PET LIFE-SKILLS & GUNDOG SCHOOL
Welcome to our Pet Life Skills & Gundog programs, the ideal starting point for gundog breeds and their owners looking to build a strong foundation of real-world skills. Tailored for gundog breeds over 16 weeks of age, these courses blend instinctive behaviours with essential training in a fun, structured, and practical way.
Whether you have aspirations for fieldwork, hunting, or simply want a well-mannered family companion, our courses are designed to help your dog thrive.
Our Pet Life Skills & Gundog courses are especially suited to:
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Owners of family gundogs seeking to better understand and work with their dog’s natural abilities
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Those wanting to build a stronger, more responsive partnership with their dog
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Family dog owners who want to channel their gundog’s natural instincts in a constructive way and build a stronger, more responsive partnership.
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Hunters and working dog enthusiasts looking to establish solid foundations for future fieldwork, without the use of live game, using dummies instead.
These courses are open to all breeds and are focused on encouraging instinctive behaviours using canvas dummies as training tools; no live game is used at any stage without prior permission.
Each course is run in small group settings, held outdoors to help your dog learn and apply skills in real-world environments. Over several weeks, we introduce a wide range of foundational exercises that promote calmness, responsiveness, and confidence.
We currently offer two levels:
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Foundation Class – Ideal for beginners and young gundogs
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Intermediate Class – For those ready to build on core skills and increase reliability under distraction
Whether you're just starting or ready to take your dog's training to the next level, these courses offer a clear and enjoyable path forward.
What topics do we cover:
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Focus & Engagement Games.
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Loose Lead Walking: Polite lead manners
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Place board Training: Send your dog to a designated place
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Whistle Recall: Your dog will begin learning to perform cues on the sound of a whistle.
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Hunting Games: To satisfy your dog’s natural desire to hunt in a safe and controlled manner.
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Impulse Control Exercises: So your dog can control the desire to chase, hunt or follow a scent when not appropriate.
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Stay/Steadiness: An incredible useful life skill and gun dog found
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Location: Helensville|Auckland
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Rautawhiri Reserve
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4 week course
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1 Hour sessions
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Cost: $225.00
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All dogs are encouraged to attend as long as they are fully vaccinated
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Not all dogs benefit from group training as some specific behavioural issues are best tackled on a one on one basis
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Dogs attending need to be sociable with people and other dogs
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Please contact us if you are unsure so we can discuss this with you and your options if this is the case
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The course is run outdoors so it is weather/ numbers
FOUNDATION CLASS
Suitable for Puppies from 16 weeks
4-WEEK CLASS
Our Foundation Class is designed for gundog breeds aged 16 weeks and older, offering a practical and engaging introduction to gundog-style training. This course is ideal for both family pet owners and those considering future fieldwork /hunting or more advanced training.
Over 4 weeks, you and your dog will learn essential life skills while developing the focus, responsiveness, and teamwork that gundogs are known for. Training is delivered in small outdoor group settings, helping your dog practise skills in the same environments where they’ll be used.
Key Focus Areas:
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Calmness around people, dogs, and distractions
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Reliable recall and engagement with the handler
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Loose lead walking
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Place training (“go to bed/mat”)
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Retrieving using canvas dummies
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Foundations for steadiness and impulse control
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Understanding and shaping your dog's natural instincts
Cost: $225.00
INTERMEDIATE
Control & Real-World Skills
4-WEEK CLASS
Our Intermediate Class is the next step for dogs who have completed our Foundation Class or have equivalent skills in place. This course is designed to deepen your dog's focus, responsiveness, and control, especially around higher distractions, while strengthening key gundog behaviours in real-world settings.
Ideal for both dedicated pet owners and aspiring field or working dog handlers, the Intermediate Class builds on your existing training with more advanced challenges, teamwork exercises, and reliable responses under pressure.
Key Focus Areas:
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Advanced recall with layered distractions
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Off-lead control and “stay close” work.
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Steadiness around movement, sound, and retrieving
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Retrieving exercises with increased distance, direction, and control
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Polished place training with duration and distractions
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Hunt games to encourage focus and problem-solving
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Handler communication and timing refinement
Cost: $225.00
1:1 PET GUNDOG FOUNDATION PUPPY
Suitable for Puppies 12 weeks-6 months
4-WEEK PROGRAM
Give your young gundog the best possible start with our 1:1 Gundog Puppy Foundation Program, designed specifically for puppies aged 12 weeks to 6 months. Whether your goal is a well-rounded family companion or you're laying the groundwork for future gundog work, this program offers the perfect foundation.
Through personalised one-on-one coaching, we focus on:
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Age-appropriate training and life skills
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Socialisation and confidence-building
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Mental enrichment to support a balanced mindset
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Introduction to key gundog behaviours and cues
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Calmness, engagement, and handler connection
This course is tailored to meet your puppy’s developmental stage, ensuring you and your dog build strong communication and trust from the beginning.
Ideal for:
Gundog breeds being raised as pets, companions, or future working dogs.
