3 pieces of essential kit for training the working dog.

Here at Gundog Gear we get asked a ‘LOT’  what are the most essential part of the kit that we take out when training with our dogs.

Now…. everybody who has working dogs will no doubt have their own specific pieces of kit they class as essentials.  For myself with spaniels (and 4 of them at that!) it has to be a bottle of water, paracetamol and my wife.  Why you may ask… well…. The water is for me to take the paracetamol when my head is about to implode and my wife to speak reason when I'm losing the will as the dogs are running rings around me.  Now if my head is feeling like this just trying to get the dog to take instruction, I can not even  imagine how the dog is feeling with it being asked to add one more piece of information into a brain that's already thinking: 'whats for tea?' ‘will I get a duck foot?’ ‘who’s that 7 miles away, is it a dog on wheels, is it a pram, ohh it is a dog on wheels, poor dog.' ‘whats that smell?’ ‘ooh oh a fly!’ so with that in mind,  what are my personal 3 pieces of kit that I feel I always need?  Again its a really hard question depending on the training I'm doing that day but, here goes:

1. Whistle (Acme 210.5) Only having spaniels then this is our desired pitch of whistle.  
2. Dummy/rabbit ball (Firedog) This has the natural scent of the rabbit.  Good to roll into the long grass leaving a trail for the dog to pick up the scent to hunt on.  Also easy to throw into long grass/scrub etc without the dog  seeing when the dog is quartering in front of you.
3. Training Vest (Gundog Gear) Personally I feel that the dog associates the vest with going out to work/train making the dog excited knowing whats going to happen - Similarly with a standard pet dog associating going for a walk when you put certain shoes on or a certain coat.  It's well known that dogs read our actions better than we read them.  Half the battle is learning how to speak dog and I feel this helps.

I have been a bit sneaky with the vest as it has a carabiner attached with the lead hooked on so I'm classing it as 1 piece of kit.  Sorry not sorry.

P.S.  I have asked the guys we so proudly sponsor the same question so please keep an eye out for these!  Next up, Mr David Latham (England gundog team captain)…

P.P.S. I am far from an accomplished dog trainer but I am with you in the field and using the products I know that work.

Gundog Gear.  There for you ONLINE.  There with you in the FIELD

Joke. What do you call a magical dog?
A labra-cadabra-dor.

Fact. Dogs’ noses can sense heat and thermal radiation, which explains why blind or deaf dogs can still hunt. (There's still hope for mine then)