How to live with a high-drive pet gundog
Collette May 
How to harness your dog's natural instincts rather than fight against them.
If you live with a high-drive pet gundog, you already know they’re something special.
Bursting with energy, intelligence, and an incredible work ethic, these dogs are the product of generations of careful breeding.
But with all that talent comes a unique set of challenges, especially when their natural instincts aren’t put to use in a traditional working environment.
Instead of fighting against your dog’s behaviours, what if you could work with them?
By understanding what makes your pet gundog tick, you can turn their instincts into an advantage. From their endless stamina to their sharp focus, the traits that can sometimes feel overwhelming are the very same ones that make these dogs so amazing and easy to train.
In this blog, we’ll dive into what makes high-drive gundogs so unique, the challenges that can come with living with one as a pet, and how you can use their natural abilities to your advantage.
What is a High-Drive Gundog?
A high-drive dog is one whose instincts and behaviours are deeply rooted in its genetic makeup. These traits are unique to the breed and reflect generations of selective breeding designed to hone specific skills.
As owners, we can’t change the genes our dogs inherit. They are a product of thousands of years of careful breeding and the hardwired instincts of their ancestors.
What we often label as “problem behaviours” are, in fact, the very talents and abilities these dogs were bred for.
For example, a dog’s tendency to hunt, chase, or run off may be frustrating in a pet home, but in the field, these traits are essential. Gundogs that can hunt independently, pick runners, and retrieve game without missing anything are the most effective and capable workers.
The challenge arises when these skilled dogs are placed in pet homes.
Without an appropriate outlet for their instincts, they often start working for themselves, leading to behaviours that owners struggle to manage.
To truly thrive with a high-drive pet gundog, we need to reframe these behaviours as talents and focus on understanding and channelling them in positive ways.
What Traits Make High-Drive Gundogs Exceptional Working Dogs?
High-drive gundogs possess a unique combination of traits that make them outstanding workers, whether part of the beating line or picking up team. These characteristics, carefully cultivated through generations of selective breeding, are what allow them to excel in the field. Let’s explore some of these key qualities:
Stamina
One thing we can all agree on: high-drive dogs have energy in abundance. They seem tireless, able to work all day without flagging. This stamina is exactly what’s needed on a shoot, where they might spend hours retrieving or beating. For a working gundog, this boundless energy is an absolute asset.
Mental Agility
High-drive dogs are quick learners, making them incredibly efficient to train. This is a significant advantage if you’re juggling other hobbies or commitments and need a dog trained for the shoot without hundreds of hours to spare. With short, focused training sessions, these dogs can master tasks effectively, showcasing their intelligence and adaptability.
Human Orientation
Many gundogs thrive on human interaction, often valuing it over engagement with other dogs. While this varies depending on the individual, some high-drive dogs are single-minded about working with the person giving them the job. They are also highly biddable, keen to please and visibly delighted by their owner’s approval. For instance, my labradors clearly find joy in making me happy, whereas my Chihuahua is more motivated by what’s in it for her and will only work for tangible rewards like food!
Motivation
Motivation comes easily to these dogs, which makes training an enjoyable process. Whether it’s toys, tugs, retrieves, balls, or treats, they respond enthusiastically to a variety of rewards. Their eagerness to work and quick learning abilities make them a dream to train.
Focus
When these dogs know their job, their focus is unparalleled. Even with lots of distractions, they stay locked onto the task at hand. This unwavering attention makes them exceptional workers, adapting beautifully to the demands of the field and making training sessions a pleasure.
Sensitivity
High-drive gundogs are often sensitive, which has shaped the way we approach training today. Modern positive reinforcement methods are particularly effective with them, as these dogs tend to dislike making mistakes and respond poorly to harsh handling techniques. Their heightened awareness is also a benefit in the field as they notice subtle changes, like a raised gun will cue them to mark, or a rustling in the trees might make them quickly turn and spot a wounded bird.
Challenges of Living with High-Drive Gundogs as Pets
While the traits of high-drive gundogs make them exceptional working dogs, they can present unique challenges when these dogs are living as pets. Understanding these potential problems is key to managing them effectively and creating a harmonious home life.
