
He has had a keen interest in country pursuits for many years. His first working gundog Jess an English Springer Spaniel was a rescue dog who he trained up for the shooting field. They were an inseparable partnership and she used to go to work with him everyday when he worked in forestry. Del and Jess were a regular partnership and could be seen on many shoots for over 8 years in North Hampshire and West Sussex area.

After her sad loss Del went for 10 years without a dog until he moved back to the New Forest area and took up country pursuits again and along came Meg a springer spaniel puppy who became a new member of the family. Meg was so different from the easy going Jess!! So Del and his wife Katy joined a gundog training club and started to learn about training gundogs again right from scratch.
Fast forward 5years and Del and his wife have added another springer - Ruby bred by Sandra Blake a trainer with Purbeck Gundog School which his wife is training, as well as Bramble – a Working Cocker Spaniel from Corbinsbere Gundogs.
Bramble is a bundle of Joy- very lively!! Del has learnt so much since those early days with Jess!
Del is now regularly training with Bramble at local gundog clubs and thoroughly enjoys working her at his local shoot at Ashley Clinton. He has also had success competing at various local working gundog tests. He now enjoys writing about his experience with Bramble and his love of the countryside, his observations and the trials and tribulations of training a gundog.