Week 11: The Winter Walk – Turning Every Walk into Training

Winter walks are ideal for gundog training! Build focus, stops, hunting, and varied exercises for spaniels, retrievers, and all gundogs.

Week 11: The Winter Walk – Turning Every Walk into Training

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Winter walks aren’t just about getting fresh air—they’re the perfect opportunity to turn everyday exercise into purposeful gundog training. By using the landscape, covering both retrievers and spaniels, and mixing in stops, casts, and hunting games, every walk becomes a session that improves focus, steadiness, and connection. These games don’t have to be quick—they can be slow, thoughtful, and rewarding.

1. Connection First – More Than a Moment of Focus

Before allowing your dog freedom, build genuine engagement:

Ask for several seconds of focus before unclipping the lead
Use hand touches, follow-me steps, or short heelwork bursts
Reward generously for calm attention
Repeat until the dog is fully “with you”

This ensures your dog is mentally present, which makes the rest of the walk more productive and safer.

2. Hunting in Bracken – Retriever Focus

Bracken patches and lightly structured cover are excellent for retrievers:

Sit the dog up before sending into the patch
Consider adding a ball, dummy, or food item for the dog to locate
Blow your stop whistle once the dog is out in front, not at heel
Allow the dog to hunt a defined patch, then reconnect before moving on

These exercises teach controlled hunting, reinforce the stop whistle, and build confidence in retrieving from varied terrain.

Remember: Wind direction is critical. Always position yourself so the dog works with the wind rather than against it.

3. Spaniels – Cover, Stops, and Controlled Hunting

Spaniels thrive on small pockets of cover and dynamic hunting games:

Set the dog up to check all cover sections you want them to work on
Once hunting, ask for a stop before hunting on or finding something
Reward for compliance, then allow them to continue

Use sequences like hunt → stop → change direction to build control and focus. These exercises keep spaniels engaged without over-arousal.

4. Mixing Things Up – All Gundogs

Variety keeps every gundog thinking and connected, not just spaniels:

Stop the dog out in front, reward the pause, then recall or send to a target
Cast the dog to something they can work for: food, toy, dummy, ball
Incorporate hunt → stop → change direction sequences
Use short bursts of heelwork, name recognition, or follow-me exercises
Adjust the sequence depending on the breed and the dog’s experience

This prevents pattern anticipation, encourages the dog to check in with you, and builds flexible, responsive work for any gundog type.

Why Winter Walk Training Pays Off

By taking the time to structure winter walks:

Dogs become more responsive and controlled
Focus improves, even in exciting environments
Confidence grows in both dog and handler
Dogs stay safer in the field
Skills translate directly into spring and summer outdoor training

Even simple games, thoughtful stops, and small hunts turn an ordinary walk into a purposeful, productive session.

Categories: : Autumn Series