# Steadying?



## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

I have a three or four year old lab mix. He is a retrieving maniac, absolutely loves to retrieve! He hunts pheasants and jumps ducks fine. The problem is he is not steady enough for duck hunting with decoys. How would I go about trying to steady him now, or is it even possible?

I've thought about staking him and then releasing him on cammand, but the few times I've tried he doesn't seem to retain it when off the stake. Should I just keep trying or give up?


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## Chaws (Oct 12, 2007)

Obedience. Make sure that you have a way of reinforcing the dog too. Do you use an e-collar? Is the dog collar conditioned? Put the gun down, let your buddies shoot and you train in the field.

Tell the dog to sit and reinforce the command with the choke chain, next time the dog doesn't comply, give 50% more correction. If the dog doesn't comply again, 50% more than the last correction and so on. What ever you do, unless the dog doesn't stay steady, don't give him the retrieve as that's a reward for doing something correct. With a dog that has a lot of retrieve drive and at that age, you can not give an inch with your standards.


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## LuckCounts (Aug 8, 2008)

Don't give up. It can be done. Great advice to let your buddies hunt and you condition the dog. There's no magic technique that will make this happen overnight. Keep at it. I do like the "Wonder Lead" by Delmar Smith. It has been a very good training tool and pre-curser to an e-collar.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Short answer

In the yard do some drills where he has to be steady, mix it up send him on some retrieves, you go get it on others then do the same in the field

I wouldn't use a ecollar in the field until he firmly understands whats going on in the yard training.... you don't want him to think hes getting shocked for retrieveing


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## mmduncan (Dec 24, 2009)

People seem to think that once a dog is obedience trained he' s done with it then on to the fun stuff. don't be afraid of getting that check cord back out and tune him up with your obedience. reinforce with the ecollar. Next time you hunt over dekes tie him up and send him when youre ready. If he starts to break ping him back to the heel with the collar. he'll catch on. make sure he understands to get to the heel to turn off that collar. good luck


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