GUNDOG TRAINING HOLIDAYS 2026
Three or four day group gundog training holidays in Mid Wales with Completely Gundogs from £375.
WHAT ARE Gundog TRAINING HOLIDAYS?
Completely Gundogs offer a range of three and five day gundog training holidays near Newtown, Mid Wales.
All breeds of gundog are welcome but please check which dates are for your breed. Holidays are split into different levels to accommodate novice, intermediate and advanced gundogs.
Our gundog training holidays are designed to help you and your dogs improve your knowledge and gain experience.
Dogs will be expanding on their skills of marking, taking memories and blinds in different and diverse terrain.
There might be opportunities for a cold game session, a water training session (weather permitting), a walked up scenario in cover, and remote dummy launchers.
Depending on the experience of the dogs and handlers, the time of year, and weather forecast, there may also be some opportunities for training off site at locations used by the local shoot. This will allow the dogs to work in a more diverse range of terrain and will provide the opportunity for more challenging training scenarios.
The social side of the holiday is as important as the training to most handlers so we try to go out to a local pub or restaurant one night for dinner
TOTAL COST:
Three day holidays with Collette are £375 per dog and handler.
The total cost of the three day holidays with Gemma and Sam are £345 per dog and handler.
The total cost of the five day holiday with Collette, which comprises four days of training and a rest day in the middle is £500 per dog and handler.
Onsite accommodation is available with prices from £55 to £139 per night.
How TO BOOK?
Choose the Level and Breed appropriate for you and your dog.
Choose the date you want to attend and add to cart.
Add the accommodation of your choice and checkout
WHICH LEVEL IS RIGHT FOR ME?
FOUNDATION
Perfect for dogs and handlers who have started their gundog journey but are still building consistency.
Your dog may:
• Recall well in low distraction environments but struggle when things get more exciting
• Have started retrieving but may not return directly or deliver to hand consistently
• Have some basic steadiness but still breaks or creeps at times
• Be easily distracted by scent, other dogs, or movement
• Be young or new to gundog training
• (Spaniels) Be hunting but range is inconsistent or tends to get too wide
• (Spaniels) Struggle to stay connected with you when scent is strong
You might:
• Be unsure how to progress your training
• Feel like things are a bit hit and miss
• Want to build confidence, clarity, and a solid foundation to move forward
👉 This level is about putting the pieces together and creating reliability
IMPROVER
For dogs and handlers who have the basics in place and are ready to build control, consistency, and more advanced skills.
Your dog may:
• Recall reliably even with moderate distractions
• Retrieve confidently and generally deliver to hand
• Be mostly steady but may still struggle in higher excitement or more complex setups
• Have started handling or directional work
• Be working on multiple retrieves, memory, or more challenging environments
• (Spaniels) Hunt in a more consistent pattern but can still push out of range or lose focus
• (Spaniels) Beginning to respond to stop/whistle cues but not always reliable under pressure
You might:
• Feel your dog is capable but not quite consistent yet
• Want to refine your handling and communication
• Be ready to challenge both yourself and your dog a bit more
👉 This level is about building consistency and progressing skills
ADVANCED
For experienced dogs and handlers working towards high-level performance, testing, or picking-up.
Your dog should:
• Be reliable in recall, steadiness, and delivery in high distraction environments
• Handle confidently at distance (left, right, back)
• Cope with multiple retrieves, memory retrieves, and complex scenarios
• Work in varied terrain (cover, water, woodland, etc.)
• Be steady around other dogs working
• (Spaniels) Hunt in a controlled, consistent pattern within range
• (Spaniels) Stop promptly to flush or whistle and remain steady
You might:
• Already be working your dog on shoots or aiming to
• Be entering or considering working tests
• Want to fine-tune performance and tackle more technical challenges
👉 This level is about precision, control, and real-world application
OUR GROUNDS
Set in 15 acres, the grounds feature a mix of grassland and cover crops (depending on the season), two ponds including one for dogs to swim in and a fenced-off wildlife pond, plus two woods. One wood is a lovely open bluebell wood with mature oak and beech trees. The other wood is more dense and therefore a perfect home for a variety of different wildlife. We have set out to aid in improving the dogs' confidence and challenging those that are ready. If you are a dog trainer and want to bring your own group of clients to train here please get in touch.
LOCAL THINGS TO DO
Completely Gundogs a great base from which to explore the borderlands of England and Wales, an area of pretty countryside and charming market towns.
Just 10 minutes down the road is Llanidloes (voted one of the most desirable places to live in Wales), a lovely small Welsh market town, with a friendly community. A very pretty old town with lots of unique shops and places to eat and drink. There are some lovely cafes, dog-friendly pubs, Chinese, Indian and fish and chip takeaways, a local Co-Op, butchers, greengrocers, and independent shops.
Newtown is 15 minutes away in the opposite direction. Set on the banks of the River Severn, this historic market town is famous for its arts and music with museums, art galleries and theatre. It offers a good selection of pubs, restaurants, supermarkets and shops.
Machynlleth, Rhayader and Builth Wells are all within driving distance too, as are Shrewsbury and Ludlow to the East.
Local attractions include Gregynog Hall and Powys Castle, plus there is access to steam train rides, canal boat trips, golf, clay pigeon shooting, simulated game shooting, driven game shooting (during the season), cycling, and horse riding.
