We are delighted to announce the launch of The Field Top Dog Awards, in association with Skinner's dog food The Field is delighted to announce the launch of the Top Dog Awards 2024, held in association with Skinner’s. The Awards are set out to search for not only the best gundog (and non-gundog breeds) who can retrieve with excellence or show promise in the field but for our other canine companions too. From the terrier to the precocious puppy, dedicated assistance dogs to courageous service dogs, The Field’s Top Dog Awards are open to all canine creeds. There are 10 categories to enter, whic ..read more

Writer and broadcast journalist Clare Balding shares her love of dogs and horses, her passion for the sport and her thoughts and hopes for the future of the British countryside Clare Balding photographed by Millie Pilkington “I’m very keen on Portuguese water dogs, Boxers of course. Oh, and I love lurchers and whippets. And the Hungarian pumi is a rather fabulous herding dog but rare in this country.” One senses Clare Balding’s list of favourite dog breeds is long. “Every dog I meet is my favourite,” she concedes. “The other day I was hugging a chihuahua. It was like having a hot-water bottle ..read more

Janet Menzies sets the rules in stone Follow these commandments of dog training every day and you will have a better dog. 1. The first commandment of dog training – be masterful Never, ever repeat a command if you are sure the dog understood it the first time.  Exmoor labrador lady, Jan Brown, has captained pickers-up on record breaking pheasant days, and also co-ordinates the Labrador Rescue Trust’s activities in the region, so she has experienced the best and the worst of the dog/handler relationship. She stresses: “If a dog disobeys a command it has been taught, then you must take act ..read more

If you'd like to treat your loyal, four-legged friend to something that will really set the tail wagging, look no further than The Field's guide to the best presents for dogs OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Whether your dog is a working lab or working lap, spoiling them with something new is always fun. Our guide to the best presents for dogs offers a selection of canine accessories sure to set tails wagging. Be sure to check out our other round-ups, including the best beds for working dogs, essential gundog products and the best dog travel accessories. Best Presents For Dogs FORTNUM & MASON WICKER ..read more

Whether you've a long day in the field planned or simply a short trip in a car, we round up the best dog travel accessories for four-legged friends on the go First and foremost we want our dogs to be safe and comfortable when they are out and about. Here, we round up the best travel accessories for your dog but be sure to also take a look at our other invaluable guides, including the best beds for working dogs, essential gundog products and our round-ups of the best shooting coats, best shooting caps and the best gumboots. The Best Dog Travel Accessories Dog Box Car Cages From £400 A huge se ..read more

The spaniel breeds come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which have successfully carved out their own special niche in British sport, says James Darley There is something peculiar about enthusiasts of the spaniel breeds; peculiar as in distinctive, that is. Once bitten by a spaniel, figuratively speaking, we are unlikely to be satisfied by working a labrador. We like to live a little more intensely, enjoying the adrenaline high of a gundog that is a special combination of attentiveness and affection, almost puppy-like in appearance with a soft coat, domed head and liquid eyes, and a f ..read more

Whether you've a long day in the field planned or simply a short trip in a car, we round up the best dog travel accessories for four-legged friends on the go First and foremost we want our dogs to be safe and comfortable when they are out and about. Here, we round up the best travel accessories for your dog but be sure to also take a look at our other invaluable guides, including the best beds for working dogs, essential gundog products and our round-ups of the best shooting coats, best shooting caps and the best gumboots. The Best Dog Travel Accessories Dog Box Car Cages From £400 A huge se ..read more

With gundog owners facing a seemingly endless array of ‘must-have’ gear, David Tomlinson draws on years of hands-on experience to select his essential gundog products As your pup gets stronger and bolder, start introducing little retrieving games. Last month, I was walking by a local fishing lake when I was amused to see a carp fisherman struggling to wheel his equipment along the path. I was tempted to ask him whether he really needed so much kit but he was clearly keen to get fishing, so I didn’t delay him. Modern carp fishermen need (or think that they need) an awful lot of gear to catch a ..read more

For wild greys and redlegs, you need a worker that’s keen, thorough and won’t mind the brambles. So which is the best gundog for partridges? Alec Marsh finds out Get your gundog assessed at the training clinic. To find out how to choose the best gundog for partridges, Alec Marsh asks the experts which breeds they rate, from spaniels to labradors. Take a look at our in-depth advice on how to buy dogs from a reputable seller and expert advice on how to keep your dog safe from dog thieves. Are you a fox-red labrador fan? Once shunned in favour of the ubiquitous black, they are now becoming increa ..read more

Graceful, intelligent and with incredible sporting instinct, the English setter is the perfect field companion in the age of sustainablility ‘Of all sporting dogs perhaps there are none more generally useful, beautiful and sagacious than the setter.’ So wrote Edward Laverack, who was instrumental in the development of the modern English setter, in 1872. ‘They are possessed of all the necessary requisites for general utility, viz, great speed, nose, staunchness, method of range, and finding, and, without any exception, one of the most enduring breed of setters I have ever come across.’ English ..read more