Why Your Dog Isn’t Steady

Why Your Dog Isn’t Steady

By Ryan Eder

If you talk to any hunt testers they will tell you that there are two kinds of dogs; dogs that do not break, and dogs that haven’t broke yet! It is a subtle joke that stems around the idea that all dogs have the possibility of breaking, both in a test or hunting situation. Things can happen, after all they are dogs! But this behavior ultimately stems from very common mistakes we all make as dog owners, and being aware of what contributes to non-steady behavior can make a difference in how we raise and train our dogs. The end result will be a more composed hunting companion in the blind that is consistently steady.

Keep in mind no two dogs are the same. Some have big motors and tremendous drive. Do not let this deter you, we still must insist on steady behavior from our hard charging dogs and our standard will never deviate. Let us take a look at some of the most common mistakes made by hunters when they bring their new pup home and begin the joyous adventure of training their next hunting companion.

1. Too many retrieves, too soon
You bought a retriever so naturally you want to immediately build the desire to retrieve right? The logic is there, but overdoing it with the retrieves is working against you. Something I heard that has stuck with me is that we need to treat retrieving like chocolate; give your pup a small taste here and there, and they’ll crave it. Feed them a whole cake, they’ll get sick of it fast! Stick to a couple retrieves per day, maybe even every other day and always end on a good note.

2. Not every bird is yours
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made with dogs in the past is conditioning them to believe that every time a bird falls it is theirs. Sure, we begin training by building up the pup’s excitement and letting them have success. At some point, we need to teach them how to turn it off and show some poise and control. This will help you in the blind with steadiness, as well as honoring other working dogs. Every so often, throw a mark, and do not allow the dog to pick the bird up. Make sure to do this at the stage where the dog understands basic obedience and is a reliable retriever (if we encourage non-retrieving behavior too soon, it can work against the ultimate goal of building a confident, stylish retriever).

3. Hunting too soon
The excitement of taking your dog on their first hunt is overbearing at times; we’ve all been there. Keep in mind that the field is much different than the training grounds. Be mindful of how many guns are in the field, decoys, and possible flocks of birds before shooting time, etc. All of these things can affect our dog in a negative way. If your dog has not been shot over, clearly hunting is not a good idea. If your dog has been shot over, it is still wise to simply remove yourself and your dog from the core of the hunting group, and setup off to the side where the gun shots will be less dominating and your dog can focus on marking fallen birds. Try to account for possible distractions or issues before they happen.
In all of dog training we begin by teaching our dog’s desired behavior. As we progress, we add distance between ourselves and the dog, as well as distractions. When a dog can perform a task through distractions, it is safe to say they truly understand the command(s) being given. This applies in the blind as well. A dog that can heel and sit in training may not do so when calls are being blown and guns are being fired. Exposure to too many distractions too early in their development does more negative than positive.

4. Tie up the dog
As a continuation of previous points, having a dog tied up in the blind is never a bad idea in their first season. This ensures that they cannot break (even if they try) as well as their safety. The dog quickly learns they cannot go whenever they desire, and you also get to enforce the “not every bird that falls is yours” concept. This step can build a very steady retriever if given a chance.

The moral of the story here is that in most cases we as handlers create non-steady behavior in our retrievers by not accounting for their control and composure in earlier stages in training. We also expose them to too much, too soon and then wonder why they are cranked up in the field! A few simple considerations during early stages in training, as well as some patience early in our dog’s hunting career can lead to a very steady, reliable retriever.