Sit to flush: steadiness training for a working spaniel

Why it matters

Sit to flush is a core part of spaniel work and features in Gundog Club grading and working tests. A spaniel that sits the moment something flushes stays safe and keeps the ground steady for the gun.

Set up

• Work on a long check cord until the response is reliable.
• Arrange for a helper to flush a dummy or ball from cover on a rope.

Run the drill

1. 1Send the dog to quarter a small patch of cover.
2. 2As the helper flushes the dummy, give one sharp pip on the whistle and the sit command together.
3. 3Reward a prompt sit with calm praise, then release to continue quartering.

Make it harder

• Reduce how much the whistle is used, relying more on the visual flush to prompt the sit.
• Practise with real cover of varying thickness.
• Add a second flush shortly after the first to check the dog does not anticipate a single event.

Common mistakes

• Only sitting the dog after it has already chased: mark the instant of flush, not after the fact, and go back to the check cord if needed.
• Inconsistent whistle timing: pip at the same moment every time so the dog links the sound to the flush.
• Working the same patch of cover repeatedly: vary the ground so the dog reacts to the flush, not a memorised layout.