Training for duck hunting?

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benelli
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Training for duck hunting?

Post by benelli » Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:12 pm

Currently we've been focusing on upland training for our GSP (11 months). Unfortunately we have limited access to birds, but the times he's been around birds he's done very well and it looks like we should be able to have him around birds a bit more in the not-too-distant future. But last night my husband and I were talking about duck hunting, since there is a pond with duck blinds here on base (we live at Edwards, in the Mojave).

What additional training is required for basic duck hunting? Right now the dog will play fetch until his legs fall off, and he loves to swim. Should we work on directional commands? Are dogs expected to lay down in the duck blinds? If so, any pointers on teaching a dog to lay down? It seems to me like he'd try to resist a fair bit, and he's pretty strong. I've never gone duck hunting, so I don't know the sorts of things a duck hunting dog is supposed to be able to do (even just the basics).

Thanks!

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mountaindogs
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Re: Training for duck hunting?

Post by mountaindogs » Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:49 pm

Work on Stay! And then work it more. :)

benelli
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Re: Training for duck hunting?

Post by benelli » Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:00 pm

mountaindogs wrote:Work on Stay! And then work it more. :)
Sitting? Standing? Laying down? Does it matter? We're in the middle of Perfect Start's whoa training right now (and our dog is one of those who likes to sit), so should we just increase the duration of the whoa command?

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TraditionsGSPs2010
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Re: Training for duck hunting?

Post by TraditionsGSPs2010 » Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:32 pm

Sitting/laying down are going to be you best friends in the blind. If you have a chance to practice that in a blind, you will be even better off. If you get really motivated, teaching hand commands are a great tool.

Good luck
David Hughes
Traditions Shorthairs

The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

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Duckdon
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Re: Training for duck hunting?

Post by Duckdon » Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:13 pm

benelli wrote:
mountaindogs wrote:Work on Stay! And then work it more. :)
Sitting? Standing? Laying down? Does it matter? We're in the middle of Perfect Start's whoa training right now (and our dog is one of those who likes to sit), so should we just increase the duration of the whoa command?
We hunt ducks:
First off, I don't use stay as a command because Sit means sit until told otherwise. Down means down until told otherwise and Whoa means Whoa until told otherwise. I know the Perfection kennels DVD's and you will get to the part where you will correct sitting on Whoa and re-stand the dog everytime he sits on Whoa if your not already doing that.

Most often ducks are hunted out of a blind so I am big on teaching steadness. Dogs must be quiet and still in the blind. Sit is important but if your working on Whoa get that sorted out and solid first. Then if he tends to want to default to sit I think I would teach Down and get that solid. Sit in the blind will come at some point and it's nice if the dog sits so they can see and mark falls. Above all they must be still.

Hand signals are nice but you will need to get into a Retriever Program to get that done if you don't have a base already for yourself. Just don't try to do to many different things at one time. Just my opinion. Don

TheRiley
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Re: Training for duck hunting?

Post by TheRiley » Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:49 pm

It depends entirely on how you plan to hunt ducks. Will you be in a blind, a boat, in some cover near the water, in timber, in a field? Also, will you be in a situation where you have several shooters and one dog or multiple dogs...or will it mostly be just you and a buddy? If your dog is expected to clean up a half dozen or more downed ducks at a time you may want to work on proper blind retrieves and signals...this is not typical for most hunters.

I am assuming you aren't going to be too hardcore with duck hunting or you would have chosen a different breed. If you are just going to hunt with a buddy or two on a few occasions your dog will do great if he can stay still...that is really the only requirement for 'basic" duck hunting. Introduce him to decoys ahead of time. It doesn't take a lot of training to get a dog to do well with "basic" duck hunting.

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