GREAT GUNDOGS


GREAT GUNDOGS


No other animal is more deserving of the t tle ‘man’s best friend’ than the gundog


species and it is believed to stem from its closest living relative – the grey wolf – with there being no further evidence of other genetic contributions to its heritage. Archaeological fi nds show the remains of


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domesticated dogs buried alongside humans dating from around 14,700 years ago, which suggests that the earliest dogs arose in the time of human hunter-gatherers, with some remains being dated back as far as 36,000 years – although this is disputed by some experts. Today, there are more than 400 breeds of dog


worldwide, with the Kennel Club (thekennelclub. org.uk) offi cially recognising 37 distinct breeds of gundog, which can be roughly divided into four sub-categories each of which can be broken down into retrievers, spaniels, setters and pointers, and hunt, point, retrievers (HPRs). An example of a retriever is the black labrador


on the peg at a game shoot. It will have been trained to remain stationary and calm, marking the fall of birds and ignoring distractions until given the command to retrieve by its handler. The spaniel category is one of the largest,


featuring nine variants: the cocker and American cocker, the water spaniel, the clumber, the


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lthough the origin of man’s best friend is not clear, it was the fi rst domesticated


English springer, the fi eld, the Irish water, the Sussex and the Welsh springer. Bred to hunt and fl ush out game, these dogs have high energy and stamina and are used to fl ush birds from cover towards the waiting Guns, or to hunt thick undergrowth for downed birds. Setters and pointers are bred and trained to


seek out stationary or nesting/sheltering game and then freeze on the spot, ‘pointing’ in the direction of the birds. One example would be the Irish setter, used to fi nd grouse on moorland. Once the hunter is in position, the setter would move in to fl ush the game, allowing for a clean shot to be taken. The hunt, point, retrieve (HPR) group


are versatile gundogs, bred and trained to have a grounding in each of these different


requirements, making


it a great all-rounder; a versatile, multi-tasking dog that is becoming increasingly popular. An example of a hunt, point, retrieve dog would be the


In 2003, Dr


Roger Mugford invented the


‘wagometer’, a device that claims to interpret a dog’s exact mood by measuring the wag of its tail


German shorthaired pointer. These functional gundogs can cover a multitude of tasks and make for popular and friendly pets. It is small wonder that gundogs are popular today, even among those owners who do not intend to use them as working dogs. These highly intelligent, easily trained breeds make good household pets, sociable companions and can mix well with other dogs and people, and have truly earned their place as ‘man’s best friend’. C


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DOG & FIELD – GUNDOG TRAINING EQUIPMENT & WORKING DOG FOOD


DOG AND FIELD has been established since 2014 and has since become one of the industries household names, supplying gundog trainers across the UK, Europe and the US. Now, Dog & Field is proud to announce its


exclusive new Grain Free range of hypoallergenic complete dog foods. Developed and tested in the UK, our new


Grain Free range of dog food is made with premium, fresh, hypoallergenic ingredients. Dog & Field director, Colin Chalkley, said:


“Not only are we looking at what we’re eating ourselves, we’re also aware of what we feed our dogs. I want to get maximum performance out of my own dogs in the fi eld, but also to ensure my dogs have a long, healthy and happy life. This was the basis for creating our new food ranges.” dogandfi eld.co.uk


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Images: istock.com/Groomee, WilleeCole


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