Found It, Fetched It - Your Fortnightly Dose of Gundog Wisdom from the LWDG

Fear periods are a normal part of puppy and adolescent development, but most handlers go into them underprepared. They know the phrase but not the timing, the signs, or the right response. In this episode, Jo Perrott and LWDG Group Expert Claire Denyer break down both fear periods in practical terms: what they look like, when they happen, and how to work through them without making the dog's experience worse. Claire covers the difference between healthy exposure and flooding, the role of eustress in building resilience, and how the training a dog already has becomes an asset in the second fear period in a way it simply wasn't in the first.

In this episode
Why fear periods happen and what makes them vary so much from dog to dog
The first fear period: why it lands exactly when you bring your puppy home and what to do about it
The difference between exposure and socialisation, and why pushing puppies into group play during a fear period creates problems rather than solving them
The second fear period: when to expect it, why it blindsides confident dogs, and how hormonal shifts layer on top of it
What "go back to basics" actually means in practice, not just as a phrase
How to use eustress to build resilience without flooding your dog

Thanks for being here. If this episode gave you something, a laugh, a lightbulb, or just the feeling that someone gets it, that's exactly why we make it.
💬 Got something to say? A question, a story, a dog that's just done something unhinged? Come and find us on socials or over at the website. We genuinely want to hear from you.
📚 Not sure where to start with your training? Grab the LWDG Gundog Progress Gap Map. It'll tell you exactly where you are and what to work on next. No guessing.
🎓 Ready to go further? The LWDG Society is where the real work happens. Expert-led courses, a community of women who actually get it, and training that makes sense for the dog in front of you.
📱 Come and find us:Website: ladiesworkingdoggroup.com Facebook: Ladies Working Dog Group Instagram: @ladiesworkingdogs
✨ Every session. Every stumble. Every breakthrough. It all counts. You're not just training a dog. You're building something. Keep going. We see you. 💛

10 years. Thousands of conversations. One truth: you're not alone in all of this. Jo walks through the 10 lessons from a decade of watching what actually works with working dogs. Why your dog isn't difficult, just a gundog. Why more walks make them fitter, not calmer. Why consistency isn't about being strict. Why the dog you have right now is already the one you wanted. This episode is for anyone who's felt stuck, ashamed, or like they're the only one getting it wrong.

Thanks for being here. If this episode gave you something, a laugh, a lightbulb, or just the feeling that someone gets it, that's exactly why we make it.
💬 Got something to say? A question, a story, a dog that's just done something unhinged? Come and find us on socials or over at the website. We genuinely want to hear from you.
📚 Not sure where to start with your training? Grab the LWDG Gundog Progress Gap Map. It'll tell you exactly where you are and what to work on next. No guessing.
🎓 Ready to go further? The LWDG Society is where the real work happens. Expert-led courses, a community of women who actually get it, and training that makes sense for the dog in front of you.
📱 Come and find us:Website: ladiesworkingdoggroup.com Facebook: Ladies Working Dog Group Instagram: @ladiesworkingdogs
✨ Every session. Every stumble. Every breakthrough. It all counts. You're not just training a dog. You're building something. Keep going. We see you. 💛

Knowing when to stop isn't giving up. It's one of the most important skills you can build as a handler, and this week Claire and I are getting into exactly that.

There's a real difference between pushing a dog and protecting a dog, and the line between them isn't always obvious. Claire talks about stretching a dog's ability, that productive discomfort where a dog is learning something new, might wobble a bit, might show a flash of an old behaviour you thought you'd cracked months ago. That's not regression. That's growth. It can look messy. It's supposed to.

But there's another side of that line, and that's where things go wrong.

What we cover in this episode

The difference between a stretched dog and an overwhelmed one and why the symptoms can look identical if you're not watching closely. The dog isn't being naughty. It's telling you something.

Physical fatigue vs. mental fatigue and why mental tiredness is the sneaky one. A physically tired dog slows down. A mentally tired dog starts chewing grass, showboating with the dummy, going off for a random sniff. It looks like misbehaviour. It's actually a dog running on empty upstairs.

