Completely Gundogs

03/11/2025

🧠 Why Less Training Can Lead to More Progress

When I first started out, I trained a lot.
Too many sessions, too many repetitions, too many behaviours.

I thought more training meant faster progress, but I’ve learned over the years that the opposite is true.

Especially with working-bred dogs, who are born with the drive and ability for this kind of work, they don’t need endless repetition. In fact, overtraining often dulls their spark and causes confusion.

Now, my focus is on quality over quantity. Short, purposeful sessions that build confidence, clarity, and control. Then rest, time to process, think, and just be a dog.

My latest puppy is a perfect example.
She’s had very little formal training… but what she has had has been high-quality. Thoughtful, intentional, and always leaving her wanting more.
And now? She’s out picking up at the shoot, calm, confident, and doing a fantastic job 🐾

So if you’re feeling like you’re constantly training and not seeing progress, maybe it’s time to step back and refocus on quality.

🎓 I’m available for online 1:1 sessions to help you create a personalised training plan, one that works for your dog and fits your life.

📩 Message me to book or find out more or book here - https://tidycal.com/m2kqy7m/60-minute-meeting-1xw44lz

31/10/2025

Have You Booked Your 2026 Gundog Holiday Yet?

Just a quick reminder that our 2026 Gundog Holidays are open for booking and spaces are filling fast! 🐾

If you’ve been meaning to grab your spot, now’s the time.

You can see all the dates and trainers on the website, from Novice to Advanced levels, Retrievers and Spaniels, and everything in between.

🌿 15 acres of purpose-built training ground
⛰️ Access to mountain & river terrain
🏡 On-site accommodation (limited!)
🧠 Positive, practical, and pressure-free training

All it takes is a £150 deposit to secure your chosen date.
Once they’re gone, that’s it until 2027!

📍 Check availability & book now → completelygundogs.co.uk

🎯 Plan your trip, pack your whistle, and make 2026 the year you and your dog grow together.

29/10/2025

You can also this use for dogs who you struggle to handle at distance. Pushing them back through a bunker or past a distraction while they’re still running instead of stopping them and giving a back cue.

The best way to teach this is with the ladder drill.

As they run through the scent of the previous dummy you can encourage them back by repeating your sending cue.

So if you normally say "get on" or "go back" you can repeat this cue to push them on.

They will then be rewarded as they find the next dummy in the ladder.

If you have a dog with a confident outrun, you'll probably want to skip this because you don’t want to get into the habit of adding unnecessary cues.

26/10/2025

There are three different types of shooting here in the UK - walked-up, driven and rough shooting.

If you’re looking to go picking up with your dog, one of the first questions I ask my clients is are you aiming for a small syndicate outfit or are you planning to be on a commercial shoot?

While the behaviours you’ll need to teach your picking up dog are the same, being on a commercial shoot is without a doubt more serious and you will need to aim for higher standards.

You will not only require a greater level of steadiness and control over your dog, but you also need to make sure that their fitness levels are good enough to cope with the terrain you’re working on and the volume of retrieves they’ll be expected to do each day.

On commercial shoots, you may also need to travel between drives. While it doesn’t seem like a gundog training essential and is often overlooked, you will want to get your dog used to bundling into vehicles and tight spaces with other unfamiliar dogs.

Want to know more about how to train your puppy to become a successful picking up dog? Head to the "Blog" link in bio.

23/10/2025

🐶 Can’t Make the Cold Game Workshop? We’ve Got You Covered!

If you can’t join us in person for the Cold Game Workshop (8–10th Dec) — don’t worry, you can still level up your training from home 🏡

Our “Puppy to Picking Up Dog” Masterclass is designed to guide you step-by-step through building a confident, reliable dog ready for the shooting field.

Inside, you’ll learn:
🎯 The key skills every picking-up dog needs before their first day
🧠 How to introduce game carefully and positively
🐾 Confidence building for different terrains and distractions
🪶 How to create control without losing drive

It’s the perfect online alternative if you want to make real progress this winter — and ideal for anyone preparing for next season’s shoot days.

🎓 Train at your own pace, from anywhere
🔗 Start today → https://www.completelygundogs.co.uk/courses

Because the foundations you build now will set you and your dog up for a brilliant 2026 season 🧡

20/10/2025

🐾 Final Call — Cold Game Workshop, 8–10th December

Just a quick reminder that our Cold Game Workshop is coming up soon — and there are only a few places left! ❄️

📅 8–10th December
👩‍🏫 Led by Collette
📍 Set in the stunning Mid Wales countryside

Over three days we’ll:
🪶 Build dogs’ confidence with feathers and pelts
🦆 Work on retrieving cold game and tracking wounded birds
🎯 Tailor the level of challenge to each individual dog

It’s a brilliant way to round off your training year, build experience before the next season, and enjoy a relaxed, supportive atmosphere to learn in.