Stamina
For a pet, endless stamina can quickly become a double-edged sword. A lot of high-drive dogs don’t have an “off switch” and most pet owners aren’t out in the field with them all day either. This surplus energy and inability to settle can lead to trouble as without proper stimulation, our pet gundogs may become destructive, chewing furniture or tearing things apart.
Mental Agility
These dogs learn fast but sometimes too fast. They don’t just pick up on the behaviours we want, they quickly learn the ones we don’t intend to teach. For example, they may figure out how to escape your garden or find creative ways to get food from your counter. While it’s wonderful to have a clever dog, managing their problem-solving tendencies can be a full-time job.
Human Orientation
High-drive gundogs that bond strongly with humans may become reactive toward other dogs, seeing them as obstacles to their goals. They can also show guarding tendencies, particularly if another dog enters what they perceive as their person’s space. This behavior requires careful management and you might even need to seek specialist advice from a dog behaviourist.
Motivation
While their motivation is a great asset during training, it can also be a challenge. High-drive dogs are often so motivated by environmental triggers, like scents or movement, that they ignore traditional rewards like food or toys. This can make behaviours like lead walking or a reliable recall difficult to achieve and pet gundog owners must think creatively to find rewards that are more enticing than their dog’s natural instincts.
Focus
A focused dog is wonderful when they’re working on the task you’ve given them. However, if they become “self-employed” their focus shifts to what they want to do, and suddenly all your training goes out the window. Unresponsive behaviour on walks or ignoring recall cues are common struggles with high-drive dogs that have decided they know best and are engrossed in their own work.
Sensitivity
A high level of sensitivity is valuable in the field, but in a pet environment, it can lead to overstimulation. These dogs notice every tiny change, every sound, every movement, which can result in overreactivity. For example, a pet gundog might react to noises or movements that are completely irrelevant, like barking at someone knocking on the neighbour’s door, creating unnecessary stress for both the dog and the owner.
Frustration
Frustration is another emotion that high-drive dogs struggle with. They can have a low tolerance for waiting or being restricted, often leading to vocalisations like whining or barking. Some dogs may chew on their lead, dig, or display other signs of frustration when they can’t do what they want or have to wait their turn in training classes.
How to Harness Your Gundog’s Natural Traits to Your Advantage
Instead of battling against your gundog’s natural instincts, embrace them. For example, if you have a dog that loves to chase, you might have been told by some trainers to punish the behaviour or to never let your dog off the lead in areas where chasing might occur.
But this approach focuses solely on suppressing the behavior without addressing the underlying instinct. The truth is, your dog doesn’t see the chasing as a problem at all. And denying them an outlet for their desire to chase will only result in frustration and pent-up energy.
A more effective approach is to understand your dog’s instincts and work with them. By planning your walks and learning to read your dog’s signals, you can manage these behaviours in a way that benefits both you and your dog.
Remember, chasing is only a problem when it’s uncontrolled. Instead of trying to eliminate it, you use techniques like the premack principle, which involves allowing your dog to do what they love after they’ve completed a task you’ve asked of them.
For instance, if your dog loves to chase, you might ask for some focused heelwork before rewarding them by letting them chase a ball on cue. This way, you’re channelling their natural drive into a controlled and rewarding activity.
If there’s a behaviour you find challenging, consider putting it on cue and teaching your dog clear boundaries. For example, I allow my dogs to chase a ball on cue, using it as a highly motivating reward for emergency recall.
At the same time, I ensure they understand that chasing wildlife or being unsteady on a shoot is not allowed. The key is context: they know that unless I give the cue “get it”, they need to remain steady, even if I throw the ball. By setting clear expectations, you can turn what might seem like a problem behaviour into a powerful tool for training.
Understanding and embracing your high-drive gundog's natural instincts can transform challenges into rewarding experiences. For a deeper dive into these concepts, the "Living with Your High-Drive Pet Gundog" masterclass replay is now available to purchase for just £25.
You’ll have lifetime access to this comprehensive session that explores the motivations behind your dog's behaviours and offers practical strategies to harness their innate talents effectively. Available to watch at your convenience, you can pause, rewind, and revisit the material as needed. For more information head to: https://www.completelygundogs.co.uk/courses/replay-highdrive-petgundog