About Us
About Us
The Guild of Gundogs was founded by us, Gemma and Nikki, after years of working with dogs, owners and handlers and repeatedly coming back to the same conversations.
We both wanted to see a clearer route through gundog training.
Too often, people would learn individual exercises without really knowing how those skills fitted together, what should come next or how to judge whether their dog was ready to progress. We also saw owners who wanted to fulfil their gundog properly but did not necessarily want to work or compete, and trainers who wanted to offer gundog training without feeling they had to choose between kind methods and meaningful standards.
That became the starting point for the Guild.
We wanted to create a structured pathway that gave people something clear to work towards while still recognising that dogs are individuals. A pathway where foundations matter, progress is earned rather than rushed and handlers understand why they are doing something rather than simply being told what to do. We also wanted the Guild to be somewhere people felt comfortable learning. Owners should be able to ask questions without feeling judged. Trainers should have clear guidance and standards to work towards. Dogs should be trained with kindness, fairness and respect.
We knew there had to be room for both.
Between us, we bring experience of training pet dogs, working gundogs, behaviour, shooting, working tests and teaching owners with very different goals and levels of experience. But the thing we kept agreeing on was simple. Good gundog training should make sense to the dog and to the handler.
The Guild brings those things together.
Clear progression. Meaningful standards. Kind training. And a shared belief that the best results come when dog and handler learn to work as a team.
The standard we hold
We are clear about what good looks like. Progression is based on understanding, not on ticking off exercises. Trainers must be able to give clear, fair and useful feedback. Owners should feel supported, not stupid. Dogs should feel safe enough to learn.
The aim is not to rush dogs through the grades. The aim is to build strong dog-and-handler teams.
About Gemma
I’m Gemma, founder of AC Gundogs and co founder of the Guild of Gundogs.
Dogs have always been a huge part of my life. I grew up around shooting and working dogs, and over the years that developed into a real interest in not just training gundogs, but understanding how they learn, why things sometimes go wrong and how we can become better handlers for them.
I have more than 15 years of experience working with dogs and have trained and worked my own gundogs as well as helping hundreds of owners, from people starting out with their first puppy through to experienced handlers preparing dogs for the shooting field and working tests.
My training is based around kindness, clarity and giving dogs a fair chance to understand what we are asking of them. I want dogs to enjoy working with us, but I also believe they need clear expectations and boundaries. For me, those two things belong together.
I particularly enjoy helping owners understand the dog in front of them. Every dog is different, and every handler learns differently too. My job is not simply to show you an exercise. I want you to understand why you are doing it, what your dog is learning and how to adapt when things do not quite go to plan.
That is probably the part of training I love most. Seeing the moment when something clicks for both the dog and the person at the other end of the lead.
About Nikki
Dogs have been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and for more than 30 years I have been lucky enough to work with them in a variety of ways, from grooming, walking, boarding and day care through to training and behaviour.
I run my own dog training business, Pawsome Partners, in Southampton, Hampshire. I am an accredited IMDT dog trainer and hold a Level 5 qualification in canine behaviour with the IMDTB.
I chose to study behaviour because I wanted to understand more than simply how to teach an exercise. I wanted to understand why dogs behave as they do, how their emotions affect their responses and what we can change to help them feel more confident and make better choices.
That understanding shapes the way I teach. I believe the best relationships are built on trust, respect and clear communication. Every dog is different, and so is every person. I love helping owners make sense of what is happening, explaining things in a clear and simple way, and finding the approach that helps things click for both dog and owner. Most of all, I want people to feel comfortable asking questions and never leave a session feeling judged or as though they have failed.
My love of gundog training began after I went on a gundog training holiday with my Weimaraner and completely fell in love with it. From that point on, I wanted to learn everything I could. What started as a new interest quickly became a real passion and has, if I am honest, taken over my life.
I share my home and sofa with a Weimaraner, a Dalmatian, two Labradors and a working Cocker Spaniel. I also pick up regularly on local shoots and am developing my own dogs for working tests.
Where to start
You do not need to arrive knowing all the answers. What matters is that you are willing to look at the dog in front of you, learn, practise, and take the next step.
Start where you are. We will help you find it.