Breckland Gundog Training

04/09/2026

Seven Reasons Gundog Training Benefits Pet Dogs

1. Loose‑lead walking becomes effortless
Gundog foundations teach a dog to move with you, not against you. Because the work is built around connection, pace changes, and calm focus, pet dogs quickly learn to walk without tension, making everyday walks calmer, safer and far more enjoyable.

2. Off‑lead control becomes reliable
Gundog training is designed for dogs working at distance. Even pet dogs benefit from this: they learn to check in, respond to direction changes, and stay aware of their handler even when exploring. This gives owners confidence to let their dogs enjoy freedom without chaos.

3. Recall becomes stronger and more consistent
Retrievers, spaniels and HPRs are bred to move away from the handler and return cleanly. Gundog recall training taps directly into that instinct, producing dogs that want to come back, even around distractions like wildlife, other dogs or busy environments.

4. Harnessing genetics reduces frustration and unwanted behaviour
Most pet gundogs are under‑stimulated mentally. Gundog training gives them appropriate outlets for hunting, retrieving, searching and problem‑solving. When their natural drives are channelled correctly, behaviours like pulling, chasing, barking and scavenging reduce dramatically.

5. Mental stability improves through structured, purposeful work
Gundog exercises build calmness, patience and impulse control. Pet dogs become more settled at home because their brains have been worked in a way that satisfies their instincts. A mentally fulfilled dog is a far more stable, predictable companion.

6. Obedience becomes meaningful rather than mechanical
Instead of drilling sit‑down‑stay, gundog training teaches obedience in real‑world scenarios: around scent, movement, distractions and excitement. This produces obedience that holds up in daily life, not just in the living room.

7. Overall behaviour improves because the dog learns to think, not react
Gundog dogs learn problem‑solving, self‑control, and how to make good choices. This reduces reactivity, over‑arousal, and impulsive behaviour. Owners end up with a calmer, more cooperative, more enjoyable dog to live with.

04/09/2026

Like Gary, we have NEVER had biting or resource guarding in any of our dogs, and I would go as far to say neither have VAST majority of gundog trainers.

But, still we see day after day dogs that bite, and are food aggressive, which in the wrong hands get given up on, medicated or PTS, when a simple correction and proper training to start with WOULD have prevented it from escalating in the first place.

04/09/2026

Dogs with jobs....

29/08/2026

🍂 SEPTEMBER IS COMING… AND YOUR DOG KNOWS IT 🐾

Every year around this time, things start to change.

The kids go back to school 🎒
People go back to work 💼
The house gets quieter 🤫
The evenings start drawing in 🌙
And routines change 🔄

And suddenly, all those little things you managed to work around during summer become very noticeable 👀

The dog that’s had company all summer now needs to be left alone!

The adolescent puppy that’s spent months tearing around the garden is suddenly bouncing off the walls!

The pulling, barking, reactivity, selective hearing and questionable recall you’ve been meaning to sort out hasn’t magically disappeared ✨

🍁September is actually a brilliant time for a reset

Get some routine back.

Put some structure into the day.

Teach your dog that doing absolutely nothing is a perfectly acceptable activity.

Sort the lead walking.

Sort the recall 📣

And deal with that behaviour you’ve spent the last six months saying “we really need to do something about that” 😬

If you’ve already tried training but you’re still rearranging your entire life around your dog’s behaviour, maybe it’s time to try a different approach rather than another six months of the same thing!

Autumn with a dog should be lovely 🍂🐾

Long autumnal walks, muddy paws, cold noses and a well earned snooze by the fire afterwards 🔥❤️

(Face planting, dislocated shoulders and holding on for dear life each time a squirrel goes by are optional 🫠 You absolutely CAN change it)

28/08/2026

BRECKLAND GUNDOG TRAINING — 10 YEARS TODAY

Some gave me 6 months, some even gave me a year, well F$%^ them, it's been 10years and counting!

It all started 14 years ago, with a (then) little s**t of a cocker spaniel aka ‘Meg ’, who pushed every button I had, until I got help and got hooked into the Gundog World. After a few years, some 10 years ago, life took a huge change in direction.

From there came hours of learning, being critiqued, Instructor courses, etc along with behaviour and training courses at Writtle College. Yes, I have certificates as well, not just attendance ones either, but real courses, not online ones!