The bored dog trap because if you never stretch your dog and just keep repeating the same comfortable routine, you'll get behaviours creeping back in too. A bored working dog will find its own entertainment. It won't be the entertainment you wanted.

External pressure and where it actually comes from the other handlers, the gamekeeper's nod, the dog two fields over who's been doing this since it was eight weeks old. Claire is straight-talking on this: comparison is not a training plan.

Why working dogs will push through pain to do the job and why that means we have to be the ones to make the call. If you're waiting for your spaniel to tap out, you'll be waiting a long time.

The warmup read Claire's practical tip for gauging your dog before you even start. Know what your dog looks like at their best, and you'll know when something's off.

Finishing on a high not just as a nice idea, but as a training habit. The challenge this week is to finish one session earlier than you think you need to. Just once. See what happens.
Claire also shares the story of Indy and Rose, two completely different dogs in terms of mental stamina, self-regulation, and what 'enough' looks like for each of them. There is no universal rulebook. There is only your dog, in front of you, today. And Claire is recording this just two and a half weeks post knee surgery. Still showing up, still delivering. She's very much one of us.

Your challenge this week
Finish one session earlier than you think you need to. Notice how your dog walks away from it. Notice how you walk away from it.

Every session, every stumble, every breakthrough, it all counts. Keep going. We see you.

Thanks for being here. If this episode gave you something, a laugh, a lightbulb, or just the feeling that someone gets it, that's exactly why we make it.
💬 Got something to say? A question, a story, a dog that's just done something unhinged? Come and find us on socials or over at the website. We genuinely want to hear from you.
📚 Not sure where to start with your training? Grab the LWDG Gundog Progress Gap Map. It'll tell you exactly where you are and what to work on next. No guessing.
🎓 Ready to go further? The LWDG Society is where the real work happens. Expert-led courses, a community of women who actually get it, and training that makes sense for the dog in front of you.
📱 Come and find us:Website: ladiesworkingdoggroup.com Facebook: Ladies Working Dog Group Instagram: @ladiesworkingdogs
✨ Every session. Every stumble. Every breakthrough. It all counts. You're not just training a dog. You're building something. Keep going. We see you. 💛

What if your dog didn’t have to stay home? What if the van, the open road, and your best mate could all go together — across the UK, across Europe, all the way to Croatia? This week I had the loveliest chat with Karen Shepherd, one of our brilliant Society members, who has been taking her Springer Spaniel McCoy all over Europe in her motor home. And I mean all over... Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia. The dog has a better travel record than most people I know. Now you might know that Ali the campervan and I are very much looking forward to taking Arthur on our own adventures — once we’ve accepted that he has grown to the size of a small Shetland pony. So this conversation was, frankly, research. And it did not disappoint.

In this episode we cover
What campervan life with a gundog is really like — not the Instagram version, but the actual chaos and the joy of it. Why crate training was the single most important thing Karen did before their first trip.
The honest truth about Brexit and what it means for anyone wanting to take their dog into Europe, including the animal health certificate versus getting a European pet passport — and why Karen got McCoy his passport in Bruges.
The countries that are brilliant for dogs, the ones where you need a muzzle, and why Germany might just be the most dog-friendly place on earth.
How to help your dog settle in a new environment every single night.
What Karen wishes she’d known from the start. And the musical road in Hungary that is now firmly on my bucket list.

The bit that stopped me in my tracks
Karen said something that I keep coming back to. She talked about how all the different environments, the new smells, the new places, the constant low-level stimulation of life on the road, it all adds up to a dog that retires happy. Not a dog that’s been physically hammered into the ground, but a dog whose brain has been properly used. A dog that has genuinely lived his day.Sound familiar? That’s the Two Minds truth right there, just lived out on a campsite in Croatia.

