A season for family dogs

With more shoots planning less formal days, the old-style mooching gundog will be in its element

- JANET MENZIES

Wonderful as he undoubtedly is, does your dog have more natural ability than manners? Do you value his nose more highly than his shaky steadiness? Is his ease of handling more of a feature than his drive? Cheer up, your dog’s day has come. The shooting season ahead will be one of make-do-and-mend. Versatility, ingenuity and all-round Blitz spirit will be the qualities we recognise and prize in our dogs if they are to get us through.

Forget those field trial champions who can be handled onto a sixpence and then bring back the bird to you presented on a silver platter. It’s time to get old Bertie out, who knows exactly where last year’s cock pheasant is hiding and will wait for you to get into position. So what if Bertie’s mouth isn’t quite as velvety as it might be – that cock bird will be so tough you couldn’t damage it with pliers. Rediscovering the fun and games of informal shooting on stand-one/beat-one days will save the season for many of us.