Teach Your Gundog (2025)

25/08/2025

Once you have taught your dog to swim on cue and practised recall from the water, you will be able to work on delaying the shake, capturing this and attaching a cue to the shake behaviour.

Step one
Cue them to go swim, and let them submerge themselves to the point where they will be wet enough to want to shake. Remember: for most dogs this will be when the water has reached their withers area (the bit between the shoulder blades), but it might be different for your individual dog.

Step two
Stand on the edge of the bank and recall them to you. When they reach you, immediately begin to pay them consecutively with 8 to 10 high-value treats quickly, one after the other without stopping.

Step three
When you get to the end of your treats, or just before you think they are likely to shake, give your ‘shake’ cue. They will likely shake immediately, or you may need to wait a couple of seconds (if so, just wait), but as soon as they do shake, click, and reinforce again with high value food rewards, their favourite toy or some play.

Step four
After your first attempt, consider if you managed to get through all the number of treats you had counted out before your dog wanted to shake. When you repeat this, your goal will be to get to a higher number of treats, and for them to withhold the desire to shake until you stop feeding, cue and then click and pay.

Step five
You will then repeat this using the recall to begin with. Over time, you will then start to build this activity into every time your dog comes out of the water, even if you have not called them to you.

Step six
To progress this further, you will start to slow down the rate at which you pay the treats, and until your dog is able to cope with this delay without the desire to shake.

Want to learn more about achieving a hand delivery from water? Head to https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/blogs/news/getting-a-hand-delivery-from-water

22/08/2025

If you’ve got a young or inexperienced gundog and want to start building strong foundations, our group classes in Haslemere could be the perfect next step.

These small group sessions are suitable for all gundog breeds over eight months of age, whether you’re training a pet gundog, thinking about working your dog in the field, or just want to develop great life skills.

You’ll learn how to teach key gundog behaviours like heel location, a rocket recall, a solid retrieve chain, self-management and hunting patterns. But it’s not just about what the dog learns.

It’s also about helping you grow as a handler.

You’ll discover how to read your dog’s personality, how to use a clicker properly, and how to reinforce the behaviours you want with timing and precision. These skills will help you become a more confident, consistent trainer and help your dog understand what’s being asked of them.

Jules creates a calm and supportive environment where questions are welcome and every dog-handler team gets the guidance they need. It’s the ideal place to start your gundog training journey or refresh the basics in a more structured way.

Ready to build a strong partnership with your gundog? Book your spot on a foundation class by heading to: https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/products/foundation-gundog-classes-saturdays

📸 Alice Loder Photography

19/08/2025

It’s vital to note here that your water delivery will always be weaker than your on-land delivery.

Even if you have started to put the shake on cue and your dog is getting used to being wet for a short period of time, they will still be internally fighting against a strong instinct to drop the dummy and shake.

Therefore, it is crucial that your dog already has a reliable retrieve and that the concept of delivering to hand comes just as naturally to them as their need to shake.

If you are thinking about starting water training and you are still working on the retrieve pattern, then you might want to adjust your expectations, as it is highly likely that the addition of water will cause this chain to break further, and so you should be prepared to also need to do some repair work.

The retrieve chain and, more specifically, the delivery to hand aspect is one of the most stressful training challenges I see gundog owners facing.

And while your instinct might be to keep trying until the dog gets it right (from water or on land), repetition over time can only cause more harm, especially if your dog gets a huge amount of relief from dropping the dummy and shaking.

There are many reasons that might contribute to a dog’s delivery-to-hand problems, and it’s important to consider the root cause before tackling physical training.

Want to learn more about achieving a hand delivery from water? Head to https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/blogs/news/getting-a-hand-delivery-from-water

16/08/2025

We’re now offering a 10% discount when you book any three group classes together.

If you have multiple dogs, you don’t need to stick to the same level or day and can mix and match the different sessions.

The discount is applied automatically at checkout, so you don't need to enter a code. Just choose three classes, add them to your basket, and the saving will appear before you pay.

This is ideal for anyone wanting to build consistency in their training and a great way to commit and save.

If you haven't been to a Teach Your Gundog group gundog training class before, you'll be pleased to know our classes are small, supportive and welcoming.

Head to the website and book any three group classes to receive your 10% discount. The offer is live now and applied automatically at checkout.