And somewhere in the middle of all that… Breckland Gundog Training was born.

A decade later, BGT has grown, changed, adapted, and strengthened — shaped by dogs, shaped by people, and shaped by the desire to give dogs owners what they crave: results!

A FEW THANK-YOUS

Meg - Without her, this whole journey may never have happened. Gone but certainly never forgotten.

Helen and Stuart — for the early input, the honesty, sometimes brutal 🤣, and the spark that pushed me into dog training in the first place.

My clients — past, present, and future. Too many to list! Many of which have developed into lifelong friendships that are more valuable to me than some will ever realise. You’ve trusted me with your dogs, your time, your frustrations, and your goals. You’re the backbone of this whole thing.

The dogs — every single one that has taught me something (and some that taught me a lot). They’ve shaped the trainer I’ve become.

Emily — from a shy client to a confident trainer now taking on clients herself.A revelation, and a credit to her own hard work, and very much loved by our clients.

Howard at Fullpip Ltd — a genuinely lovely, honest man in the gundog world. His support and integrity have meant a lot, and he will probably never realise just how much.

Lisa at North Yorkshire Dog Training - On the end of the phone when I need help or advice or just a chat about dogs, a genuinely lovely lady who will always be welcome here in Norfolk

Suzanne — for putting up with the obsession: dogs, shooting, gamekeeping, training, and everything in between, and without her none of what we have achieved in the last 10 years would have been possible. Once again, sorry about the Chicken!

None of this happens without that guidance and support, and unlike many, I will never forget where that help came from to kick off the journey and where that help continues to come from daily.

WE'RE ONLY JUST GETTING STARTED

From one chaotic cocker spaniel to hundreds of dogs, thousands of retrieves, and a community built around calm, capable, confident working dogs — Breckland Gundog Training is ten years old today.

Here’s to the next decade.

And Finally… a Very Special Thank You

To those trainers locally who try to copy, criticise and belittle what we do, because we are not the same as them, or don't have the same unregulated bits of paper they do — without ever seeing how we train first‑hand — thank you too.

Your commentary, your assumptions, your little digs… carry on, buttercup/s. Every time you do it, you put food in my dogs’ bowls and fire in my belly and remind me exactly why Breckland Gundog Training keeps growing while you keep guessing.

28/08/2026

What you and your dog/s up to at the weekend ?

Basil here is taking a few days with his new family, with a break from residential training for the weekend.

26/08/2026

Residential Training.....

Here are the 10 mistakes owners make that undo the progress before the dog’s even unpacked their bed:

1️⃣ Treating it like a magic fix — training transfers, habits don’t.

2️⃣ Sending the dog with zero foundations — chaos in = chaos to undo.

3️⃣ Letting old habits creep back in at home — consistency wins.

4️⃣ Changing the trainer’s cues — one system, one language.

5️⃣ Freestyling instead of following the handover plan — structure beats guesswork.

6️⃣ Giving too much freedom too soon — freedom is earned.

7️⃣ Expecting perfect behaviour without handler skill — timing matters.

8️⃣ Stopping daily drills — repetition maintains the dog you paid for.

9️⃣ Letting guilt override structure — affection is fine, chaos isn’t.

🔟 Reinstalling old rules — don’t go back to “your way”.

Residential training works brilliantly… if you work brilliantly afterwards.

Your dog doesn’t need a miracle — they need consistency!

26/08/2026

The dog that started Steve's Gundog training journey 14+ years ago, gets her own post on National Dog Day .... 'Meg'.

Sadly no longer with us, but will never be forgotten 😥

26/08/2026

Today being national dog day, here are a few that have taught me more than any book or course ever will....

Comment with a pic of yours and what they've taught you

24/08/2026

Go along and help our Friends at Rookery Lodge - Home Boarding and Daycare raise some money for a very worthy cause.

We have some exciting news to share…….:
Rookery Lodge - Home Boarding and Daycare is having its second fun doggy day on 11th October. We hope as many of our friends can join us for a couple of fun packed hours. Thank you to our amazing friends Old Brick Kiln Freedom Field for supporting our event and we will be raising vital funds for the wonderful team atNARS - Norfolk Accident Rescue Service.
Woody says you’d be crazy not to join us 🤪

Further details to follow soon 🐶🐾