A dog for inland fowling

I have never owned a gundog and have always shot with friends who have dogs; however, I have now joined a local club with lots of shooting for ducks on the inland washes. I have been out a couple of times on my own and cannot always find the ducks I shoot. I must have a dog and need advice on the best breed and colour of dog to get, and what I should expect to pay.

Inland wildfowling can be just as rigorous for a gundog as shooting is on the foreshore. Many of the tidal rivers have energy-sapping mud along their banks and a dog that is strong enough to cope with this is essential.

I would recommend one of the retriever breeds from good working or wildfowling stock — the most popular and more readily available retriever is the Labrador and its short, dense, waterproof coat makes it ideal for this type of work. The price may vary considerably depending on the background of the puppy. While many come much cheaper if unregistered or perhaps mixed breed, I would always advise buying from recognised pedigree working stock. A well-bred puppy that is Kennel Club registered and whose parents have been fully health tested through the Kennel Club/british Veterinary Association schemes would be my choice. Though cost should not be the deciding factor, you should expect to pay from £600 to £1,000 for such a puppy.

Coat colour has no bearing on a dog’s ability to do the job; however, darker shades will be less visible on a bright moonlit night. Visibility should not be too much of a problem if you both are well-concealed in a hide and you could get your dog a suitable camouflage coat to wear. PR

The extent to which a dog is visible to birds depends on its colour — a camo coat can help