Y - BEUDY (2 Bed Cottage)
Let's have a look at everything Y Beudy has to offer!
Sleeps 3 in bedrooms (1 double and 1 single) and a further 2 in the living room (double sofa-bed).
Well-equipped kitchen/diner
Washing machine facilities
A shower room
Large living room featuring TV and DVD player
Access to private grounds
Spacious parking area out front
£90 per night for double room
£85 PER NIGHT FOR SINGLE ROOM
£175 PER NIGHT FOR WHOLE COTTAGE
Penrhyllan (1 Bed Cottage)
Let's have a look at everything Penrhyllan has to offer!
Sleeps 2 in bedroom and a further 2 in the living room
Oak beams and vaulted ceiling
Well-equipped kitchen
Washing machine
A shower room
Large open-plan lounge/kitchen/diner
TV with streaming apps
Hard floors throughout the living areas
£139 per night
Yscubor (CONVERTED BARN)
Let's have a look at everything Yscubor has to offer!
A kitchenette with, sink, 2 x fridges, microwave, kettle, air fryer, hob and counter space. Crockery and glassware.
Desks, tables and chairs (arranged to suit your needs)
Two sofabeds, arm chair, sofa and coffee tables
A downstairs bathrooom
It is on the first floor and internal and external staircase leading up
Ample parking
Incredible views
£135 per night
CARAVAN
Let's have a look at everything our caravans have to offer!
Lower cost alternative to cottages!
Ample parking space
Included bathroom and small kitchen
Incredible views from your window
Backs on to our beautiful grounds
Can sleep 1-2 people.
£55 per night
KEY INFORMATION
Important note on shot: we often use starter pistols, bang boxes and dummy launchers on our holidays, particularly for the intermediate and advanced groups. As such, dogs attending the higher level holidays should be happy and confident with the sound of shot. While not essential, it is also preferable that dogs attending the novice level holidays have been introduced to shot at least once before attending.
If you have not introduced your dog to shot before, or if you know your dog is gun shy or nervous about the sound of shot, please mention this to me when you contact me to discuss if the holiday will be suitable.
WhAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY
When I got my first ever gundog three years ago, a working cocker, I really didn't know where to start. Luckily I decided to start my training with Collette and immediately felt at ease with her kind and patient ways. As Monty matured he presented me with challenges that made me want to give up at times, but with Collette's experience and help she saw me through it and helped me become a happy and confident handler. As time progressed Lou joined Collette's team as a trainer and nowadays I train with both and have the best of both worlds. I have become a regular attendee on the training holidays at Collette's stunning new location in Wales and always look forward to the trips with great excitement. I consider both Collette and Lou not just as great trainers but also as good friends and thanks to them I have managed to get Monty to a level where I can enjoy working him on pheasant shoots and take him out rough shooting which was always my dream. Thank you ladies, you’ve got a client for life here!
I have nothing but praise for Collette's teaching. My ESS is a sensitive soul and easily switches off. Using lots of force free techniques and suggestions from Collette we have made great progress in the last year. My dog is now engaged, happy and confident and if we carry on as we are, I am sure, thanks to Collette, Speckle will be a great asset in the shooting field next season.
I have been on several gundog courses run by Collette after going to a traditional gundog trainer who made me feel very useless. Collette has been unfailingly supportive and enthusiastic about my efforts and, despite having a sensitive and rather too keen dog, we have, under her guidance, made huge improvements. Without her careful, thoughtful and considered instruction I certainly would have given up. I thoroughly recommend her.
I discovered Collette when my working Lab was about two years old and I was looking for an activity that she would enjoy. We found so much more. Working with Collette and her team has shown me how to train my dog to a level I didn’t know was possible. Along the way, she’s become an even more delightful dog to live with, she’s happier because I’ve learnt how to use her working traits, our bond has deepened amazingly and I have a new obsession with training! Collette only trains using positive reinforcement / force free methods. As a qualified psychologist, I know the science behind learning backs this up. The team are completely open to learning from other training perspectives and encompass the wealth of skill and knowledge across the spectrum of training styles, often adapting ideas from across the gundog training world. You will find a warm welcome whatever your background. Training is structured around The Gundog Club grading scheme which gives nerds like me targets to aim for and many clients shoot with their dogs. Collette’s competing experiences are encouraging some of us to enter working tests. You’ve probably guessed I’m a fan by now! Highly recommended.
Collette and the team are simply fantastic. They give real insight into the dogs behaviour and teach simple, effective and lasting techniques to allow you to train your dog to the highest standard. I was amazed how quickly Duke, my 2 year old lab, responded and understood. The stress free methods meant he loved every step of his training and he now has merit passes at Grades 1 & 2. Thanks Collette 🐾👍🏻.
I have been training with Collette for nearly two years now and have found the support on offer to be second to none. She uses science-based, positive/ reward-based methods to teach everything from a reliable recall to steadiness, heel work and retrieving. Having come to Collette with a few 'issues', I was impressed with her incredible ability to come up with lots of different ways to train a skill. She is also an incredibly patient teacher! This has meant that even when we were struggling with the stop whistle, heel work or delivery, Collette has always helped us to find a solution. The online teaching capabilities and monthly membership mean that even though I am based in Kent, we can still train, albeit virtually, with Collette and other Completely Gundogs members on a weekly basis.
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