Could any Gundog people here please confirm which side a dog is required to work.  Is it on the left like Obedience or right - or perhaps it can be either.

I would appreciate your comments.  Thank you

For normal shooting of game the dog is on the left hand side so that the gun is carried in the right.

If you are hawking then the dog will be on your right.

It is no where as regimented as in obedience. It is accepted that most people would require the dog on the opposite side to the gun so most left handed people will work the dog on the right.

In actual fact, whilst the KC obedience regulations state that dogs must work on the left unless permition is granted by the judge to work on the right, in Field Trials and Gundog Working Tests there is NO such regulation. In fact the only regulation concerning heelwork in the case of retrievers is:-

Rule 5d(1) Dogs must walk steadily at heel and sit quietly at drives.

Best wishes, John

Just for convenience I train mine to work on both sides, then when I have 2 out, I have one on each.