Retrievers have long been used as duck hunting companions and partners. Their amazing sense of smell and ability to take and carry out commands make them the perfect hunting buddies, but just what are those commands, and what do they mean?
The most well-known commands used in duck hunting are:
- Fetch
- Get in
- Get on
- Get out
- Give or release
- There
However, teaching young pups basic obedience such as heel, sit, and stay before hunt commands are recommended. Basic training will set the foundation for a hunting dog.
Dogs can understand over 200 verbal commands, but why spend the time and effort going to such lengths when a few simple commands will be sufficient. Keep it simple, and both you and your dog will still be able to enjoy your outdoor adventures.
Basic Dog Training
As with all things, it is best to start from the beginning. Even humans start learning our letters before we move on to reading and writing; the same goes for dog training. Training should start with the more common and basic training that will ensure you have a well-behaved and disciplined dog.
Learning the basics will assist in instilling the discipline needed for learning advanced commands when out on the hunt. And, of course, practice makes perfect for you and your canine companion.
It is also advisable to introduce your dog to both water and guns from an early age. This will help your dog to become more comfortable with both the concept of getting wet and swimming and the loud noises associated with guns. Be sure to do this with care, as your dog will not be willing to learn if it feels unsafe – trust is paramount.
Common Commands
A few basic commands are necessary for laying the groundwork to prepare your dog for duck hunting. Your dog should learn its name before any commands. This is probably the most important of all commands as this is how you will get your dog’s attention, and it will know that it is being addressed.
After learning its name, the most common commands are as follows
- Heel
- Sit
- Stay and wait
- Come or here
Heel
Heel is a simple command to get the dog to walk or sit beside you. It is a useful command as it teaches the dog to be aware of you during training and when out on the hunt. With correct training, your dog should immediately return to your side to either walk beside you or sit at your side and not move away from you.
Sit
This command is self-explanatory; your dog should immediately sit down by calling sit. Sit is a useful command as it teaches the discipline to remain still for attaching or detaching a lead or waiting to receive food. In hunting terms, this will also ensure that your dogs are safely in place by your side when there is shooting.
Sit is also an introductory command to other basic commands ensuring proper obedience.
Stay And Wait
Once the sit command has been learned, stay in the next step. Stay, like sit, is self-explanatory. The idea behind this is to get your dog to remain in place. Stay is a very important command that is also necessary for hunting as your dog’s safety can depend on it. Dogs need to know when they must remain in place and when they are needed to retrieve.
The wait is similar to stay but comes with an expectation of further movement. By ordering your dog to wait, it knows to remain still for a short period to be ready for further instruction, so your dog will be more alert and prepared.
Come And Here
Come is the last of the more basic common commands. It serves as instruction for movement to bring the dog to you and functions as an alternative to calling your dog’s name. Here is often used as an instruction in the same manner. There is, however, a decided difference between using come or here and your dog’s name. Come or here are commands while using the dog’s name is more of an attention-getter.
Retriever Training
Once your dog has aced the basic training and can easily obey heel, sit, stay, wait, here, and come, you can start introducing the commands needed for duck hunting.
Remember to not rush the process. Training takes time and only moves on to more advanced commands when you and your dog are properly prepared for them. Retrievers are born to retrieve, but that won’t necessarily mean they are ready for it. It’s your job to ensure they get the training they need to be safe and successful out on the hunt.
An integral part of any training is to be consistent. Lack of consistency will mean a lack of discipline and obedience. And you do not want a disobedient dog on a hunt. Continued repetition of key concepts and commands is an important tool for success. The more you repeat the training, the more obedient your dog will be.
Hunting Commands
Hunting commands are short, sharp, and concise, as with more common training commands. When it comes to duck hunting and retrieving, success depends on your dog’s ability to obey your instructions and remain disciplined throughout. More advanced commands are as follows.
Fetch
With a very simple and straightforward command, the dog is sent out to fetch the fowl that was shot down.
Get In
This command is for sending dogs into water or head through bushes or reeds to retrieve downed fowl or flush them out for the huntsman to shoot.
Get On
This is the command used when wanting your dog to move directly ahead in a straight line; it’s useful as it helps you control where your dog may flush the fowl from.
Get Out
This verbal command is used with hand signals to send your dog left or right.
Give Or Release
This command is given once your dog has retrieved the bird and brought it to you. It’s a stern command to ensure that your dog releases the game to you.
There
This command can also be used with hand signals to indicate where you want your dog to go to retrieve on the hunt.
Conclusion
Duck hunting dogs need to be well trained to ensure that they can optimally respond to the various commands required during a hunt. This requires good discipline and obedience, which familiarity with the commands can promote.
Duck hunting commands are relatively universal to allow for easier understanding for both dogs and hunters in the field.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunting_doghttps://www.ducks.org/hunting/retriever-training/six-essential-commands-for-retrievers
https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/waterfowl/the-shake-command-every-hunting-dog-should-learn
https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/gundogs/gundog-commands-95850https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_training
