The Field

When to beat the retreat

THE trouble with gundogs, so the lament goes, is that no sooner have they become accomplished workers than they’re coming up for retirement. That is, of course, an exaggeration but not many dogs start working reliably until they are at least two, and by the age of 10 most will be approaching retirement. Some work until they are 12, but few continue into their teens.

Surprisingly, little has been written about gundog retirement; it’s not an exciting subject like puppy training. It is, however, a topic that has

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