🏡 On-site accommodation — only the caravan remains (cosy and warm!)
🏠 Plenty of local stays nearby too if you prefer

If you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to work your dog on cold game, this is it.

🎟️ Grab one of the final spots now by commenting or dm me.

📸 darrylowenphotography

17/10/2025

❄️ Cold Game Workshop – Limited Spaces Left!

Our final Gundog Holiday of the year is nearly full!

📅 8–10th December — Cold Game Workshop with Collette

This 3-day workshop is all about carefully introducing and building confidence with cold game, from feathers and pelts to retrieving and working out a track on a wounded bird.

The fields and woods will have plenty of live game too which will help to test them.

It’s a brilliant opportunity to prepare your dog for the real thing in a calm, structured environment 🐾

🔸 Just a few spaces left
🔸 Only on-site accommodation remaining is the caravan (cosy and warm!)
🔸 There’s also plenty of local options nearby if you prefer

This one’s always popular, a perfect end to the training year and a great stepping stone into shoot season work.

📍 Mid Wales
🔗 To book your place get in contact or comment on this post.

📸 darrylowenphotography

15/10/2025

High-drive gundogs possess a unique combination of traits that make them outstanding workers, whether part of the beating line or picking up team. These characteristics, carefully cultivated through generations of selective breeding, are what allow them to excel in the field.

While the traits of high-drive gundogs make them exceptional working dogs, they can present unique challenges when these dogs are living as pets. Understanding these potential problems is key to managing them effectively and creating a harmonious home life.

Let’s explore some of these key qualities:

Focus
Even with lots of distractions, they stay locked onto the task at hand. This unwavering attention makes them exceptional workers, adapting beautifully to the demands of the field and making training sessions a pleasure.

A focused dog is wonderful when they’re working on the task you’ve given them. However, if they become “self-employed” their focus shifts to what they want to do, and suddenly all your training goes out the window. Unresponsive behaviour on walks or ignoring recall cues are common struggles with high-drive dogs that have decided they know best and are engrossed in their own work.

Want to learn more about harnessing your dog's natural instincts rather than fight against them, head to the "Blog" https://www.completelygundogs.co.uk/blog/how-to-live-with-a-high-drive-pet-gundog.

13/10/2025

This is what I always say to my clients. What emotion is driving this behaviour. That needs tackling first, then break the habit before behaviour change can happen

You cannot change a behaviour without changing the emotion driving it, first

If you do, that 'swept under the carpet' feeling might bite you in the ass - literally .

Find a trainer who can,
Find a trainer who has,
Find a trainer who will.

📸 by Yulia Titovets

11/10/2025

Working on your mindset can drastically transform the way you approach challenges and progress with your gundog training.

A qualified coach, such as myself, can help you uncover limiting beliefs, replace them with SMART goals to give your brain evidence that you are more than capable, and help you develop coping strategies for when things don’t go to plan.

And, as a gundog trainer, I can also help you unpick whether it’s you or your dog causing the challenges and identify the areas that need the most attention, whether it’s training a specific behaviour or working on your mental approach to training.

If you’d like to book a 15-minute chat with me for free - no pressure, no obligations - just an honest conversation about where you are, where you want to be, and how I can help, please DM me over on my new business page

📸

08/10/2025

🔥 Living With a High-Drive Gundog

Do you have a dog who’s all go, all the time?
The type who never switches off, pushes every button, and seems to run on rocket fuel? 🚀

High-drive gundogs can be amazing partners in the field, but they can also be a real challenge at home and in training if that drive isn’t channelled properly.

The good news? With the right approach, you can harness that energy, build control, and create a dog who’s both powerful and a joy to work with.

📝 I’ve written a blog all about life with a high-drive gundog → [https://www.completelygundogs.co.uk/blog/how-to-live-with-a-high-drive-pet-gundog]
🎓 And if you’d like the step-by-step training support, check out our High Drive Gundog Masterclass → [https://www.completelygundogs.co.uk/courses/replay-highdrive-petgundog]

If this sounds like your dog you’re not alone, and there is a way to enjoy the best of both worlds 🐾

05/10/2025

Last-Minute Cancellation — Grade 4/5 Retriever Holiday

📣 A rare last-minute space has just opened up!

📆 10–12th October
🐾 Grade 4/5 Advanced Retriever Gundog Holiday
👩‍🏫 Taught by Collette
🏡 Includes private accommodation in Penrhyllan

If you’ve been waiting for a spot on one of our advanced holidays, this is your chance.
Three days of focused training, supportive coaching, and stunning Welsh countryside.

These places don’t come up often and will go fast!

📥 Message me directly or head to
👉 completelygundogs.co.uk to grab it before it’s gone.