Useful links

Animal Health Certificate (AHC) — GOV.UK guide to getting an AHC — required every time you leave the UK for Europe. Valid for 10 days from issue. Up to five pets can travel on one certificate.
Taking your pet abroad (overview) — GOV.UK full pet travel guidance — the main hub for all UK pet travel rules, updated regularly.
European Pet Passport — EU pet passport explained (PetAbroad) — once your dog has one, you no longer need a new AHC each trip. Must be issued by a European vet. McCoy’s was issued in Bruges.
AHC explained in plain English — PassPets guide to Animal Health Certificates — a clear breakdown of the whole process, costs and what to prepare.
Channel Tunnel with your dog — Eurotunnel LeShuttle pet travel page — the easiest crossing option as you stay in your vehicle throughout. 35 minutes, Folkestone to Calais.
Tapeworm and country-specific rules — EU pet travel rules by country (Europa.eu) — muzzle laws, tapeworm requirements, and what differs country by country.
Finding dog-friendly campsites across Europe — ACSI Campsites Europe app — the app Karen and many of our members use. Filter by dog-friendly, motorhome pitches, facilities. Available on iOS and Android.

Karen’s top three things to have in place before your first trip
A dog that travels well and is comfortable in a crate.
A long line and a whistle — never leave home without them.
Your paperwork sorted well in advance — the AHC requires a vet appointment, which means you need to know your travel dates ahead of time.
If this has got you dreaming, good. That’s exactly what it’s supposed to do.

We’d love to hear where you’ve taken your dog, or where you’re planning to go. Drop us a comment, come and share it in the community, and if you’ve enjoyed this episode please do leave us a review — it genuinely helps more women find us. See you in two weeks.
Jo x

Thanks for being here. If this episode gave you something, a laugh, a lightbulb, or just the feeling that someone gets it, that's exactly why we make it.
💬 Got something to say? A question, a story, a dog that's just done something unhinged? Come and find us on socials or over at the website. We genuinely want to hear from you.
📚 Not sure where to start with your training? Grab the LWDG Gundog Progress Gap Map. It'll tell you exactly where you are and what to work on next. No guessing.
🎓 Ready to go further? The LWDG Society is where the real work happens. Expert-led courses, a community of women who actually get it, and training that makes sense for the dog in front of you.
📱 Come and find us:Website: ladiesworkingdoggroup.com Facebook: Ladies Working Dog Group Instagram: @ladiesworkingdogs
✨ Every session. Every stumble. Every breakthrough. It all counts. You're not just training a dog. You're building something. Keep going. We see you. 💛

Does your heart sink every time a bird flushes, a squirrel darts across the path, or a dog bolts past on the beach? You're not alone. And you're definitely not ruining your dog.
This week Joanne is joined by LWDG group expert Claire Denyer to tackle one of the biggest myths that keeps working dog owners stuck: that being around wildlife makes a high-drive dog harder to handle. It's actually the opposite.

What you'll hear in this episode:
Why "my dog would be amazing, he chases everything" is the wrong way around and what gundog training really asks for
How seagulls, swans, and deer can become your most powerful free training tool, even if you never go near a shoot
Why avoiding difficult environments doesn't build confidence. It shrinks your dog's world and makes the problem worse
The real reason high-drive dogs chase bikes, cars, and cats, and what to do about it
Why a solid leave is the foundation of a dog you can take anywhere
Claire's honest account of working through her own dog Genie's fear and reactivity, because even professional trainers have those walks

If you've been holding back from taking your dog somewhere because you don't trust what might happen, this episode will give you the framework to get back out there.

The one thing to take away: Country walks, bird flushes, unexpected wildlife moments are not training setbacks. They are real life opportunities to show your dog that excitement and partnership can exist at the same time.

Know someone who's convinced they're ruining their dog just by going on normal walks? Send them this one.

Thanks for being here. If this episode gave you something, a laugh, a lightbulb, or just the feeling that someone gets it, that's exactly why we make it.
💬 Got something to say? A question, a story, a dog that's just done something unhinged? Come and find us on socials or over at the website. We genuinely want to hear from you.
📚 Not sure where to start with your training? Grab the LWDG Gundog Progress Gap Map. It'll tell you exactly where you are and what to work on next. No guessing.
🎓 Ready to go further? The LWDG Society is where the real work happens. Expert-led courses, a community of women who actually get it, and training that makes sense for the dog in front of you.
📱 Come and find us:Website: ladiesworkingdoggroup.com Facebook: Ladies Working Dog Group Instagram: @ladiesworkingdogs
✨ Every session. Every stumble. Every breakthrough. It all counts. You're not just training a dog. You're building something. Keep going. We see you. 💛