LIVE online WEBINAR
Is Your Gundog Really
Being Disobedient?
Presented by Collette May, founder of Completely Gundogs, with over 15 years of professional experience working with dogs and over a decade specialising in gundog training.
Your dog ignores the whistle, runs around with the dummy, or wanders off when you’re trying to train.
It’s easy to assume they’re being disobedient.
But what if there’s more going on?
In this live webinar, we’ll explore what might actually be driving these behaviours, how your dog’s emotions influence their responses, and how understanding them can help you make kinder, fairer and more effective training decisions.
Wednesday 18 November 2026 · 7pm ·UK Time · Live on Zoom · Recording included
UNDERSTANDING THE GUNDOG MIND
Is it Really disobedience?
The behaviour we see is only part of the story.
A dog that ignores the whistle, runs around with a dummy or loses focus isn’t necessarily choosing to disobey.
Excitement, uncertainty, frustration or a lack of understanding can all influence how a dog responds.
When we begin to recognise what’s happening beneath the behaviour, we can make better training decisions for both ourselves and our dogs.
Before we decide how to respond to a behaviour, we need to understand what might be driving it.
What You See vs. What Is Actually Happening
Ignoring the Whistle
Could your dog be highly distracted, over-aroused, uncertain — or does the whistle simply not have enough meaning in this environment yet?.
Running Around With the Dummy
Could excitement, uncertainty, or simply wanting to keep hold of the retrieve be influencing the behaviour?
Wandering Off or Losing Focus
Rather than assuming your dog is choosing not to work with you, what might they be finding more motivating in that moment?
what we will explore
Look Beyond the Behaviour
Learn how to look beyond what your dog is doing, explore what might be driving it,
and decide what to do next..
01 / THE WHY
Look Beyond the Behaviour
Start by asking why. Learn to consider what might be influencing the behaviour you see, including excitement, uncertainty, distraction, motivation and understanding.
02 / THE clues
Read What Your Dog is Telling You
Explore body language, context and what happened before the behaviour to help you piece together what may actually be going on.
03 / what next?
Choose Your Response
Use what you’ve discovered to decide what your dog needs next , whether that’s clearer training, a change in environment, different motivation or simply a different response from you.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Become a Behaviour Detective
Instead of jumping straight to fixing a problem, you’ll learn how to gather information, look for clues and ask what might be driving the behaviour before deciding how to respond.
Motivation Matters
What is your dog getting from the behaviour? Explore how motivation and reinforcement can help explain why one choice is more appealing than another.
Read the Whole Picture
Learn to consider body language, the environment, what happened immediately beforehand and other clues that can change how we interpret a behaviour.
When Training Isn’t the Whole Answer
Explore how arousal, uncertainty, fear, pain and other factors can affect behaviour, and why simply asking for more obedience may not solve the problem.
Meet Collette May
Founder of Completely Gundogs & Creator of The Gundog Mind
I began working professionally with dogs in 2011, initially through my business Lead and Listen in Surrey, where I went on to specialise in gundog training.
When I moved to Mid Wales in 2020, I established Completely Gundogs, bringing together my experience and passion for helping handlers understand their dogs and develop a better relationship with them.
The Gundog Mind is the next step in that journey, exploring the emotions and motivations behind behaviour so we can make training decisions that are kinder, fairer and more effective.
I’m looking forward to sharing this approach with you in my first Gundog Mind webinar.
LIve webinar online
Join Me Live
Wednesday 18 November at 7pm
Join me live on Zoom as we look beyond ‘disobedience’ and explore what might really be driving your dog’s behaviour, and how that changes what you do next.
Can’t make it live? The recording is included.
Understand what might be driving the behaviour you’re seeing
Learn how to read the clues your dog is giving you
Explore real gundog behaviour examples
Come away with a clearer idea of what to do next
live webinar + Recording
Book Your Place
Enter your details below to book your place. You’ll receive confirmation by email, with your Zoom joining details sent before the webinar.
£25 • Live webinar + recording included
Helping gundog handlers look beyond behaviour to understand what might really be driving it.
Support & Community
Questions regarding access or attendance?
info@completelygundogs.co.uk
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