Pet Gundog Pathway

Gundogs are brilliant, chaotic and full of potential. Whether you’ve just brought home an 8 week old puppy or you are living with a 5 year old who still pulls like a frieght train. I’ll help you understand and work with the dog you live with.

Book a consultation

Every dog starts
at the right stage for them.

WHERE DOES YOUR DOG ENTER?

PUPPY GUNDOGS

8 weeks and up

Usually enter at

STAGE 1 - CONNECTION

ADOLESCENT GUNDOGS

6 to 18 months

Usually enter at

STAGE 2 - CONTROL

RESCUE GUNDOGS

18 months and over

Usually enter at

STAGE 2 OR 3

ADULT GUNDOGS

Any age

Starting point set by

INTIAL ASSESSMENT

THE FIVE STAGES

A progression framework,
not a fixed programme.

STAGE

1

Connection

“Working with you has to be worth it.”

Before any training sticks, your dog needs a reason to engage. Stage 1 is entirely about building that. Everything else follows from here.

  • Engagement

  • Food skills

  • Relationship building

FOCUS

  • Play

  • Recall foundations

  • Motivation

STAGE

2

Control Around Excitement

“Most owners get stuck here.”

This is where most adolescent Spaniels and Labs live. High arousal, poor impulse control, selective hearing. Stage 2 is where those problems get addressed directly.

  • Loose lead walking

  • Settling

  • Managing arousal

FOCUS

  • Calm around other dogs

  • Recall around distractions

  • Impulse control

STAGE

3

Channel The Instincts

“Don’t suppress instinct.  Give it a job.”

This is where the Pet Gundog Pathway seperates from generic dog training. Your dog’s hunting, retrieving and searching drives are real. Stage 3 works with them, not against them.

  • Hunting games

  • Searching

  • Problem solving

FOCUS

  • Retrieving games

  • Carrying

  • Breed specific enrichment

STAGE

4

Real World Gundog

“Skills that hold up when it matters.”

Training in a class is one thing. Training that holds up in woodland, around livestock, near wildlife and in public spaces is something else. Stage 4 takes the skills into real environments.

  • Woodland walks

  • Wildlife distractions

  • Off-lead reliability

FOCUS

  • Livestock awareness

  • Public spaces

  • Adventure skills

STAGE

5

Adventure Dog

“Not competition.  Not working tests. The dog most owners actually want.”

This is the outcome. A reliable, flexible companion who can go places, settle there and be trusted. That’s the whole point.

  • Flexibility

  • Settling

  • Life skills

FOCUS

  • Realiability off lead

  • Off lead freedom

  • Holidays and days out

You don’t buy stages. You buy the service that fits
where your dog is right now.

HOW TO GET STARTED

Initial
Consultation

£120

90 minutes. Assessment and recommended pathway

Pet Gundog
Foundations

£240

6 weeks.  Stages 1 and 2.

Intermediate Pet Gundog

£240

6 weeks.  Stages 2 and 3.

Advanced Pet
Gundog

£240

6 weeks.  Stages 3 and 4.

Support Walks

FROM £25

Real world.  Stages 4 and 5.

Workshops

FROM £75

Specialist topics.  Any stage.

Built for gundogs.
All of them.

HELP, I’VE GOT A gundog.

Most gundog owners don't get the breed-specific support their dog actually needs. Yours can.

Start with a consultation and we'll work out exactly where on the pathway you should begin.

Book your consultation 
ALSO FROM RICOCHET

Got a new puppy and want
full first-year support?

The First Year is a structured programme from 8 weeks through adolescence and beyond. It feeds naturally into the Pet Gundog Pathway when your dog is ready.

EXPLORE THE FIRST YEAR