Leave it to the professionals?

There is joy in training a dog, but in some cases it is best — for both the owner and dog — to seek help, says Ellena Swift

- Ellena Swift

There are many ways to train a dog, the most common of which is to train the dog yourself. This is a strongly supported and often preferred method, and it certainly has its merits. First, there is no greater feeling than taking your own dog — into whose training you have poured hours of hard work, often sweat and even tears — to a shoot and seeing it succeed in the job it has been trained for.

I will never forget the first time my German shepherd bitch sat on the peg with me. I managed to kill one cock bird that dropped 40 yards behind. I waited until the drive had finished, put my gun in its slip and sent my dog. She was quiet, steady as a rock and retrieved my bird to hand like an old pro. It was wonderful. The first time your dog flushes a bird and remains steady in the beating line while under the watchful eye of the keeper makes for a very proud owner.

The bond you build with the dog is hugely important. During the time of training and then working them, you become used to and able to recognise their behaviours, quirks, preferences and habits. For example, I find it easy to recognise when one of my dogs has winded a bird. I find it easier than anyone else to know when they have picked up the scent. This only comes with time and practice. I also realise quicker than anyone else when my dogs are either confused or about to start ignoring me.

This means that a lot of the time, the owner is the best person to handle and train the dog. This approach also helps to keep things clear in the dog’s mind: one trainer, one handler and one partner to work with. When they are working, I want my dogs to ignore everyone else and be focused on me.