Video summary

Which GUNDOG BREEDS Are HARDEST To Train!? (As A Professional Trainer)

Main summary

Key takeaways

Wellness and Self-Improvement

Key takeaways: hardest vs easiest gun dog breeds to train (Charlie Thorburn, Moor Dog and Dogs)

Easiest (most naturally biddable)

  • Working Labrador (not show/field trial bred)

    • Often described as “born half trained.”
    • Commonly arrives as a puppy already walking to heel and closely following.

  • Working Golden Retriever

    • Very sweet and willing, but typically a bit slower to learn than Labradors.

Middle / variable difficulty (can be very rewarding, but harder)

  • Flat-Coat Retriever

    • Can be a “knocking your head against the brick wall” type.
    • Takes a long time to learn.

  • Curly-Coated Retriever

    • Generally implied to be less easy and less common.
    • Mentioned with bigger physical size and fewer easy comparisons due to limited experience reported.

  • Chesapeake Bay Retriever

    • Considered extremely thick-skinned, tough, determined.
    • Example described: a dog that would chase relentlessly, suggesting high drive and a strong will.

Spaniels section (no clean easy-to-hard line; focus/drive matters)

Thorburn notes overlap between groups—some spaniels can be harder than retrievers, and vice versa.

  • Springer Spaniel

    • Highlighted for an unbelievable work ethic and a strong “what are we doing? where are we going?” mindset.
    • May switch off at home (e.g., lying in a corner) when not working.

  • Cocker Spaniel

    • Often described as sweet and cuddly.
    • But with sassiness/attitude and more self-motivated behavior (less “all-in” compared with springers).

  • Clumber / Sussex (more obscure or less experienced examples)

    • Generally described as slower, stubborn, and less driven than springers/cockers.

HPRs (High-Performance Retrievers / “HPR” category as used by the speaker)

  • Brittany Spaniel (not a true “spaniel,” per the speaker; classified as an HPR)

    • Said to be among the easiest in the HPR category.
    • Keen to learn, with a relatively less wet/clingy temperament than some.

  • Vizsla

    • Humorously described as a “wet Velcro dog.”
    • The clinginess/persistency is framed as the training challenge.

  • Wirehaired German Pointer (positioned at the far end—hardest/least biddable)

    • Especially males, described as:
      • Not biddable
      • Doesn’t want to learn
    • Key message: training can’t fully overcome genetics/breeding purpose.

Pointers / setters (often framed as “natural behaviors,” not the same training goal)

The speaker frames these dogs as ones where you typically encourage natural instincts (range, point, hold point), rather than training them like retrievers for behaviors such as walking to heel or retrieving.

  • Emphasized training focus:
    • Teaching them to lie down when birds flush and when the gun goes off, staying in position until released.
  • Implied advice:
    • Don’t expect pointing breeds to be ideal “pet gun dogs” if you want retriever-style training.
    • They “want to run” and need open space.

Wellness / self-care / productivity tips

  • None directly stated.
  • The video is primarily about breed temperament, drive, and training feasibility, and how to match training expectations to genetics and purpose-breeding.

Presenters / sources

  • Charlie Thorburn (host/trainer)
  • Moor Dog and Dogs (channel/source)

Original video