Completely Gundogs

01/09/2025

River Days & Happy Dogs

Last week we welcomed a small private group of regulars to Completely Gundogs. As it was a 5 day holiday including a day off in the middle (where they enjoyed a trip to Elan valley) I decided to explore an offsite location. Just 2 minutes from my house is one of my absolute favourite training spots the river ground 💦

We only use it when it’s safe and the water is slow-moving, but when the conditions are right, it’s brilliant.

🐾 Perfect for longer water retrieves
🌊 Great practice for retrieves over the river
🧠 Excellent for building confidence, distance, and control in real-world terrain

It’s one of those locations that really challenges both dog and handler and the dogs love it. There’s something about working in and around water that lights them up.

Another reason I feel so lucky to be able to offer such varied, natural training environments right here in Mid Wales.

📍 Just one of many reasons why Completely Gundogs holidays are like no other.

30/08/2025

The Joy of Working a Dog on a Shoot

🧡 There’s nothing quite like working a dog on a shoot.

Years ago I was all about the competition scene. But now?
I’m happiest out in the Welsh countryside, working my dogs with a supportive team, and watching everything we train for come to life in the field.

It’s not just the beauty of the landscape, though that helps 😉
It’s the way your dog finds a bird no one else saw.
It’s the stop whistle that lands perfectly in the moment.
It’s the teamwork, the trust, and the bond.

Yes, we still have the odd chaos moment (always keeps you humble 😆), but the highs far outweigh the wobbles.

I wrote a full blog about why this work fills my cup more than anything else and why it means so much to me to see the training we teach actually work in the real world.

🐾 Read it here → https://www.completelygundogs.co.uk/blog/the-joy-of-working-a-dog-on-the-shoot

🎓 And if this is your dog’s first season, our Beginner’s Guide to Working Your Dog on a Shoot masterclass will get you prepped and confident → https://www.completelygundogs.co.uk/courses

📸Darryl Owen Photography

This masterclass will help you to understand your adolescent gundog, how they think, what they do and most of all what they need from us.

26/08/2025

5 Things to Know Before Your Dog’s First Shoot Day

Starting your first shoot season? It’s exciting but also a bit daunting if you’re not sure what to expect. Here are 5 key things every new handler should know before heading out:

1️⃣ Your dog doesn’t need to be perfect. What they do need is a solid foundation especially a good recall, steadiness, and delivery.

2️⃣ It’s your job to watch, not just theirs
Eyes up. Anticipate what’s happening. You’ll learn quickly how fast-paced it can get.

3️⃣ Ask questions, early and often
Don’t be afraid to speak up. Most experienced handlers will be more than happy to guide you.

4️⃣ Use the downtime to your advantage
Shoot days involve a lot of waiting — use it to reward calmness and build focus.

5️⃣ Be honest about what your dog’s ready for
It’s better to start slow and end with success than to rush into chaos.

🎓 Want the full breakdown? Our Beginner’s Guide to Working Your Dog on a Shoot masterclass is ready for you to dive into →
👉 completelygundogs.co.uk/courses

Your dog’s first season should be memorable for all the right reasons

Darryl Owen Photography
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24/08/2025

📣 Last chance to enter our 2025 Charity Working Test!

📆 Saturday 21st September 2025
🎯 Any breed but Retriever tests.
📍 Held here at Completely Gundogs in stunning Mid Wales
💛 Raising money for a great cause (and giving your dog a proper challenge!)

Join us for a day of:
✅ Realistic test scenarios
✅ A supportive, friendly atmosphere
✅ Like-minded handlers, good vibes, and great dogs

Whether you’re competing regularly or want to test your dog in a positive, pressure-free environment this is your sign.

📥 Entries close soon — don’t miss your chance.
🔗 Book here: https://www.completelygundogs.co.uk/courses/2025-retriever-charity-working-test-september

Let’s raise some funds, run some dogs, and enjoy a great day out 🐾💛

17/08/2025

New to the Shoot Field?

