Week 4 – Preparing Your Gundog for the Shooting Field
Sue Watkins 
Week 4 – Preparing Your Gundog for the Shooting Field
The first days of the season are exciting, but they can also be overwhelming – especially for a young or inexperienced dog. Preparing your gundog for the shooting field is about much more than training drills. It’s about carefully building confidence, calmness, and resilience.
One key step is introducing cold game. Not every dog is comfortable picking up fur or feather at first. That’s okay. Start gradually. I often wrap game in tights to soften the introduction, allowing the dog to learn that the shape, weight, and feel are nothing to worry about. Over time, you can expose them to different birds until they are confident and keen.
Equally important is teaching your dog to cope with the environment. A shoot day is noisy, busy, and full of distractions. Can your dog settle quietly by your side? Can they resist charging in when another dog picks up? Can they stay calm even when gunshots sound close by?
On the day itself, lower your expectations. Keep retrieves simple, don’t ask for too much, and remember this is part of the journey. If your dog comes away with a positive experience, you’ve set the stage for a lifetime of successful shoot days.
Preparation is not just about retrieves; it’s about creating a dog that is confident, steady, and happy to work in partnership with you, no matter what the day brings.