Completely Gundogs

05/10/2025

Last-Minute Cancellation — Grade 4/5 Retriever Holiday

📣 A rare last-minute space has just opened up!

📆 10–12th October
🐾 Grade 4/5 Advanced Retriever Gundog Holiday
👩‍🏫 Taught by Collette
🏡 Includes private accommodation in Penrhyllan

If you’ve been waiting for a spot on one of our advanced holidays, this is your chance.
Three days of focused training, supportive coaching, and stunning Welsh countryside.

These places don’t come up often and will go fast!

📥 Message me directly or head to
👉 completelygundogs.co.uk to grab it before it’s gone.

03/10/2025

❄️ Stay & Train This Winter

Winter is one of my favourite times to train crisp air, quiet ground, and plenty of natural scent from the game that's on the ground now the season has started.

Why not make the most of it with a Stay & Train break at Completely Gundogs?

🏡 Stay in our cosy on-site accommodation
🌿 Train across 15 acres of varied ground
🏔️ Head up to the mountain or river for real-world challenges
🐾 Work 1:1 with me or use the ground DIY with helpers if you’d prefer

It’s flexible, it’s fun, and it’s the perfect way to keep your dog sharp through the colder months while you enjoy some time away.

📅 Winter dates are limited — so if you’d like a break with purpose, book early to secure your spot.

👉 completelygundogs.co.uk

30/09/2025

🐾 Caption: 2026 Gundog Holidays - Don’t Miss Out

Just a reminder that our 2026 Gundog Training Holidays are live and booking up quickly!
If you’ve been meaning to grab a spot with Collette, Gemma, or Sam, now’s the time.

🌿 15 acres of varied training ground
⛰️ Mountain & river access for real-world challenges
🏡 Limited on-site accommodation
🧠 Positive reinforcement training

We’ve got options from Novice (G2/3) through Advanced (G4/5), plus Working Test prep - pick the date that fits your dog’s stage and your goals.

🔒 Secure your place with a £150 deposit
👉 Book here: completelygundogs.co.uk

Tag your training buddy and plan your Welsh getaway 🐶💛

📸

28/09/2025

Meet the Team - Sam Davis

From standout handler to CG trainer…
I’m so excited to add Sam Davis to the Completely Gundogs training team! 🎉

Sam’s been coming here as a handler for a few years now, and it was clear from early on that she had something special. She stood out as one of my best handlers calm, focused, and incredibly in tune with her dogs.

After completing her JRegs exam, gaining more judging experience, and continuing to shine in her work, it felt like exactly the right time to invite her to step into a training role. And I’m so glad she said yes!

A bit about Sam:
🐶 Over 15 years of gundog training experience
🐾 Competing at Open level with her black Lab, Onyx
📚 Studied with the IMDT Academy
🎯 Works her dogs on local shoots and judges for gundog clubs
❤️ Known for her eye for detail and her calm, positive approach

She’s trained a variety of dogs including rescues and sensitive working types and every one of them has helped shape her into the brilliant trainer she is today.

You’ll see Sam leading Retriever Gundog Holidays and our Working Test Workshops a perfect fit for her precision, experience, and deep understanding of what both dog and handler need to succeed.

Please help me give her a big CG welcome, we’re lucky to have her on board! 🙌

📸 darrylowenphotography

25/09/2025

Meet the Team - Gemma Cox

Next up in our team intros is the brilliant Gemma Cox helper, trainer, and now a regular face leading her own groups at Completely Gundogs.

We first met years ago at a “Train the Trainer” workshop I was teaching in Surrey and I knew straight away she had something special.

When she came up to train her own dog at CG, I asked if she’d like to help and the rest is history!

Gemma supported on holidays for several years, and this year she took the reins with her own groups teaching with confidence, care, and her signature calm energy. She’s now a core part of the team with even more dates planned for 2026.

Gemma is the founder of AC Gundogs and has over 15 years of experience working with dogs. She’s a huge advocate for positive reinforcement and has trained her own working gundogs using kind, effective, reward-based methods exactly the approach we value here at CG.

She’s also fully insured, first aid trained (human and canine!), and deeply committed to helping handlers and dogs build strong, trusting partnerships.

