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Training a 'stop to flush'

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Training information

Training a ‘stop to flush’ is the last in a sequence of ‘stop’ cues that we teach a working spaniel.  The flush of a game bird or rabbit is enormously tempting for the dog and he needs to have reached an advanced stage in training and be working well with his handler before this is attempted.   Insisting a full sit rather than just a simple ‘stop’ will help give the novice handler that little bit more control.

As in training earlier stop cues, we pair a known command (the stop whistle) with the new one (the flush) for a considerable time so that the dog becomes conditioned to stop each time he gets a flush.

For most handlers the biggest difficulty is in achieving enough ‘flushes’ for the ‘stop to flush’ to become a habit.   Once the habit is established we then increase the gap between the flush and the whistle to give the opportunity to the dog of stopping to the flush alone. 

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IN TRAINING

Wilburn Ash demonstrates a 'stop to flush'

at the CLA gamefair (launcher bottom left)

Once he is beginning to stop to flush before the whistle is blown, we then remove the whistle cue altogether and ensure that the dog is corrected if he fails to stop to flush.

The flush of a bird is not the same as the flush of a rabbit and vice versa, and the young dog will need extensive experience of both in a controlled situation,  before he can be considered reliably trained in this respect.   

It is vital before commencing stop to flush training that the dog is already reliably stopping to whistle and fall,  and that he is capable of working under close control of the handler. The services of a few sessions with a professional gundog trainer and the use of his facilities can be a very valuable asset at this point in a young dog’s training.                     Ask your training questions on The Gundog Club forum

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Key points 

• Make sure the dog drops reliably to 'fall' before beginning.

• For extra control, insist on a full sit rather than just a ‘stop’.

• Follow the flush with the stop whistle until the dog is responding to the flush

• Use a check cord in the early stages,  if necessary to prevent chasing

• Keep the dog quartering very close until the response is reliable

• Consider a few sessions with a professional gundog trainer

   

  Professional Gundog Trainers  are listed in the Directory

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