Gundog Training Forum

Just for a bit of Lighthearted banter in these weird tImes we find ourselves in, but what advantage would a steady dog bring to the table in these real hunting situations?

https://youtu.be/rDFMSoOQZ74

Not getting accidentally shot

ips wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:58 pm Not getting accidentally shot

Not running over a cliff

I've always said those Pointer Setter things can do as they like as it doesn't affect anyone other than the handler...

I didn’t see any dog getting shot, running over a cliff or doing as they liked.

I’ve known of six dogs that were shot while working. Two were spaniels that were shot by their owners when they stumbled while the dog was walking at heel, two were labradors shot by their owners while in a hide, one was a spaniel Shot by a standing gun at a pheasant shoot, and one was a black cocker shot dead by a walking gun in light cover when It was retrieving a rabbit and within yards of its handler, and the said gun. The same handler had a few other cockers peppered by standing and walking guns. I dare say there have been unsteady dogs shot on the flush but, flukes aside, it would have been an unsafe and/or reckless gun to pull this off. Anybody actually experienced this as a result of unsteadiness?

I’ve also known of several dogs that have run over a cliff, one of them being a friend’s dog, but they were all pets. I dare say some gundog might have run over a cliff when working but has anybody actually experienced this as a result of unsteadiness?

As for dogs doing as they like on a shoot, by all accounts there are plenty of ‘trained’ Labrador and spaniel types that are up to that.

Naj

Naj, thought this was light hearted got all serious to meet your agenda lad.

If you want to be serious, train your bloody dog not to run in or drop the game. It looks shite and your a damn poor trainer if you cant stop yer dog, no matter yer excuses for not doing it. End off.

I've not experienced any of my dogs getting shot ( although I thought about it myself ) But then again I've trained my dogs to be steady, and tend to only go out with those that shoot safe and have been briefed on when not to shoot
If I could shoot over ground like that, and ONLY ground like that, I may be tempted ( but only tempted ) into not training steadiness. In practice though, you have to shoot over a whole range of grounds and with a whole range of guns and abilities, so if you can do any training that limits a risk no matter how small, why not, its only training?
Why not ask how many dogs have been shot in the act of being steady to flush ? or, How many birds have been lost because a dog was steady to shot and fall compared to a dog that ran in? At least that question has some meat on the bones to get your teeth into
Now if you want comedy, try training a non steady dog to be steady using only positive reinforcement, it can keep you chuckling for a long time .... a very long time

Apart from any rights or wrongs and any plus or minus the dog on the clips (and any other not steady dog) doesnt look very professional and to be brutally honest i am struggling to forgive it for good retrieving given the fact that it spat the bird out

I’m sure those guys will be crying in their beer over their unprofessional and unserious dog work.

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