📣 Just starting your first season working your dog? Feeling a mix of excitement and nerves? We’ve got you.

Our Beginner’s Guide to Working Your Dog on a Shoot masterclass is designed specifically for handlers like you, those ready to step into the field for the first time with confidence, clarity, and calm.

Inside the masterclass, we cover:
🧭 What to expect on a shoot day
🛑 How to handle common challenges (overexcitement, distractions, delivery)
📋 Key skills your dog should have before heading out
🤝 Working with the rest of the picking-up team
⚠️ Mistakes to avoid so your dog’s first season sets them up for success

This is all delivered with the same positive, supportive approach we’re known for. No pressure. Just real-world advice that makes sense.

Grab instant access here:
👉 completelygundogs.co.uk/courses

Let this be the season you both enjoy and learn from every moment in the field.

📸Darryl Owen Photography
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15/08/2025

Why I Built Completely Gundogs

People often ask me why I started running Gundog holidays — and the truth is, I built this for people like us.

Dog lovers who want to train seriously… but also want it to be fun.
Handlers who love progress, but not pressure.
The ones who want to do it right — without the shouting, stress or judgment.

I love the 3-day immersion. Being surrounded by like-minded people, fully focused on your dog, your goals, and your journey — it’s powerful.
The transformations that happen over those few days honestly blow me away.

But it’s not just about the training. It’s the whole experience:
🐾 The banter in the yard
🍽️ Meals out after a day on the ground
🗣️ Late-night chats with a glass of wine in hand
💬 Friendships that last long after the dummies have been packed away

I give my all during those holidays and yes, I absolutely need that week to recover! 😅
But it’s so worth it. Every single time.

So if you’re wondering what makes Completely Gundogs different it’s this

We train hard, laugh harder, and build something very special.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way. 💛

12/08/2025

Can’t Stop Thinking About 2026 Already…

I’ve been reading through your messages since announcing the 2026 dates and it’s reminded me why I love doing this so much.

There’s something really special about these holidays:
🐾 The friendships formed over coffee in the cottages
🐾 The breakthroughs in the training field
🐾 The laughter when the dogs decide they’ve got their own ideas
🐾 And that click moment when dog and handler finally sync

We’ve worked hard to shape a calendar that caters to all levels from foundation to advanced, retrievers to spaniels, and everything in between.

If you’re still deciding, now’s the time to take a look.
Some dates already filling fast… and once they’re gone, that’s it until 2027.

💻 All details, trainers, and booking info:
https://www.completelygundogs.co.uk/courses/2026-gundog-training-holidays

Let 2026 be the year you do something just for you and your dog. 💛

10/08/2025

And Just Like That… It’s Nearly September!

📣 The 2026 shoot season kicks off on 1st September, partridges first!
Excited? YES.
Prepared? …well, we’re working on it 😅

I don’t know about you, but the dogs have had a lovely summer doing a lot of relaxing, and now I’m panicking just a bit about getting them fit, sharp, and polished before we’re out picking up again.

Time to:
✅ Add in hillwork
✅ Refresh those stop whistles
✅ Tune up the delivery
✅ And maybe… just maybe… brush my boots

Here’s to the start of another season, the physical exercise, the teamwork, and the tired but happy dogs at the end of a long day. 🐾

Who else is getting ready for September? Let me know what you’re focusing on.

08/08/2025

Last minute cancellation 22-24th AUGUST G3/4 RETRIEVER Intermediate course with Gemma teaching and Nikki helping.

The 1 bed private cottage is also available so please get in touch to book. Very rare opportunity!

07/08/2025

2026 Gundog Holidays — Bookings Now Open!

📣 The full 2026 Gundog Holiday calendar is here and bookings are officially open!
From working test workshops to spaniel and retriever-specific training, these holidays combine high-level tuition with stunning Welsh countryside, mountain ground, and on-site accommodation.

