Week 1 – The Importance of Foundations in Gundog Training

Week 1 – The Importance of Foundations in Gundog Training

When people start gundog training, they often want to dive straight into the exciting bits – long retrieves, directional handling, or casting drills across water. But without strong foundations, those skills simply won’t hold together.

By foundations, I mean:

Sit – calmly and reliably, even when distractions appear.
Stay – the ability to remain in place until released.
Recall – coming back immediately, every time, no matter the distraction.
Heelwork – walking nicely and attentively by your side.
Delivery – bringing a dummy or game to hand, willingly and neatly.

They may not sound glamorous, but they’re the glue that holds everything else in place. Without them, a retrieve can turn into a chase, a hunting pattern can become chaos, and a day on the peg can be stressful rather than enjoyable.

It’s worth remembering that foundations aren’t a one-time job. Skills fluctuate, and your dog’s ability may be different day to day. That’s normal. The most important thing you can do is to work with the dog you have at that moment, not the one you had yesterday or the one you hope to have tomorrow.

Going back to basics doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re strengthening the building blocks of your partnership. And in the long run, it’s these building blocks that create reliability, confidence, and joy in the shooting field.