Foundation GAP Level 2 Evening Classes (All breeds)

Build on your dog’s foundation skills, develop your connection and enjoy progressing your training together. These evening classes will help you work towards Gundog Assessment Programme (GAP) Level 2, strengthening your dog’s skills in off-lead heelwork, retrieving, hunting and responding to cues at a distance.

You’ll still benefit from the course if you don’t want to take GAP assessments. The framework simply provides a clear way to structure your training and build your dog’s skills step by step.

Our Foundation Gundog Level 2 evening classes, led by Leanne, are suitable for…

• All breeds of dog, including crossbreeds, that have a desire for retrieving and hunting and are aged 6 months and over.
• Dogs and handlers who have established foundation skills and are ready to build on them.
• Those looking to work towards GAP Level 2, whether or not they choose to take an assessment.
• Those looking to eventually work their gundog on a shoot, whether beating or picking up.
• Pet gundog owners who want to train for fun and give their dogs a rewarding outlet for their natural instincts.
• Owners who would like to build the connection and skills that help their dogs enjoy more freedom safely in the countryside.

Our Foundation Gundog Level 2 evening classes are held weekly.

Our classes will be held on Wednesday or Thursday evenings from 6pm to 8pm (see dates above). The course is made up of six classes, with an optional GAP Level 2 assessment at the end.

Each week, the tasks will build on the previous session. To get the most from the course, you will need to attend all classes and practise between sessions. The March class will be held in the barn and group numbers are limited to six dogs and handlers. The June class will be held outside and group numbers are limited to 10 dogs and handlers.

The Foundation GAP Level 2 evening classes will work towards the Gundog Assessment Programme Level 2 which includes…

• Heelwork off lead. Working towards a 30m route around three marker posts arranged in a triangle.
• Sit or wait. Building your dog’s ability to remain in position while you walk away to place a dummy approximately 30m away.
• Memory retrieve. Teaching your dog to return to the remembered location and retrieve the dummy.
• Stop whistle. Developing your dog’s response to the stop whistle after travelling at least 5m.
• Right or left cast. Teaching your dog to take a directional cue from the stopped position towards a dummy placed to the right or left.
• Double marked retrieve. Working towards retrieving two dummies thrown in opposite directions, collecting the second first while remembering the location of the first.
• Retrieving and steadiness. Combining heelwork with watching a dummy being thrown and remaining steady while you return to the starting point.
• Back cast retrieve. Developing your dog’s response to a back cast towards a placed dummy.
• Hunting. Building hunting or searching skills in light cover, suited to your dog’s breed.
• Whistle recall from hunting. Developing a prompt response to the recall whistle while your dog is working in the hunting area.

As your skills develop, we will work towards linking exercises together in the combinations used for the assessment.

Throughout the course, we will focus on clear communication, rewarding the behaviours you want and helping your dog learn to manage excitement.

Every partnership progresses at its own pace. The course will help you prepare for GAP Level 2, with the optional assessment providing an opportunity to demonstrate your skills when you and your dog are ready.