Whether she’s supporting me in the field or leading a holiday, Gemma is a calm, encouraging presence and I’m so proud to have her as part of the CG journey 🧡



📸darrylowenphotography

23/09/2025

What a fantastic day we had on Sunday at our Charity Working Test 🎉🐾

The weather was very kind (a relief after the horrendous rain the day before) the atmosphere was supportive, and the dogs gave us some brilliant work to watch. These events are all about bringing people together, enjoying our dogs, and raising money for a great cause and this year was no exception. We raised £1200 for the Young Mind charity 😊.

A huge thank you goes to:
🙏 Our judges Lesley Eden, Chris Kettle, Sam Davis and Wendy Neville, who gave their time and expertise
🙏 Our sponsors Gamekeepers Goods, Skinners and Sporting Saint - Gundog Training Equipment for the prizes.
🙏 Our helpers, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes and on the day throwing dummies
🙏 And of course, every single handler who entered and supported the day

It’s days like this that remind me how special the gundog community really is teamwork, learning, laughter, and plenty of wagging tails.

💛 Thank you again to everyone who made it possible. Can’t wait for next year!

RESULTS

NOVICE DOG NOVICE HANDLER

1st - Sharon Whitney and Ella
2nd - Sally Blair and Orca
3rd - Jo Meikle and Indy
4th - Elizabeth Launder and Thornedge Image of a Dream
COM - Gemma Cox and Gwen
COM - Nikki Aley and Harrison
COM - Emma Pearce and Mya

SPECIAL PUPPY

1st - Helen Barrett and Nero
2nd - Gemma Cox and Gwen
3rd - Sally Blair and Brook
4th - Christine Tonkin and Fly
COM - Sharon Whitney and Quinn
COM - Emma Pearce and Mav
COM - Sue Lander and Raven

INTERMEDIATE

1st - Jo Meikle and Indy
2nd - Gosia Seton and Blipper
3rd - Sally Blair and Brook
4th - Sharon Whitney and Ella
COM - Rebecca Harrington and Tae
COM - Alex Mathews and Goose
COM - Stephen Meadham and Belle

Special awards to Natalie Higgins and Hescwm Ivy for best team and Pat Geary and Duggie for judges choice.

Below is the link to the photos that Darryl took on the day too. Just click the link and you can order through the site.

https://darrylowenphotography.pic-time.com/-workingtest21stsept2025

Darryl Owen Photography,Working Test 21st Sept 2025,

22/09/2025

🐾 Meet the Team - Nikki Aley

Next up in our team intros is the lovely Nikki Aley, who you’ll often see helping out on our Gundog Holidays, and what a brilliant asset she is to have around!

Nikki has over 30 years’ experience working with dogs, from running her own successful grooming business, to doggy daycare, training walks, and studying alongside a highly respected trainer, learning from him for many years before setting up her own business with his guidance.

She’s fully accredited with the IMDT and IMDTB, and brings a brilliant mix of knowledge, calm presence, and genuine passion to the team.

But her true obsession? Gundogs.
That fire was lit a few years ago during a holiday right here at CG (love that!) and since then, she’s thrown herself into learning everything she can.

She now trains and competes with her Labrador, Harrison (my bitch Gracie’s son), and is already preparing to bring home her next pup because once the gundog bug bites, it really takes hold 😅

Nikki is such a calming, capable presence on the holidays always helpful, always ready to muck in, and an absolute pleasure to have on the ground.

📸 darrylowenphotography

19/09/2025

Meet the Team - Barry Chislett-Bruce

It’s been such a pleasure having Barry join the team at Completely Gundogs over the past year - what a brilliant addition he’s been!

From the very first day, he brought passion, positivity, and just the right mix of banter and dedication 😆
He’s completely committed to learning everything he can about working gundogs, and trust me, he never misses a detail.

He quietly watches, listens, asks questions, and soaks it all in like a sponge.

Barry’s love for dogs is obvious in everything he does whether he’s setting up a test, helping on the ground, or sneaking cuddles with my crew (who absolutely adore him… and so does my mum! 🤣)

He takes huge pride in making sure everything runs smoothly — from looking after clients to making sure the trainers have what they need before we’ve even asked.

