J.M.Spencer@newcastle.ac.uk (Jonathan Spencer) (06/26/91)
This was posted in r.p.d, but will be of equal interest here (I hope :-). _Training the roughshooter's dog_ by Peter RA Moxon, 1977 with reprints in 81,82,85,87,88. Printed by Anchor Brendon Ltd, Tiptree, Essex priced 12.95 pounds net. ISBN 0-09-144000-9 Peter Moxon is an expert on the English Springer Spaniel and the book reflects this. He has a regular column on gundogs in the weekly magazine _Shooting Times_. The book extends to 155 pages with a fair number of b/w photgraphs. The Chapter titles are Selecting and training the puppy Early obedience work Retrieving Field training The Pupil in the field Common problems Refinements and summary of training The trained dog and the slack hunter [buying a trained dog] Kennels and ferreting Between you and your dog Conclusion I dislike certain of his methods and downright disagree with some of his assertions but he also has some good ideas. It would be a useful book for an absolute novice to have on the shelf (providing it complements other books on the subject). For the experienced gun dog handler, I would suggest that it's worth borrowing from a library for a brief read but not worth buying. _The Roughshooter's Dog_ by Michael Brander 1957, reprinted 1978 Jupiter Books, London ISBN 856-140-007 (think a leading digit is missing here?) Price: cost me 10.00 pounds ten years ago. This is a superb book and I believe should be on the shelf of everyone who works a gundog. Brander's insight and common sense will be of enormous benefit to someone training his first gundog and, equally, contains much sound advice for the experienced trainer. The training approach adopted is suitable for any gundog breed from a cocker, through labradors, to the HPR breeds. It is the latter which are Brander's personal interest. His book will make interesting reading for those with only a partial interest in working breeds. The Chapters include:- Introduction Primary obedience First stages in retrieving and steadiness On scent and scenting, gamekeeping, pointing and flushing Advanced training Bracework and fieldtrials General remarks on the use of dogs and training A full bag A day's partridge shooting A day's pheasant shooting Wildfowling Two's company Extracts from a training diary Ex-policewoman [rescue of a GSP ruined as a police dog] Postword mainly on the GSP. It's a good book worht buying and re-reading periodically. --Jonathan