Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were bred to be foot warmers and lapdogs in Tudor England, but they haven’t forgotten their spaniel ancestry, says David Tomlinson. They could make pocket rocket…
Gundogs
Gundog vaccinations: give them a booster?
Gundog vaccinations are essential, but are annual boosters necessary? David Tomlinson considers what the titre test could teach us. For more on looking after your gundog’s health, bloat is uncommon…
Gundog Photograph of the Year: VOTE NOW
The Field Gundog Awards, in association with Skinner’s Field & Trial, is delighted to invite readers to vote for Gundog Photograph of the Year for the very first time. Our…
Gundog photography tips: through the lens
Entries are open for The Field Gundog Awards, in association with Skinner’s Field & Trial. David Tomlinson offers his gundog photography tips for those looking to enter our most popular…
Gundog working tests: on test or trial?
Field trials have never been more popular, but they can be an expensive and frustrating process. David Tomlinson considers gundog working tests, both more affordable and fairer, and why it’s…
The Field Gundog Awards 2018: the best shoot day companions
The Field Gundog Awards 2018, kindly sponsored by Skinner’s Pet Foods, was hotly contested, with exemplary retrievers, fine family companions, surprising breeds and wicked gundogs. But after much back and…
Best gundog coat colour: colour coding
The best gundog coat colour is a complicated matter. Is your pup chocolate or liver? Yellow or golden? David Tomlinson weighs up showing and working preferences as he consults the…
The pet gundog on the peg: how to train a part-time gundog
Most gundogs are, in fact, part-time workers. The rest of their time is spent as a family companion and pet, but there is no reason that this will make them…
Training with treats: chewing over rewards
Though edible rewards are banned by many professional trainers, or viewed as bribes by others, some advocate the use of gundog training with treats. David Tomlinson decides whether reward-based training…
How to introduce a puppy: companion or competition?
Ensuring a new recruit is welcomed by long-standing residents can be a tricky business. David Tomlinson advises on how to introduce a puppy to an older dog, having successfully integrated…