Gundog and Obedience Training
in Edinburgh & East Lothian
Our new website
now under construction
Please call to discuss Training Schedules and/or Private Tuition on a one2one basis. Small groups of 2 or 3 are ideal. Behavioural problems can also be discussed.
Don't expect your puppy or young dog to listen to your commands if you don't have this established.....both audio-visual perception makes for a positive outcome in almost every scenario.
Once you see the success that these traits bring you will wonder how you failed to understand the simplicity of the things in the first place. Your voice essentially is what trains your dog... because your puppy's desire is to please you above everything else it will much prefer to hear the 'good' sounds coming from your mouth rather than the 'bad' ones!...
and last but not least, LEARN HOW TO TALK TO YOUR DOG!... yep, you really can speak doggy language..... no night classes or open university study required... you'll surprise yourself at how easy it is to master.
Alistair Mackay has over 25 years experience training dogs, winning 4 Field Trials (with different dogs) in Scotland and England. Take the first step today....you owe it to your dog!
NOW SERVING EDINBURGH, EAST LOTHIAN and THE BORDERS
NEW ADDRESS: 13 The Glebe, East Linton. East Lothian EH403EF
TELEPHONE: Home 01620 860177 & and mobile (preferred) 07483873444
Please Note:
When contacting through the email please remember to add your phone number. A lot of my replies sometimes end up in your junk folder ..eh no, that's not where they should go!!
Email: mackay@branxholme.com
WEB :www.youtube.com/anmackay
Latest Video: Smeaton Keepers Day 2024
couple of short videos from shoot days at Colstoun recently. The winter weather with snow provided too good an opportunity to miss out on
Great day on Friday with Colstoun Syndicate
Michelle and Morag (the Clumber Spaniel) had their second lesson on open ground today.
Very impressed with what Michelle has achieved in the short time since I saw her last. Morag doesn't venture too far away from Michelle and wow, she is so tuned to the whistle. We specifically tackled solutions to when Morag reverted to the naughty puppy trait of dinking about and not wanting to come right in to heel with whatever she has in her mouth. Michelle was well chuffed in the change after just 10 minutes spent working with the 'magic' trick.. Ha ha, the smile on Michelle's face when she saw the result was a joy to behold... better than any Christmas present she is going to get in a couple of weeks time.!........ and I'm sure Morag appreciated the pheasant she had for her tea that night!!!
'Mummy' and 'Daddy' were left wondering whose dog they were looking at by the end of the lesson!.. Don't wait till the New Year before you come back maybe!... because he picked things up so quickly he'll be ready for more stimulation well before that.
------------------------------Ardmoor the country sports and great outdoors specialists have recruited me as one of their 'experts'! The online clothing retailer has an impressive catalogue of everything relating to the pursuit of enjoying the 'great outdoors'. Their headquarters, situated in Kingston near North Berwick, offers the bonus of collecting merchandise personally and avoiding delivery costs. Lots of gundog training equipment from brands including Bisley and Jack Pyke at competitive prices.
Latest : September
One of my few departures from gundog breeds resulted in a very welcome eye opening hours lesson recently. Nick turned up with Finn his 9 month old Border Collie.. his colouring I'd never seen before... a mixture of brown and russets.. was a delight to behold... It was love at first sight ha ha. He wasn't just a good looker either.. he certainly had a brain to match his cuteness. 'I could easily turn him into a gundog after a few more lessons' I opinioned to Nick with a laugh.
Nick went away chuffed at how obedient and focused he was in the short time he'd been turned into a gundog! Doing it all in a more challenging scenario is the next step in his development. Congratulations to them both.
April 21st
I have uploaded a couple of 'shorts' to youtube this weekend. Arlo and I demonstrate the use of the 'stop' whistle and hand signals with voice instruction thrown in for good measure.
The first video is shot in lush grass (10 inches) which allows for any retrieve to be concealed enough for the dog not to be able to see it, but in this case there is actually no retrieve to find.
2nd Video handled over water
Both videos are under 2 minutes and are worth a look for the Novice handler.
A word about Arlo's progress....March 2023
Ardmoor......May 25th
1st Video in lush grass
It is paramount to try and handle your dog within your field of vision as much as possible and get him near the 'fall area' if you know where that is. If he goes out of sight he could be in the next County before you know where you are and it will be harder to get him back on track and into the desired location of the dummy or pheasant. In the case of wounded game this will obviously have allowed the bird time to 'run' into cover and be more difficult to find.
Training : Jamie & Evie Story. Click HERE:
The wear at Preston Mill
Preston Mill
February 1st
Here's a pic of Philip's 2 fox red little girls Kelly and Ruby..£25 gift voucher if you can tell which is which............Philip's paying ha ha.
Jamie and Evie
Jamie had his first hand experience of a shooting day at Colstoun last week. The Keepers Day provided the perfect opportunity to work his little cocker Evie.
(more to follow)
Mike's wonderdog 'Sam'
Just had a session with Ann and Hettie.
Hettie has loads of promise and should mature into a fabulous gundog or just a companion on the golf course at Gullane with Ann. Ann needs to be more authoritative with her voice and physical attention to Hettie. Have fun.
Knowes Wear......great place for water work!
Wednesday 27th April
A good afternoon training with Lisa and Largo........Knowes Wear was ideal for the water retrieves and working Largo across the water whilst still being visible. Well done to you Lisa for picking up on the tips I gave you. Largo looks a lot more confident going 'out' and over the water rather than sticking at the waters edge as before.
Saturday January 21st
Colstoun January 16th
What a great day to be out and about with the fresh snow?.. we don't get it often so one has to make the most of it when it does come.... Colstoun provided the setting for a memorable day on the penultimate shoot of another season... Guns, beaters, pickers-up and all the dogs in perfect harmony make for a wonderful experience.
Last day on Saturday coming up and still super cold with snow on ground.
December 31st Today saw the shooting days of 2022 come to an end at Colstoun. A great day was had with the Garage Syndicate who shot the well presented birds of Mike's to the tally of over a hundred. Apart from an inauspicious starting drive when he was wound up beyond control, Arlo eventually quietened down as the day progressed and acquitted himself to a more satisfactory conclusion by the time of the 6th and last drive.