BGT’s ‘2025’ 6-week Beginners Gundog Courses

Breckland Gundog Training’s complete 6-week introduction to gundog training course aims to lay the foundations for your gundog’s training. It is designed to introduce anyone looking to get their retrieving dog paying more attention and fulfilling their breeds requirements. 

Here’s a week-by-week outline of the course:

Week 1:

• Introduction and Bonding: Establish a strong bond with your gundog through play and praise.
• Basic Obedience: Begin teaching essential commands like sit,  come, and heel.
• Introduction of whistle commands and why we use them.

Week 2:

• Introduction to Retrieving: Introduce retrieving games with dummies in a controlled environment.
• Focus on Recall: Reinforce the “come” command and practice recall exercises off-leash.

Week 3:

• Marked Retrieves: Teach your gundog to retrieve objects they’ve seen fall (marked retrieves) at varying distances.
• Split Marked Retrieves.

Week 4:

• Memory Retrieves: Teach your gundog to retrieve objects they’ve seen fall but are delayed in being sent, at varying distances.

Week 5:

• Heelwork: Work on loose-leash walking and proper heel position during walks and retrieves.

Week 6:

• Directional Commands: Teach basic directional cues like “back”, “left,” and “right.”
• Handling Drills: Combine directional commands with retrieves to enhance your dog’s ability to follow hand signals.
  
• Summary and Q&A

Throughout the training program, remember to:

• Keep training sessions short and enjoyable to maintain your dog’s enthusiasm.
• Use positive reinforcement techniques, such as treats, praise, and play, to motivate and reward your gundog.
• Gradually increase the difficulty and complexity of exercises as your gundog becomes more proficient.
• Be patient and consistent in your training approach, recognizing that all dogs learn at their own pace.
• After completing the Introduction to Gundog training course, your dog should have a solid foundation in obedience, retrieving, and directional commands. They should also be comfortable around gunshots and be ready to progress to more advanced gundog training tasks and real-life hunting scenarios.

What Next ? 

Once you have completed our 6 Week Introduction to Gundog Training you can further your training / work on your weaker areas through 121’s or group classes.