Steadiness is a state of mind. If a dog is fidgeting, squeaking or edging forward then it’s telling you that it’s frustrated and in the wrong emotional state of mind. If you’re merely ‘holding’ it then the moment you take your eyes off it will break and just reinforce the unsteadiness. That’s why a leash is good management in preventing the dog from rehearsing the unwanted behaviour. It’s far harder when you only have one dog because the root problem is anticipation and with a team of several dogs picking up none of them can anticipate when it’s their turn to be sent for a retrieve but with a single dog it’s a dead cert.
Naj wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 11:21 am
If you’re merely ‘holding’ it then the moment you take your eyes off it will break and just reinforce the unsteadiness. That’s why a leash is good management in preventing the dog from rehearsing the unwanted behaviour.
Naj
Were is the fun in that ....you have to test yourself.....
Muddling along in the hope that one day it starts to make sense.
Last syndicate day yesterday...we are all done until next season....not sure what shoots I will be involved in as there have been a few changes through no fault of mine .... defo be in the DIY syndicate though ...
PS
She was very good so that's a nice way of ending the season
Muddling along in the hope that one day it starts to make sense.
Springfield Pointers wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 5:08 pm
This must surely be the longest running active thread on GDF? Clear proof that a working dog is a work in progress for the duration of its life.
Good evening Sir, great to here from you I trust you are well ?
Yep she or rather we are definitely still work in progress
Muddling along in the hope that one day it starts to make sense.
ips wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 7:55 pm
Well it defo went much better than previous attempts. Had her on a lead for first drive so i could assess were her head was at. She seemed quite switched on so no more leads .. I like to test us both .....she was steady to birds falling ....as long as I was on her case.....and we picked a few birds on the first few drives. I was in charge of looking after the gunslips in the Polaris so was restricted as to were I could stand so as a result was much closer to the shooting than I would have liked .....we were steady to a pheasant falling pretty much at her feet so pleased with that, but on the last drive we did have a run in on a partridge which was a very strong runner and landed five yards from her, I forgave that as the injured bird would have been lost for sure if she had not run in to it an enjoyable day
Nice one IPS, great to hear it all went well. You've got a dog that can think for itself and work with you - a great combination.
If a dog is fidgeting, squeaking or edging forward then it’s telling you that it’s frustrated and in the wrong emotional state of mind. If you’re merely ‘holding’ it then the moment you take your eyes off it will break and just reinforce the unsteadiness. That’s why a leash is good management in preventing the dog from rehearsing the unwanted behaviour. It’s far harder when you only have one dog because the root problem is anticipation and with a team of several dogs picking up none of them can anticipate when it’s their turn to be sent for a retrieve but with a single dog it’s a dead cert. 
....you have to test yourself.....
an enjoyable day