dog.help – Dog training  located between Taunton and Yeovil, Somerset

Established in 2006 dog.help now provides clients with help and training on a one to one or group basis, with their Gundogs, pet or otherwise.

Owner Penny Hoare trained and worked as a Behaviourist for many years. She is skilled with both dogs and their owners! Now she specialises in the Gundog type breeds providing advice and support for people to meet the needs of this driven and motivated group of hunting dogs. This enables the dogs to reach their potential within the capabilities of their owner and the environment they live in. If the needs of the dog are being met then the behavioural issues are far less likely to arise.

Penny works on a handful of local shoots both in the beating line and picking up with her spaniels. She is happy to help people starting on their sporting journey or to iron out any problems arising with young dogs in the hands of experienced sporting owners.

All training is done without aversives and punishment.

Lessons are also available to prepare dogs and owners to work with the UK Gundog Grading Scheme up to the level
Grade 4

Gun Dog Training

Fun Gundog training courses are designed largely with the pet owner in mind, however many of our clients do progress to work dogs in the field.

Gundog Skills

Help with skills needed  to work with your dog on a shoot. Spaniels, Retrievers and Pointers all work differently, we work with your dogs natural strong instincts.

Gundog Grades

Designed for all breeds of dog to prepare owners and dogs for a competitive working test or field test. Grades 1 to 5.

Workshops

Through out the year we run a variety of workshops from water workshops for Gun Dogs to clicker training for Obedience.

Client Success Stories

Indiana is a 3 year old spaniel and my first ever dog. He’s recently been staying in 3.5 acres grounds in Yorkshire of mixed open space and woodland with plenty of freedom to roam wherever his nose takes him,
which included the trips down the badger holes.

Good training is paying off here. He can be free to disappear off into the brush on a scent and be gone out of sight, but when I want him back then simply using the recall whistle zooming out of nowhere suddenly appears my panting spaniel. Equally sit and stay – stay put until I say otherwise is certainly appreciated around people doing the chainsaw and digger works.

Direction work, left, right and back from my seat on the mini tractor to indicate to my dog I want you over THERE out the way, and off he goes. At the end of the day, down the pub for a pint or evening meal it’s useful to be able to ‘park’ Indiana at my feet for the evening.

Indiana can for sure be goofy, mad as brush in fact like all spaniels are, but his training adds a really useful skill.

Stuart & Indiana.

Indiana Story, Good training is paying off here.

I wanted to try a different discipline so thought I would give fun gun-dog a go, Dudley has come on in leaps and bounds and although still crazy he has learnt to be a little more patient when waiting his turn, a year ago there is no way Penny would have been able to throw a dummy and for Dudley to stay put, although you can see him quivering from nose to tail most times he doesn’t move until told. We both have a lot of fun and Penny is a great trainer and her classes are always fun

Belinda & Dudley.

Dudley Story, Dudley is a crazy springer x Labrador!

When her career came to an abrupt halt Becca’s experienced adopted Mum decided she needed to be allowed to relax a bit but Becca had no recall and no understanding how to be a pet dog. She now smiles the whole time she is running and makes everyone else smile.

Dog Help - Becca StoryBecca's Story, - A Golden Retriever, adopted as a failed Guide dog

After attending various groups and with careful handling and apt socialisation from his owner Dusty is becoming the little pet dog the family always wanted. He attend Social group and Rally Obedience gaining confidence all the way.

Dog Help logoDusty's Story, - He was very very vocal and frightened of people and dogs.

Following one to one they attended gundog classes as they could see that Wiggins needed a job to do. It soon became clear that he was a very talented dog. Quick to learn and eager to get on with it. His owners were taught the art of Clicker training which helped Wiggins quick brain to ascertain what exactly was needed. Wiggins has just worked his first season picking up on a local shoot. He has found his niche in life .

Dog Help logoWiggins's Story, - His owners were just blown away as to how energetic and naughty he was.

Following one to one they attended gundog classes as they could see that Wiggins needed a job to do. It soon became clear that he was a very talented dog. Quick to learn and eager to get on with it. His owners were taught the art of Clicker training which helped Wiggins quick brain to ascertain what exactly was needed. Wiggins has just worked his first season picking up on a local shoot. He has found his niche in life .

Dog help - Gunners StoryGunner's Story, He came into my field dragging his owner on three leads! He could not be near any dogs..