If you have any questions about which group will be right for you, please DM us or email [email protected]

📸 Alice Loder Photography

13/08/2025

Thank you so much to Johnny for sharing this.

Messages like this really do mean the world and remind us why I do what I do. Johnny's words are a powerful reminder of how the bond between dog and handler can be nurtured with the right support.

Training a gundog isn’t always straightforward. And if the relationship has been rocky, it’s easy to feel stuck or discouraged. But things can change. As Johnny and Bea have shown, progress is always possible when you shift the approach and rebuild the connection.

Whether you’re brand new to gundog training or coming back after a difficult patch, we’re here to help you move forward with confidence.

Thinking of getting started? Take a look at our group classes and 121s online, or drop us a message if you’d like help choosing the right option. And if we’ve helped you and your dog on your journey, we’d love to hear from you too.

10/08/2025

When our gundogs leave the water and put down the dummy to shake, it’s because all wet dogs have a natural desire to shake the water off, which would otherwise start to chill them and decrease their body temperature.

Genetically, gundogs do have innate attributes that make them suited for water, like water-repellent double coats. But water can still disrupt the air between these layers of fur, which keeps them insulated, and it also adds a lot more weight, particularly for heavier-coated dogs. And so, the need to shake is still inherent.

For most dogs, this typically happens after they’ve gone swimming and the water has reached their withers area - the bit between the shoulder blades.

But, we must remember that all dogs are different and some do also feel the desire to shake with a much smaller amount of water, much lower down on their fur. It will be beneficial for your training if you have gotten to know your individual dog’s limits and preferences.

One of the best ways to teach your gundog to deliver water retrieves to hand, is to help them delay the need to shake and build their ability to withstand being wet for a short duration.

Putting the shake ‘on cue’ will not always prevent your dog from shaking when they’re not cued to, but it does build their ability to wait to shake and increase their understanding of where you would like the shake to come in relation to the water retrieve chain.

With practice and plenty of reinforcement for getting it right, over time, our dogs learn that it is more rewarding for them to fight their urge to drop the dummy and to put the retrieve article in your hand instead before shaking.

Want to learn more about achieving a hand delivery from water? Head to https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/blogs/news/getting-a-hand-delivery-from-water

📸 Alice Loder Photography

07/08/2025

Even if you have a solid delivery to hand on land, it can be hard for our dogs to translate this to water retrieves.

When they leave the water, unless you’ve been proactive with your early training and introduction to water, it’s very common for our gundogs to immediately put the dummy down as soon as their paws touch dry land.

If this is happening to you, the first thing to remember is that your dog has not suddenly forgotten how to retrieve, nor are they purposefully disobeying you or ignoring your cues to deliver to hand.

You see, shaking their wet coat is just a natural instinctual behaviour they’re born with. And while a small percentage of dogs are able to shake while holding something in their mouth, for the vast majority, the need to shake is often the trigger to drop the dummy.

From a gundog training point of view, this is less than ideal and poses us with a real challenge.

In the shooting field, we always want shot game to be delivered tenderly to hand as soon as possible. This is because it is not only our responsibility to ensure it ends up on the table as part of a healthy meal, but from an ethical point of view, we need to humanely dispatch any injured quarry.

Now, if our dog puts down an injured bird to shake after it’s climbed out of a river or pond, there’s a high risk that the injured bird will get up and run off. And if your dog is unable to recapture the wounded game, then we have failed in both aspects of our responsibility.

Even if you don’t plan to work your gundog, if you’d like to compete in working tests, or participate in gundog certification schemes like the Kennel Club Working Gundog Certificate or Gundog Club Graded Training Field Tests, you will need to have a delivery to hand out of water to avoid getting zeros and being disqualified in the former, or being deemed not ready to pass in the latter.

Fortunately, as gundog trainers, we should be more than used to working around our gundogs’ in-built instincts. Using positive reinforcement techniques, we can teach them that it’s even more rewarding to work with us, even if it feels unnatural to them at first.

With this in mind, this blog will look at why our gundogs need to shake, why we can’t expect them to deliver from water if they can’t on land, and how to put the shake on cue to teach your gundog to wait until after they have delivered before shaking.

To read in full head to: https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/blogs/news/getting-a-hand-delivery-from-water

To read in full head to the "Blog" link in bio.

