Because what changes your dog’s behaviour long term isn’t what happens in class. It’s what you do consistently at home.
We focus on teaching you how to train your dog so you can apply it at home, building reliability where it matters most. That’s what turns training into dependable behaviour you can rely on in real life, not just in a class setting.
We give you a clear structure, show you what to practise and when, and support you as you build the habits that make the difference.
This means no random exercises that don’t make sense, and more progress from results you can actually see.
We only use modern, reward-based training methods that build reliability without fear, intimidation, or force.
Some traditional gundog training approaches rely on punishment and pressure. Research has shown these methods can increase stress and contribute to behavioural fallout, including fear and aggression.
We set you and your dog up to succeed so you can reinforce the right behaviour which means it is scientifically proven to be more likely to happen again. In practice, that means we lean into what gundogs are bred to love, like hunting, retrieving, play and food, and we use those rewards to build calm, consistent responses.
At Acer, every exercise, class and course sits within one structured pathway. The Foundations to Field Framework takes dogs from early foundational sessions through to advanced gundog skills, with each stage building deliberately on the one before it.
Developed by Mark Taylor, founder of Acer Gundog Training, and refined over more than 10 years working with over 10,000 gundogs from both pet and working homes around the world, this is not a collection of random drills but a joined-up system that produces real behavioural change.
You may hear this approach referred to as “positive reinforcement”, which in simple terms means that behaviour which gets rewarded is more likely to be repeated.
The trick is choosing rewards that genuinely matter to your dog and using them at the right time.
Primary resource for survival
Breed instincts
Working together in partnership
Our training is not for all breeds. It was built specifically around the natural instincts and drives that gundogs are bred for. When we use hunting and retrieving as rewards, training stops feeling like a chore and becomes work your dog genuinely enjoys.
Working dogs need a job. Work is what they were bred for, whether they live as family pets or work in the field; their natural instincts are the same. When you give them a job with purpose and direction, they truly engage.
Most importantly, it’s work they choose to do in partnership with you. Because if you don’t give a working dog a job, they’ll happily become self-employed and find one of their own.
Yes, absolutely. Most of the dogs who train with us are first and foremost family pets.
Some go on to become brilliant working dogs in the field or in competition. Others are simply well-mannered companions who are easy to live with and a pleasure to take out for enjoyable, stress-free walks.
The common thread is the same: structure, consistency, and training that makes good use of your dog’s natural instincts.
Practical teaching, ethical methods, and real-world gundog training experience.
Every member of the Training Team has trained their own dogs to an advanced level using the Acer Foundations to Field Framework.
Operations Manager
Alex is our Operations Manager and the voice many of our clients speak to first. She handles new enquiries and bookings, and coordinates all the sessions behind the scenes so everything runs to plan meaning your journey with Acer starts smoothly and stays on track.
Whether you’re beginning with a puppy or rebuilding foundations with an older dog, our structured courses show you exactly what to train, when to train it, and how to make it stick.
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