Steady to release or flush?
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- Rank: Just A Pup
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Steady to release or flush?
I have a 3 year old setter that is steady to flush. He is force fetched and good to hunt with. Currently my number one priority is hunting wild birds and traveling to try different types of upland hunting. I do not trial but if i could see myself doing some walking trials in the future. The question is do I break my dog all the way to release him or leave him as is? What are the pros and cons of having a fully broke dog?
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Re: Steady to release or flush?
I think to the average hunter the advantages are its safer (no chance of shooter a chasing dog), and a dog standing still marks better than a running dog, especially on covey birds.
Re: Steady to release or flush?
I hunt with my dog and find that she marks the bird better if she holds till given the fetch command. I do not want a dog I need to head tap to go. Verbal command does the job. When standing till command, if she gets sloppy then she falls back to going on shot. If she was trained to go on shot and gets sloppy, then she is going on flush. That is real bad. You know when you just wing a bird and can give the fetch command as soon as you shoot, so you won't loose running game. But doing this to much will get them going on shot again. Train while hunting. When you make a solid kill, make the dog stand a few seconds before giving the fetch command. I use my dogs name for the command. When working with other dogs she knows this is her bird to fetch when she hears her name. As for trialing, Nstra.org replicates hunting to a degree. Check it out.
Re: Steady to release or flush?
I can't use the word "most" with any great knowledge , but "many" who AF trial don't go past steady to flush. Shoot - to retrieve trials of course release the dog to fetch. I do know folks though who trial their dog and also hunt their dog asking the dog to retrieve too. I never took that chance with my trial dogs, but it seems to me a well- trained dog should be able to do both and still do well in a "no retrieve" trial.Jägermeister wrote:I have a 3 year old setter that is steady to flush. He is force fetched and good to hunt with. Currently my number one priority is hunting wild birds and traveling to try different types of upland hunting. I do not trial but if i could see myself doing some walking trials in the future. The question is do I break my dog all the way to release him or leave him as is? What are the pros and cons of having a fully broke dog?
Re: Steady to release or flush?
Break the dog STWS. It will make a better dog, improve safety, Marking, and you'll have a dog that you can trial. Without STWS, trialing your dog is just donating entry fees.
- displaced_texan
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Re: Steady to release or flush?
My current dog is steady to flush. I have my reasons, but they are far from the typical things that you hear. We hunt, run some shoot to retrieve trials, and some judgement ceases at flush American Field stakes.
I have never seen any downside to being steady to shot and fall, unless the release involves a head tap, and you want to run shoot to retrieve trials.
I have never seen any downside to being steady to shot and fall, unless the release involves a head tap, and you want to run shoot to retrieve trials.
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- Rank: Just A Pup
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Re: Steady to release or flush?
I think I will break him all the way through then. Thanks for the input
Re: Steady to release or flush?
Once you get steady to flush it takes very little to break steady to fall. If you change your mind you can always let him back slide.......Cj
Re: Steady to release or flush?
A couple of replies mentioned NOT wanting to tapping the dog to release for the retrieve. Just curious why ?
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Re: Steady to release or flush?
I will break him to voice release. No tap just because I don't want to go into the briars to release him and second if you cripple a bird, that is likely to run a voice release would be faster. That's my opinion.
- displaced_texan
- Rank: 5X Champion
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Re: Steady to release or flush?
I hunted with an older (80s) man that hated having to walk over and tap her head for the retrieve.Laidback1 wrote:A couple of replies mentioned NOT wanting to tapping the dog to release for the retrieve. Just curious why ?
Re: Steady to release or flush?
Ok, makes sense.
Thanks!
Thanks!