04/08/2025

Here at Teach Your Gundog, we will be running two water training workshops in Loxwood, West Sussex, designed to help you and your gundog get the most out of working in and around water.

The workshops will run on Saturday 16 August and Saturday 13 September. Each day will include a 9.30am to 11.30am Beginners session and a 12 noon to 2.00pm Progressive session.

Each session is limited to six handlers so you’ll get personal guidance and plenty of practical time.

The beginners sessions are ideal for all breeds who are already confident entering the water and swimming on cue. You’ll learn how to move on to the full water retrieve pattern looking at confident entry, a bit of steadiness, and shaking on cue.

The progressive sessions are also for all gundog breeds, but with more water experience. We’ll refine delivery to hand out of water, add a few challenges depending on the group, and continue building steadiness and confidence.

For Beginner head to: https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/products/beginners-water-workshop

For Progressive head to: https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/products/progressive-water-workshop

01/08/2025

Here's what's coming up at Teach Your Gundog in August and September...

PUPPY GUNDOG
All breeds under 8 months. No experience required. Saturdays, 09:30-10:30, Haslemere
• 9 August
• 23 August
• 6 September
• 27 September

FOUNDATION GUNDOG
All breeds over 8 months. No experience required.
Wednesdays, 12:00-13:00, Haslemere
• 6 August
• 27 August
• 10 September
• 24 September

Saturdays, 10:45-11:45, Haslemere
• 9 August
• 23 August
• 6 September
• 27 September

PROGRESSIVE GUNDOG
For all breeds that are working at Grade 3 and 4 level.
Wednesdays, 10:00-11:30, Haslemere
• 6 August
• 27 August
• 10 September
• 24 September

[NEW] Fridays, 10:00-11:30, Haslemere
• 8 August
• 29 August
• 26 September

MONTHLY ADVANCED GUNDOG
Open to all breeds working at Grade 4 and 5 level.
Fridays, 09:30-11:00, Loxwood
• 15 August
• 12 September

BEGINNER WATER WORKSHOPS
Open to all breeds, looking at retrieving from water.
Saturdays, 09:30-11:00, Oakhurst Pond, Loxwood
• 16 August
• 13 September

PROGRESSIVE WATER WORKSHOPS
Open to all breeds, looking at progressing water retrieves.
Saturdays, 12:00-14:00, Oakhurst Pond, Loxwood
• 16 August
• 13 September

Can't make any of the dates? Or want to focus on something specific? You can also book one to one sessions with Jules on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

For booking and more information head to https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/collections/all

21/07/2025

Not every dog thrives in a group.

And not every gundog training challenge fits neatly into a class structure.

That’s where one-to-one training sessions with Jules come in.

Some owners book 121s because timing works better than classes. Others want to dig into specific issues, especially when something's not quite working. Many simply want the space to ask "silly" questions and learn without distractions or the pressure of a group.

Whether your dog struggles to focus around other dogs, gets anxious in new settings, or if you just need to crack one specific behaviour, a 121 can make all the difference.

There’s no pressure to keep pace with a group. No waiting for your turn while your dog’s stress builds. Just calm, focused training time with expert eyes on you and your dog.

Some owners book 121s because timing works better than classes. Other want to dig into specific issues, especially when something's not quite working. Many simply want the space to ask "silly" questions and learn without distractions or the pressure of a group.

To book a one-to-one with Jules today and get personalised support tailored to your dog, head to https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/products/in-person-121-with-jules

19/07/2025

After thirty years of training dogs, she notices the things most people miss. The subtle tail flick. The shift in focus. The slight hesitation in a retrieve. And it's these tiny moments that often hold the key to what’s really going on in your training.

It’s why our clients have lightbulb moments, often in just one session.

Jules doesn’t just tell you what to do either. She shows you why your dog is doing what they’re doing and how to adjust your timing, body language or reward placement to change the outcome.

When you train with Jules, whether in classes or 121s, you won’t be left wondering if you’re doing it right. You’ll get live feedback in the moment.

Her goal is to give you clear, consistent advice, and to catch mistakes early, before they become habits.

That’s the difference an expert gundog trainer can make.

Thinking about training your gundog with a professional? Whether in class or one-to-one, you’ll get practical support and sound advice in a friendly, force-free environment.

For more details, drop us a DM or head to https://www.teachyourgundog.co.uk/collections/all

Teach Your Gundog

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