Setting clear gundog training goals for 2026

As the year begins to wind down, December is a valuable moment to pause and think about where you are with your gundog training, especially if you are working on the foundations. 

Whether you recently started training your first gundog, now have a second dog that you’re keen to approach differently, or are returning to training after a break, you may have plenty of enthusiasm but still feel unsure about the right direction to take.

Many handlers find that without a plan, it becomes too easy to repeat the same comfortable exercises, avoid the tricky areas that your dog really needs to work on, and lose sight of where you want to be by next autumn. 

Whatever your starting point, setting clear gundog training goals now will give you direction and help you make steady progress through winter, spring and summer 2026.

Taking time to assess your gundog’s current ability, identify what needs improvement and decide which skills you want to develop will give your training purpose and momentum.

In this blog, we look at why you need to plan your training, how to set realistic goals for the year ahead, and how record keeping can help you to track progress, adjust your approach, and move forward with confidence.

Why you need to plan your gundog training

When training our dogs, we all want our sessions to be productive and successful, and to feel like a good use of our often-limited time.

And yet we have all been guilty of wandering into a field or a training area, with every intention of ‘doing some gundog training’ but absolutely no plan as to what this will look like.

What usually happens next is one or more of the following: 

1. You set up an exercise or drill without any forethought, only to watch it go horribly wrong.

2. You default to practising exercises that your dog is already good at and don’t make any progress in the areas you actually need to work on.

3. You draw a blank, have no idea what to do, give up on training and send your dog off to have some more free time.

Our most productive and successful gundog training sessions have always been planned before leaving the house.

What are your gundog training goals?

To plan an effective training session, you need to set aside some time initially to work out your long-term goals for you and your gundog. 

It might seem obvious, but setting clear goals is the key to ensuring that your training is structured, measurable, and, most importantly, rewarding.

Having pre-set goals can also help if you are constantly comparing yourself/dog to others. Instead of worrying about what everyone else is up to, you can put your blinkers on. This will help you to avoid spending time on behaviours that are not essential for your aims, or putting unnecessary pressure on yourself or your dog to get a certain level of precision that you might not need.

Your long-term goal might be a desire to go beating or picking up on your local shoot, you might want to compete with your dog in working tests, or you could be aiming for a well-behaved, enriched pet gundog that can settle in the home.

The achievement of these long-term goals might be a few years away, but they will help you stay on track when you plan your shorter-term training. 

It is important to note here that goals do not have to be set in stone and can be changed at any time. For example, you might initially be aiming for a well-trained pet gundog, but suddenly want to go beating and picking up after seeing how much your dog loves doing the job they were bred for.

How to use gundog goals to plan your training

Once you have set your goals, you can start looking at what behaviours you will need from your gundog, what level and standards you will need to train them to, and the skills you will personally need as a handler.

If you are getting involved in breed-specific gundog training with your pet gundog, you should prioritise practical day-to-day skills. This could be focusing on reliable recall, teaching your dog to bumble instead of self-employed hunting, walking at heel instead of pulling on the lead, self-control and steadiness, and basic hunting and retrieving for fun.

If your goal is to take part in shoot days on a beating or picking up team, your training focus should be to lay solid foundations and work on setting your gundog up to handle unpredictable, real-life situations. You will eventually need a dog that’s trained to a good level and can cope with distractions and respond reliably to basic cues in an exciting environment. You will also want a dog that can use their own initiative to hunt independently, hold an area, follow runners and find birds without you directing them to every area of fall.

If you’re looking to do competitions, however, the expectations are different. To do well in the results, dogs need a higher level of accuracy and consistency, and you might even favour a dog that looks to you for instruction over independence.

Once you have a rough idea of the behaviours you need to achieve your goals, you can use this to reflect on where you are right now and what level you would like your gundog to be working at in 12 months.

Finally, you can begin to identify which of these behaviours you need to prioritise, and this will help give your training sessions some clear focus.

Setting smart gundog training to-dos

Once you have a sense of what you would like to achieve with your dog over the next year, the next step is to turn those ideas into smart to-dos.

Many new handlers say they want a well-behaved pet gundog that stays with them on walks in the countryside, or that they want to feel confident enough to go on a shoot next season, but broad intentions like these are difficult to train towards. 

A SMART-er way to look at this is to have training to-dos that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. 

This framework helps you take the exact behaviour you want to train and identify how you will monitor progress and whether it actually fits with what you want your dog to do in the long term.

