as you get pup home, there are several things you can be doing that have a lasting effect on the puppy in the early days. One being a recall whistle. Every mealtime for our pups coincides with recall whistle practice. Once we have their food we will back away from the pups a few paces whilst blowing the whistle as they eagerly come forward in anticipation of their meal. 

Once the pup is close we will place the bowl on the floor and let them tuck in. Still hearing the recall whistle. Several of our pups over the years have been engrossed in their meal, their tales have slowed or stopped, then once the recall whistle kicks in the rush of joy to their tail and the subsequent wagging is a clear indication of their joy at eating and hearing that recall whistle. 

This would go one for a few days before we start to go outside with their bowl, whilst someone holds the pup in doors. Then upon hearing the whistle the pup is released, and guess what, is desperate to come and find us. When they do they are promptly rewarded. 

Other things you should be doing is inciting the play in our pups, giving them the opportunity of chasing a toy around the floor with enthusiasm and then chasing off after it and bringing it to us. 

Whistle Sit once the recall command is ingrained, start to use the pups food bowl to train the whistle sit / stop whistle. Elevate the pups bowl above its head, as you do the pup will look up and cant do much else than sit. So, pip the whistle and it starts to teach the dog to sit when it hears the whistle and the reward will follow.

If you have a pup or in the process of getting your pup, then feel free to get in touch and book a 121 to get you off and running with all the stuff we introduce to our pups at the early weeks. 

Email steve@brecklanddogtraining.co.uk for more information or WhatsApp 07795 466007