From Puppy to Picking Up: A Gundog Journey

A young spaniel charging towards a thrown dummy may look impressive, but speed is not the same as a finished retrieve. The puppy to picking up journey is about teaching a dog to listen, wait and work with its handler before asking it to carry out more demanding work in the field.

For Labradors, Cocker Spaniels and Springer Spaniels, natural instinct is a useful starting point, not the finished article. Most gundog puppies will want to chase, hunt and carry. The real training lies in putting those instincts under control while keeping the dog confident, keen and willing to work.

The puppy to picking up journey starts at home

A reliable picking-up dog is built long before its first day on a shoot. The early months should be calm, structured and enjoyable. This is the time to establish the habits that make later training clearer: a puppy that checks in with its handler, comes when called, settles when asked and is comfortable being handled.

Recall matters from day one. Use the puppy’s name carefully, call only when there is a good chance it will respond, and make returning to you worthwhile. A puppy should learn that being near its handler is safe, rewarding and interesting. Repeatedly calling a distracted puppy, then allowing it to ignore you, teaches the opposite lesson.

Lead walking, place-board work and short periods of calm sitting are equally valuable. These are not glamorous exercises, but they develop patience and communication. A dog that can switch off beside you at home is far more likely to cope with the noise, movement and excitement of a working environment later on.

Avoid trying to turn every walk into a training session. Puppies need time to investigate, play appropriately and grow in confidence. The aim is not to suppress their character. It is to show them that freedom and fun sit alongside boundaries.

Build the relationship before the retrieve

Many owners introduce a dummy too early and then wonder why the puppy becomes possessive, runs off with it or loses interest in bringing it back. A retrieve is a chain of behaviours: watching the fall, waiting for permission, travelling out, picking cleanly, returning directly, delivering to hand and staying calm afterwards. Each part needs patient teaching.

At first, keep retrieves very short and simple. In a hallway, garden or other enclosed space, a soft puppy dummy or familiar toy can encourage a natural return. Move away from the puppy as it picks the item, praise it for coming towards you and exchange the item calmly. Do not chase the puppy or turn possession into a game.

A Labrador may naturally enjoy carrying and holding an object, while a lively Cocker or Springer may be more inclined to hunt, pounce and race about. Neither tendency is wrong. They simply call for slightly different handling. The quieter Labrador may need encouragement to show more drive; the fast, enthusiastic spaniel may need more emphasis on steadiness and self-control.

There is no prize for long retrieves with a young dog. A short retrieve completed well is more useful than a dramatic 50-yard dash ending in a dropped dummy or a refusal to come back. Finish while the puppy still wants more.

Steadiness protects the work

A dog that moves only when sent is safer, easier to handle and more enjoyable to take into the field. Steadiness is often misunderstood as making a dog dull. Done properly, it does the opposite. It gives the dog a clear job and allows its drive to be used at the right moment.

Begin with small exercises. Ask the puppy to sit beside you while a dummy is placed nearby. Reward calm behaviour and release the dog to the dummy only when it has waited briefly. Build duration gradually. If the puppy breaks, quietly reset the exercise rather than scolding or repeatedly shouting commands.

This work should run alongside recall and delivery training, not replace them. A dog that waits perfectly but will not return is not ready to progress. Equally, a dog with a keen retrieve but no brakes will become difficult as distractions increase.

The handler’s consistency is central here. Use clear commands, say them once where possible, and avoid filling the air with noise. Dogs quickly learn whether a cue has meaning. Calm, timely direction is more effective than louder repetition.

Progress from gardens to genuine distractions

Training in a tidy garden is useful, but it is not the same as working in cover, beside water or around other dogs. Once foundations are secure, take the work to carefully chosen new places. A quiet field, woodland edge or secure training ground can introduce different scents, terrain and temptations without overwhelming the dog.

For a young spaniel, hunting close and staying in contact with the handler becomes particularly important. Encourage it to work in a sensible pattern and reward it for turning back towards you. Letting a spaniel range too far simply because it is busy can create a difficult habit to undo.

For retrievers, begin to introduce simple seen retrieves in longer grass, light cover and varied ground. Keep the dog successful. If it cannot find the dummy, make the next retrieve easier rather than allowing frustration to build. Confidence in the area and trust in the handler should grow together.

Water is another stage that should not be rushed. Some dogs take to it immediately; others need time. Introduce water on a warm day at a shallow, safe edge, with no pressure to swim. A confident entry and a calm return matter more than distance. Never throw a young dog into deep water or force it beyond its comfort level.

Teach the dog to cope with a working day

Picking up is not just about retrieving game. A dog may need to wait quietly in a vehicle, walk at heel across uneven ground, remain settled while other dogs work and respond when tired or excited. These practical skills are what make a dog dependable.

Introduce new experiences in manageable pieces. Let the dog become accustomed to crates or vehicle travel, different people, other well-mannered dogs and the sounds of country life. Later, controlled exposure to shot should be handled with care. Noise sensitivity can be made worse by rushing this stage, so the dog should always associate distant, low-level sound with something positive and familiar before anything more demanding is considered.

A dog also needs fitness, but physical development should match its age. Repetitive jumping, long forced runs and heavy retrieves are not suitable for growing puppies. Young joints, muscles and confidence all benefit from sensible exercise, varied surfaces and plenty of rest. The quickest route is rarely the best route.

Know when to ask for help

Most training problems are easier to address early. A puppy that ignores recall, guards a dummy, screams with excitement or disappears into cover is not being naughty for the sake of it. Usually, the dog has found a behaviour rewarding, has been asked for too much too soon, or has not yet understood the exercise.

One-to-one guidance can be especially useful when a handler is new to gundogs, has a high-drive spaniel or wants to prepare a dog for regular shooting. A good trainer can assess the dog in front of them, adjust the pace and help the owner improve their timing. At Breckland Gundog Training, the focus is on practical foundations that suit both dogs trained for the field and those whose owners simply want a responsive, enjoyable companion.

Group training has its place too, particularly once basic control is in place. Working around other dogs teaches a young gundog that it cannot always be first, and that remaining attentive to its own handler is rewarding. However, a dog that is already overexcited or struggling with recall may benefit from individual work before joining a busy class.

A journey measured in good decisions

The route from puppy to picking up dog is not a straight line. Adolescence can test previously reliable behaviour, a change of ground can expose a weakness, and a dog may mature faster in one area than another. That is normal. Good handlers return to simple exercises when needed and do not confuse a temporary setback with failure.

Keep sessions short, end on a good response and make your expectations fair for the dog’s age and experience. The goal is not merely a dog that retrieves when conditions are easy. It is a partner that remains connected to you when birds lift, other dogs move and the countryside offers every reason to forget its manners.

Give that partnership time. Each clean recall, patient wait and willing delivery is a small piece of the dog you will be proud to stand beside when the real work begins.

Gundog Training from Pup2Peg at Breckland Gundog Training In Norfolk