SPECIALISTS PET GUNDOG TRAINING & BEHAVIOUR
-WEST YORKSHIRE & ONLINE
you love your dog, but blimey, they're a lot.
We work with pet gundog owners who are doing their best but feel overwhelmed. Through behaviour-led coaching, we help you go from stressed and unsure to confident, in control, and proud of your dog.
100 + FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
WEST YORKSHIRE & ONLINE - UK, USA & CANADA
GUNDOG SPECIALISTS
SOUND FAMILIAR?
does walking your gundog feel like a battle?
reactivity
recall
lead pulling
settling
Barking and lunging at other dogs, people, or wildlife on walks, making every outing feel like damage control.
Ignoring their recall the moment a scent or bird catches their attention. Recall that works... until it doesn't
Dragging you down the street, pulled shoulders, and walks that leave you more exhausted than your dog.
Pacing, whining, and unable to settle at home or out in public, no matter how much exercise they get. Always on. Never calm.
Pet gundogs are instinct-led, sensitive, and bred for a job. When that job isn't being fulfilled, it shows up as the behaviours that are making your life harder. The answer isn't stricter discipline or more obedience, but truly understanding what your dog was built to do and working with that
INTRODUCING
calm by nature.
our 6o-day behaviour-led programme for pet gundog owners.
Calm by Nature is a structured, step-by-step programme built specifically for owners of gundog breeds with strong instincts. Whether you join us in person in West Yorkshire or work with us online from anywhere in the UK, USA & Canada, the programme is the same, behaviour-first, breed-aware, and built around your dog's instincts, not against them.
Foundation & engagement
Reactivity & impulse Control
Loose lead walking
Settling & fulfilment
Recall training
Full 60-day support
REAL OWNERS. REAL RESULTS
hear from owners who got their gundog under control.
charlotte & mable
FROM BOLTING AND UNCONTROLLABLE TO RECALLED AND FREE
colleen & pearl
FROM UNABLE TO SETTLE AND EXHAUSTING TO LIVE WITH, TO CALM, OFF-LEAD AND THRIVING
steve & marley
FROM OVERSTIMULATED, NO RECALL AND UNMANAGEABLE, TO CALM, FOCUSED AND FULFILLED
"in 3 weeks, nick helped me get mable off the lead and her recall is so much more reliable. another dog owner even commented on how well-behaved she is. sometimes i just have to pinch myself that this is no longer just a dream."
"the change in pearl during the first week was remarkable. we are now enjoying off-leash walks in parks, at the beach, in forests and across grasslands without the struggle we had before. people now comment on how well behaved she is,"
"fast forward 60 days and marley is a completely different dog, happy, focused and fulfilled. he walks beautifully on a loose lead, and his recall is something that makes me wish everybody was watching. i only wish we'd started sooner."
CHARLOTTE - SHEFFIELD
COLLEEN - CALIFORNIA
STEVE - LEEDS
FIVE-STAR GOOGLE REVIEWS
IN-PERSON & WORLD-WIDE
100 +
60
DAY STRUCTURED PROGRAMME
uk & online
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PROGRAMME
hi, we're nick & yas.
our 6o-day behaviour-led programme for pet gundog owners.
Bear basics started with a Springer called Seldon. Like a lot of first-
time owners, Nick got a working breed, thinking it'd be fun, but the reality hit hard. Seidon was intense, reactive and every walk felt like a battle. It all changed when we stopped trying to fix him and started trying to understand him. That journey is what shaped Bear Basics, and it's what drives everything we do.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR DOG
what's a pet gundog?
spaniels
Bred to hunt and flush game from cover. High energy, nose-driven, and wired to keep going long after you've had enough. They need mental stimulation as much as physical exercise.
A pet gundog is exactly what it sounds like - a working gundog breed living the pet life. These dogs were bred for hunting, retrieving, problem solving, with instincts and energy levels that come straight from generations of fieldwork.
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Even if your dog's not out in the countryside competing in trials or on a shoot, they still carry those natural drives deep down. They need more than just the usual "sit, stay, good boy,", quick run around a field or puzzle toy. They need outlets for their energy and minds, and training that gets what makes them tick.
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Ignore those instincts, and you'll probably end up with behaviours that drive you mad, pulling on the lead, chasing wildlife, selective hearing, barking, or just constant restlessness. At Bear Basics, we specialise in helping you understand and work with those instincts, so your gundog isn't just a pet, they're a happy, fulfilled partner in your life.
retrievers
Bred to mark. remember. and retrieve. Sensitive, people-focused, and prone to anxiety when their drive has no outlet. The "easy breed" myth catches a lot of owners off guard.
hpr's (hunt, point, retrieve)
Vizslas, Weimaraners, German Shorthaired Pointers, etc. Independent thinkers with enormous stamina. They need a job, structure, and an owner who understands their drive.
pointers & setters
Built to cover ground, hunt, and work with people. Sensitive, intelligent, and prone to frustration when their instincts have no outlet. Their calm appearance often fools owners into thinking they're an "easy breed".
