Steadiness to wing and shot – spaniel training at it’s best

I love all parts in training a spaniel but I must say that it’s training steadiness to wing and shot that I love the most. 🙂 I don´t have lot’s of rabbits or birds and unfortunately I can’t just go out in the nearest woods and find plenty of pheasants. So I have to use my imaginations and be creative when training steadiness.

In our online spaniel course we have come to lesson 6 – Steadiness to wing and shot in a playful way – and I would like to share with you all a wonderful film where Astrid – who is one of the teachers offthe course – is working with working cocker Fidget (Thomas dog by the way – he is the third instructor of the course). We do lot’s of foundation training and this exercise is about two things: 1. How we start to teach the dog how to – after sitting down – stay until released. 2. And how you as a trainer must keep that criteria even when the focus point is to offer sit when a treat is tossed. Isn’t this a great example of how you can teach dogs to do things in playful way? I just love the energy Astrid and Fidget have. <3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZY2DHyxmY8

We try to show as many films at possible at the course – we show all the exercises of course – but we also try to inspire and give tips about how to go from one step to another when training. Here is another film in lesson number 6, with me and my young working cocker Quling. At first I check that he remember his foundation skills when it comes to be steady when I add the cue – which is throwing something. Then I go further to train him when he is moving. Now I want him to stop as soon as I throw the ball or the toy. At last I let him try the ball cannon for the first time – and I help him a little by blowing the whistle:

Of course you can train this with your retriever too – if you want your dog to stop when something (as for example a hare) runs away in front of you.

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