By getting specific, you will know exactly what behaviour you want to develop. And by adding in a measurement that you can count, observe or record, whether it’s distance, duration or distraction levels, you can also clearly assess if your dog is improving or struggling.

It is also important that your training to-do list for 2026 is realistic for your starting point. Setting a goal that is too difficult can be discouraging, so you might need to think about breaking larger behaviours into smaller steps. 

Relevance matters too. A gundog that is being prepared for shooting needs to develop different skills than a pet gundog that needs a constructive outlet for its natural hunting and retrieving desires. Matching your training to-dos to your long-term goals will help you avoid spending time on behaviours that do not support where you want to go.

Finally, giving your to-dos a clear time frame helps you stay accountable. A date encourages action and reduces the temptation to keep postponing training until your circumstances feel perfect. It also provides a natural point for review, so you can decide whether to continue, adjust or move on to a new behaviour.

Choose one behaviour you want to improve and rewrite it as a SMART goal. Make it specific, measurable, realistic for your current level, relevant to your aims and give it a clear deadline. 

Why you need to keep training records

Record keeping will be unique to you. Some people like to do storyboards or charts, others like spreadsheets, notes on their phone, or keep a dedicated paper notebook. 

Whatever method you choose needs to be simple, straightforward and accessible to you. There is little point in starting a fresh notebook if you’re likely to forget it and leave it at home when you go out training. A spreadsheet will not work in the long term if you hate computers.

Before you go out training, you will use this space to write down what you will do in your session. That way, you will not end up in a field without a basic plan in place.

Then, after or during your training session, you can note what worked and what didn’t. This will help you monitor progress and make informed adjustments to your training plan throughout the year. 

Keeping records will also help you to be more aware of the number of repetitions you are asking of your dog. 

Try any repetitive task over a period of time, and it doesn’t matter how much you enjoy it, your performance will deteriorate as you tire and/or lose focus.

If you can make notes before training, you have the opportunity to plan the progression of your session so you are ready to move on as needed. This will help you avoid doing too many repetitions at the same level and not moving forward, which ultimately causes dogs to lose interest and/or become frustrated.

Part of being an effective trainer is to reflect on your sessions to identify what needs to be done next to make progress. This means you must be very observant of your dog, the environment and yourself. 

Get into a good habit of making notes straight after your training session - do not be tempted to leave it until you get home or the next day, as your memory will not be as fresh.

This might seem like a lot of extra work alongside the actual training of the dog, but it is the work done beforehand that makes a successful training session run so well. 

Prioritising your gundog training goals in 2026

If you want to make gundog training goals a priority in 2026, the Handler’s Course offers structure, support and a clear path through the year. 

The course runs for four modules spread over the year, giving you enough time to set realistic goals for the year, build foundation behaviours, and see real improvement in both your handling and your dog’s ability. 

Designed for those with any age dog new to gundog training, as well as for more experienced gundog handlers with young dogs, the course is a perfect fit for those who want to improve their training skills, understand learning theory, explore positive reinforcement in gundog training or enrich the life of a pet gundog through hunting and retrieving work. 

Module one introduces key theory aspects, including how dogs learn, how to communicate clearly using clicker training and how to set meaningful training goals. Handlers are encouraged to keep a training diary so that planning, recording and reviewing sessions can become routine. This skill helps you identify what to work on, reflect on each session and recognise when it is time to progress. There is also practical handling so you can begin applying the concepts straight away.

Modules Two and Three are focused mainly on practical work. Training is tailored to the students attending, as every handler arrives with different levels of experience and knowledge. Much of the practical training is done one dog and handler at a time. This gives everyone the chance to observe, learn and understand different breeds, behaviours and handling styles. Learning is not just about doing; the more you observe, the more you gain, which is especially helpful for those who want to become trainers later on.

Finally, module four offers the opportunity to attend a shoot experience day at the Kemble’s Field shoot. You can take part in beating or picking up with your dog depending on your breed and preference. You will also learn about shooting etiquette and how to prepare game for the table. During the course you will be invited to take your Clicker Trainers Competency Assessment Programme Level One.

If you want a full year of guided learning, practical coaching and the chance to experience a shoot experience day, the Handler’s Course provides a clear and enjoyable way to stay committed to your training in 2026.

2026 Handler’s Courses

For more information on our 2026 Worcestershire Handler’s Course click here: https://gundogtrainersacademy.co.uk/products/2026-gta-handlers-course-worcestershire 

For more information on our 2026 Surrey Handler’s Course click here: https://gundogtrainersacademy.co.uk/products/2026-gta-handlers-course-surrey