21/04/2026
WHAT MAKES A GOOD GUNDOG TRAINER?
There has been a bit of noise lately around gundog trainers - what makes somebody credible, what standards matter, and how owners are supposed to know who to trust.
While I understand why those conversations happen, I think that there is a more useful way to look at it.
Because most people looking for help with a gundog are not looking for a field trial winner, they are looking for a dog they can enjoy living with. A dog that is responsive, mannerly, and settled. A dog that can go for a walk without everything becoming a negotiation. A dog that can use its brain, work with its owner, and still feel like the sort of dog it was bred to be.
And that matters because gundogs are not just dogs who need a bit of training. They have been shaped over generations to notice, hunt, retrieve, use their noses, cover ground, and stay engaged with the world around them. Those traits are part of the dog that we live with, so good pet gundog training is not about ironing them out, it is about understanding them, respecting them, and giving them shape.
Done well, that is what creates a dog who is not just obedient but satisfied. Not just controlled, but content. Not just trained, but genuinely easy to live with.
IT IS NOT ONLY ABOUT TITLES
I have no issue at all with people who have competed and done well in the trialling or working test world. There is a great deal to admire in skill, consistency, and experience.
But for somebody looking for help with a pet gundog, that is not the only thing that matters.
You do not necessarily need a trainer who has won trials, but you do need somebody who understands gundogs properly. Somebody who understands what the breeding brings with it, how those instincts show up in everyday life, and how to train in a way that works with the dog rather than constantly against it.
And alongside that, you need somebody who can teach.
Because there is a difference between being able to train your own dogs and being able to help someone else with theirs.
A good trainer should be able to demonstrate a solid standard in their own dogs. But they should also be able to explain, adapt, and guide - especially when things are not going to plan.
That is where real training happens.
TRAINING THE DOG IN FRONT OF YOU
With pet gundogs, instinct is never far away…
The pulling, the distraction, the nose down in scent, the over-excitement - these are not random behaviours. They are often exactly what the dog has been bred to do.
That does not mean we accept it. It means we understand it.
We build steadiness. We build responsiveness. We build manners. We build recall, self-control, and calmness, but we do it with an awareness of what is driving the dog, not in spite of it.
When training takes breeding into account, things start to make more sense. And when things make sense, owners are more likely to be consistent and fair.
POSITIVE NOT PERMISSSIVE
If you know my work, you will know I tend to sit in the middle ground.
I am interested in what works, what is fair, and what helps dogs and owners live well together.
That means using food, toys, play, and motivation, and I use them well. It also means applying boundaries, clarity, and consequences.
Not in a dramatic way, but rather in the everyday sense that behaviour has outcomes, and dogs learn from those outcomes. It’s not harsh and it is not fluffy; it is just dog training.
WHY THE APGI MATTERS
This is very much the thinking behind the APGI - the Accredited Pet Gundog Instructor programme.
I created it because there is a real difference between understanding gundogs, understanding training, and understanding how to teach owners. And in practice, we need all three.
The APGI was never intended to be about producing people who could say the right words or collect another certificate. It was designed to develop thoughtful, knowledgeable instructors - people who understand the dog in front of them, the person on the end of the lead, and the training process that joins the two together.
That means practical skill matters, standards matter, and so does being able to train your own dogs to a good working standard. As does judgement, great communication, and the ability to help ordinary owners make sense of what they are seeing and know what to do next.
Because for most owners, that is what changes things.
Not being dazzled by jargon, and definitely not being made to feel inadequate… just being taught properly.
That is also why the programme is built as it is - a structured, mentored pathway for people who want to teach owners of pet gundogs with clarity, skill, and sound standards.
IN THE END
A good gundog trainer understands the dog, understands the owner, and understands how to bring the two together.
They do not need to shout the loudest. They do not need to make everything black and white. But they do need understanding, skill, and the ability to teach.
And ideally, they should be able to show that in their own dogs as well as in the people they help.
Because when gundogs are trained with a bit of thought and a bit of common sense, they can be the most wonderful companions - bright, biddable, engaged, and deeply satisfying to live with.
If you are interested in becoming that kind of instructor, applications for the 2026 APGI programme are being taken until 30 April - details can be found on The Pet Gundog website and in the comment below.
