Steadiness

We are now going to start developing steadiness further within your training.

You will have already started building this skill by teaching your dog to remain steady to a thrown dummy and only move when you send them. At this stage, we are going to increase the level of excitement and help your dog learn that staying still and listening to you is more rewarding than chasing what has been thrown.

Begin by sitting your dog up and throwing dummies around them. As with all training, this should be built up gradually over a number of sessions. Start with one dummy at a time and reward your dog for remaining calm and focused.

Use your clicker and treats to mark the correct behaviour. Your dog needs to understand that staying steady, rather than rushing in, is exactly what you are looking for.

Remember, we do not want your dog to fail. If your dog breaks their steadiness, the exercise has simply become too difficult. Reduce the temptation, increase the distance or make the exercise easier, then build back up again.

Start by throwing dummies at a distance from your dog and gradually work towards throwing them closer as your dog becomes more reliable. Always increase the difficulty in small steps and make sure your dog is successful before moving on.

Steadiness is about self-control and trust between you and your dog. Take your time, praise the correct choices and remember that every successful repetition builds a more reliable working partner.