# strong flush but still steady



## mnswd (Oct 13, 2005)

I have heard conflicting opinions on steadying your dog. What is everyone opinion on this confusing topic.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Its a nice touch and a saftey plus, but it takes constant reteaching so I wouldn't bother unless you plan on competeing the dog.


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## tumblebuck (Feb 17, 2004)

I like them to be in the area of the fall as soon as possible when chasing pheasants.


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

having a steady gundog is great, it is much more enjoyable to hunt behind a dog that is steady. The only problem is that when your dog is steady and your friends dog is not, you dog will not get too many retrieves.


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## DakotaDog72 (Sep 27, 2005)

For Waterfowl, I use a leash and one of the screw in anchors to keep my dog at heal. As noted earlier. Get a dog to be steady to shot takes constant training. Plus I feel that takes a little bit of the dogs drive away.

Pheasant hunting, I want her on the rooster ASAP to prevent cripples from getting away.


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## brianb (Dec 27, 2005)

I wish I had done it. It really helps keep your dog safe. Out here in WA the quail #'s have been way up. They are fun to hunt but fly about head high. A steady dog would really let you take more shots and be safer.

As far as a dog needing to be on a runner as quick as possible. I don't think that is valid. I can shoot and release my dog pretty quick. Bang, "Boomer". Ok, it is more like bang, bang, bang, "Boomer".

You don't have to make the dog sit for 10 seconds before release.

It will take training and maintenance but I will give it a go with my next dog. Boomer is 5 1/2 now and I don't think it would be worth it to try and get him steady now.

Brian


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

> You don't have to make the dog sit for 10 seconds before release.


If you don't it won't be steady long, you can't release the dog immediately because they will begin to anticipate the release.

This is why when training for steadiness you have to vary the release to prevent them from releasing on their own. If you always release on the same cadence (like 1-2-3 go) the dog will learn to count :wink: and go on his own.

Steadiness to flush requires a lot of reinforcement, its easier to just pass on shots that are dangerous to the dog.

Steadiness for a waterfowl retriever is a different thing than steadiness to flush and easier to reinforce because the dog isn't actively chasing the bird. I do it for retrievers out of blinds but not in the uplands.

Its also easier for pointers but I'm too lazy to do it on my own dogs :lol: those dang pheasants are too fast to give them a head start


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## brianb (Dec 27, 2005)

Bob,

I agree but you can pick and chose for the quick send. If you really dust them then make Fido wait. Send quick on a light hit bird.

I'm not saying its easy. I am too lazy to go back and train my own dog. But I will vow to do it with my next.

But as the saying goes, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" so we'll see how far I get with the next pup. Or I'll just say I want him on runners quick when I say screw it.

Brian


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

For what its worth I think its easier to train steadiness to flush on an older dog. So your 5 year old dog would be a good candidate to learn to teach the command on, hes probably got enough experience to ignore your mistakes :lol: .

My dogs overlook my shortcomings everytime I take them hunting but I hear them snickering in the dogboxes after the hunt ( they must be discussing my marksmanship).

All kidding aside, I'm pretty careful about doing anything like that on a dog that doesn't have some hunting under its belt.

I'm more worried about confusing the dog when its a pup, same with the whoa command. I am currently rehabing a couple one year old english pointer pups, field trial rejects. Mostly socializing them I want to whoa break them but have decided to postpone it until next summer and just let them have fun this fall.

Its going to be a wild season :roll: these guys go like hell everywhere they go.

I wait until the dog has one good year of hunting and a lot of birds killed over it before I teach whoa to my pointers.
Thank God the other 5 are well broke


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