Barry, thank you for bringing your energy, enthusiasm, and big heart to CG. You’ve made this past season so much fun, and I know this is only the start of your journey with gundogs 💛

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17/09/2025

Meet the Team — Carole Hopper

I’m so lucky to have a brilliant group of helpers who support me behind the scenes (and in the field!) and today I want to introduce you to one of them: Carole Hopper 💛

Carole’s a good friend and one of those people who’s always there with a steady hand, a kind word, and a dog or two (or four!) at her side.

She’s had dogs her whole life a mix of rescues and working dogs but it was around 18 years ago that gundogs stole her heart. A friend got her into training, and the rest is history.

There’s been a few tricky ones along the way (we’ve all had them!), but she also had a fantastic fox red Labrador who was a cracking picking-up dog and worked right up until he passed away at the grand age of 14 in 2023.

These days, Carole’s got her hands full with her gorgeous picking up team and has also enjoyed success at working tests too:

🐶 Harry
🐶 Dollar
🐶 Piper

Together, they make a brilliant picking-up team full of drive, heart, and character. And if you’ve ever seen them out in the field, you’ll know how much Carole adores them (and how well they work as a unit).

Must not forget Todd who didn't quite make the grade for the shoot but enjoys pet dog life very much and the training too. I look after her dogs when she is on holiday so they are also part of the family. Likewise Carole is my live in helper when I go away.

I’m so proud to have Carole as part of the team. She brings warmth, experience, and banter to the training holidays and a great support to me in my life.

📸 Darryl Owen Photography

15/09/2025

🐾 Shoot Day Bloopers. So Close… 😂

First day back picking up and the dogs were buzzing to be back in action.

I had them all off-lead, holding beautifully despite birds flying past and landing nearby. The drive was in full swing, and they held it together for so long… I was honestly impressed.

But then… just seconds before the horn went to signal the end of the drive - BOOM 💥
They were off.
And of course, Harry led the charge. What a surprise 😅

Part of me wanted to groan. But honestly? I was proud.
That was a lot of control in a very exciting environment, especially for the younger ones.
We’ve worked hard on their steadiness and it’s clearly paying off even if we didn’t quite make it to the finish line this time 😂

Back to training, back to fine-tuning but so happy to see them loving what they do 🧡

13/09/2025

Shoot Day Real Talk - First Day Back on Partridges

Had my first day picking up last week and what a brilliant start to the season.
I took this trio:
👑 Grace – the 8-year-old matriarch, calm, wise, and completely reliable
🌪️ Fern – 2 years old, my little hunting machine and sweetest soul
😇😈 Harry – happy-go-lucky, occasionally naughty, and full of enthusiasm

And you know what?
They were all brilliant.

Grace didn’t put a paw wrong (as expected!).
Fern really showed how much she’s matured - focused, keen, and hunting beautifully.
And even Harry… held it together! No noise from the truck, no chaos when excited just enthusiasm with control (mostly, thats another post!).

It’s moments like this that remind me how far they’ve all come and how much the training we put in really does pay off in the field.

There’s no better feeling than seeing it come together, especially on that first day back.
Now to keep the momentum going! 💪🐾

10/09/2025

🐾 Train During the Shoot Season - Real Ground, Real Scent, Real Progress

Want to make the most of the shoot season even if you’re not picking up or beating?
Come and train your dog on our grounds where the scent and the setting couldn’t be better 👇

🌾 We’re right on the edge of a large commercial shoot where I work my own dogs, and it means our land is full of:
🪿 Partridge and pheasant scent and opportunities for them to follow and flush live game.
🌬️ Plenty of gamey air for dogs to work through
🌲 Woodland cover, crop fields, and natural hunting ground

This is real shoot country, perfect for:
✅ Practising steadiness around high scent
✅ Working on hunting in cover
✅ Honing delivery, recall and handling with distractions
✅ Walked-up style training in the crop field, ideal for trial prep

Whether you’re preparing for the season, building your dog’s confidence, or just want to train in real conditions with the added benefit of game scent everywhere — this is the time to do it.

📍 Based in Mid Wales
📬 Message me to arrange a visit, 1:1, or small group session this autumn/winter.

Let’s make use of what’s out there and turn it into great training for your dog 🐾