🌿 15 acres of purpose-built ground
⛰️ Exclusive access to mountain terrain (when available)
🏡 Accommodation available on-site
🐾 Positive Reinforcement methods

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🗓️ 2026 Gundog Holiday Dates

March

📍 6–8 March – Working Test Workshop Advanced Retrievers — Sam
📍 23–25 March – Grade 4/5 Advanced Retrievers — Collette

April

📍 10–12 April – Grade 3/4 Intermediate Retrievers — Sam
📍 15–17 April – Grade 3/4 Intermediate Spaniels — Gemma

May

📍 1–3 May – Grade 4/5 Advanced Spaniels — Gemma
📍 15–17 May – Grade 2/3 All Breeds — Sam
📍 25–29 May – 5-Day Grade 3/4 Intermediate Retrievers — Collette

June

📍 1–3 June – Grade 2/3 Novice All Breeds — Gemma
📍 8–12 June – 5-Day Grade 4/5 Advanced Retrievers — Collette

July

📍 10–12 July – Grade 2/3 Novice All Breeds — Sam
📍 24–26 July – Grade 3/4 Intermediate Retrievers — Gemma

August

📍 7–9 August – Grade 3/4 Intermediate Spaniels — Collette
📍 17–19 August – Grade 2/3 Novice All Breeds — Gemma

September

📍 7–9 September – Grade 3/4 Intermediate Retrievers — Collette
📍 25–27 September – Working Test Workshop (Charity Test – Advanced Retrievers) — Gemma & Sam

October

📍 5–7 October – Grade 3/4 Intermediate Spaniels — Gemma
📍 23–25 October – Grade 4/5 Advanced Retrievers — Collette

November

📍 13–15 November – Grade 3/4 Intermediate Retrievers — Sam
📍 20–22 November – Grade 2/3 Novice All Breeds — Gemma

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🔒 Book now with a £150 deposit - message us to get sent the link.

These holidays fill quickly every year — don’t wait if you’ve got a favourite date, trainer, or cottage in mind!

Let’s make 2026 your best Gundog year yet 🐾

⸻

02/08/2025

Following the success of our first charity working test in March, a reminder about our next charity test is in September.

Our next Retriever Charity Working Test will be held at Coed Y Gaer Fawr, near Newtown, Mid Wales, on 21st September 2025 from 9am - 4pm.

Come and spend the day with like-minded people who are just as passionate about their gundogs as you are!

Charity working tests are a wonderful opportunity to dip your toe into the world of competing and to gently introduce your young or inexperienced dog to a testing environment.

For those of you with more seasoned dogs, it's the perfect chance to practice your competition skills in a relaxed and informal setting with friends.

The Completely Gundogs Retriever Charity Working tests are not Kennel Club registered competitions. This means that any breed of gundog, or gundog crossbreed, can enter without needing to be KC registered.

The tests will include:

Special Puppy - Open to dogs under the age of 2.

Novice Dog Novice Handler (ND/NH) - Open to dogs and handlers who have not been awarded a place in any KC-registered test or charity test.

Intermediate - graded between Novice and Open. Any dog or bitch of any age not having won: 1st in any Intermediate, Open Working Tes or 1st, 2nd or 3rd in any Field Trial.

Entries cost £20 per dog. All proceeds raised will be donated to Young Minds a charity that provides young people with tools to look after their mental health and helps adults be the best support they can be to the young people in their lives.

There will be a raffle, and any prizes donated will be gratefully received.

If you would not like to run your dog, but would like to volunteer to help with the event, such as being a dummy thrower, we would be extremely grateful. In both instances, please email [email protected]

To enter the test head to the "charity working test" link in bio.

30/07/2025

📣 Gundog Holidays 2026 – Dates Announced Soon!

If you’re dreaming of a training holiday in the Welsh hills next year, now’s the time to get ready…

🗓️ Important Dates:
✅ Mailing list subscribers will get early access after 4th August
✅ Social media release will follow one week later

That means if you’re on the list, you’ll get first dibs on dates, trainers, and accommodation, before the public ever sees them.

And with 2025 nearly sold out, we don’t expect 2026 to hang around for long.

Join the mailing list now at:
👉 completelygundogs.co.uk