Don't Overlook Steady in Your Wetland Training Arsenal

When you reckon wetland hunting with your dog, the significance of water retrieves is likely the first thing that pops into your head. Being steady is also a bloody important command for a waterfowl dog. As we all know too well, the sport requires a fair bit of patience for both you and your dog. Make sure you've prepped him for the hunt by working on steady through the following scenarios:

1. Train on Multiple Surfaces

In heaps of situations, hunting's all about being able to adapt, and your doggo needs to be ready for all sorts of scenarios. One day, he might be sitting pretty on your tinny, and the next, he could be perched on a beaut stump, or tucked away in a hide. That's why it's deadset important for him to learn to hold steady on all kinds of surfaces. Make sure your pup gets a go on stumps, flat grounds, in a hide, on a boat…any place you reckon he'll need to handle during a day out in the bush.

2. Expose to Different Durations

It'd be great if we knew going out how many ducks we were going to shoot and how often, but we don't. Your dog needs to be ready to spend a good chunk of time on steady. You can't expect him to get out and maintain the entire hunt if you've not taught him the expectation before getting out.

3. Steady to Shot

This can be a real tough one for exceptionally birdy dogs, but it's crucial to make sure all your pups are safe and spot-on in the field. Your dog might be keen to leap into action as soon as the gun shot goes off (they reckon you're a dead-set legend at knocking something over) but they need to wait to fetch until you've given them the go-ahead. It's a piece of cake to practice at home. If you're able, just head out and have a shot, but only lob a dummy for the retrieve every 5 or 6 shots or so. If your dog's struggling to hold back until you say so, strap him up and let him off the leash as you give your command. If you don't have the space to be shooting, there's heaps of top-notch gear out there you can buy to mimic gun fire.

4. Work in Water

Being a wetland hunter means your dog's gonna get soaked. Now, you're thinking 'thanks for the heads up, genius, I had that bit sorted', but it's more than just fetching from water. You and your dog might need to hit the water yourselves. When training around water, make sure you spend some time away from the fetching to steady in the drink.

5. Work on Honouring the Retrieve

When you and your mates are out with your dogs, it's real important that all dogs are trained to honour the retrieve. This means your dog doesn't need to go until he or she is specifically released. To train on this, try a group training session. Have your hunting mates come over with their dogs and work on steadying until it's time to retrieve. Chuck in some real-world simulation by firing off some guns. As when teaching your dog to stay steady to shot, only lob a dummy every few shots, and then release one dog on it. Any that are having a hard time honouring should be leashed and released when given the command.

Training in these situations will help you and your dog have a more successful season. What other tips do you have for training to steady?