The Trouble With Gundogs

The Trouble with Gundogs takes a new look at the causes and cures for the many faults that can crop up in the process of training a Gundog. Dogs and humans have lived, worked and played together for thousands of years and strong bonds have formed between them. With luck and care, the training, management and handling of a Gundog will progress without a hitch. The luck begins with natural talent on both sides and the care ensures that correct choices are made and good sense prevails. However, things can still go wrong. This book offers solutions to the problems that may occur along the way. There are hundreds of different types of dog and each one has its own character. Because of this, one size does not fit all when tackling a problem, and different approaches are offered. Observation, determination and perseverance will usually be rewarded.

This fantastic and comprehensive handbook on gun dogs contains chapters on everything from breeding and selection to breaking, training, and beyond. Interspersed with photographs and useful information, "Gun Dogs" constitutes a must-have for all owners and breeders of hunting dogs, and it would make for a fantastic addition to collections of related literature. Contents include: "The Gun Dog's Kennel", "The Gun Dog and its Food", "The Selection, Examination and Trail of a Gun Dog prior to Purchase", "Gun-Dog Breeding", "Jobbing or Hiring Dogs", "Breeding and Breaking Gun Dogs for Pleasure and Profit", "The Flat-Coated Retriever", "The Labrador Retriever", "The Golden Retriever", etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in a modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on gun dogs.

Now in paperback Effective training techniques for bird dogs, retrievers, and flushers Photos illustrate techniques and equipment Veteran trainer and hunter Bill Tarrant goes beyond simple gun dog training and teaches handlers how to correct flaws in a dog's behavior in the field. He first explains how to "read" a dog--how to identify faults such as hard mouth and gun shyness--and then prescribes solutions for problems specific to each of the three major classifications of gun dogs--bird dogs, retrievers, and flushers.

In Gundog SOS, respected trainer, judge and competitor Laura Hill takes an in-depth look at common mistakes and what can be learnt from them. She looks at avoiding potential pitfalls in the first place, unpacks 'bad behaviour', analyses the relevance of the relationship between trainer and dog, and gives practical strategies for improvement in training partnerships. Supported by illustrations, case studies and exercises, this essential resource comprehensively addresses the most frequently occurring training problems and provides workable solutions to help readers to improve or fix them.

This book is about gundogs, those ever-willing companions of both sportsmen and discerning dog owners. Gundogs is not a manual covering training, grooming, nutrition and dog care; it is very much a celebration of the gundog's contribution to the sporting and companion dog scene, an examination of their past, their performance and their prospects in an increasingly urban society. Painstakingly researched, it covers the well-known recognized breeds and the more obscure ones from overseas, some quite unknown to the British public.David Hancock's earlier books have been highly praised, as have his many articles in sporting magazine in the last thirty years. When reviewing one of his previous books, the revered writer on sporting dogs, the late Brian Plummer, described it as a 'masterpiece'. Reviewing his Sporting Terriers, Dogs in Canada magazine stated that it 'has the quality of a classic'. A reviewer of his last book, Sighthounds, stated that 'Hancock's work provokes thinking in the reader the way a good discussion stimulates and refreshes our minds.' A Canadian reviewer of another of his books gave the view that David Hancock is 'perhaps the most important living writer about dogs.' A comprehensive survey of the gundog's origins, its role and its future, Gundogs is essential reading for all those with an interest in these loyal dogs, especially gundog and country sport enthusiasts. Meticiously researched and packed with information it covers the well-known recognized breeds as well as more obscure ones. Superbly illustrated with 360 colour and black & white photographs. David Hancock has studied dogs for over half a century and is a past winner of the Dog Writers Association of America.

Now in paperback. Proven, humane dog-handling methods. Detailed description of the quarry, its habitat, and its characteristics.

Expert instructions in the training method of Delmar Smith, winner of ten national championships, are supplmented with photographs of the fine points and problem situations

Tales and true stories about hunters, their dogs and the upland game and waterfowl they hunt.