Steadiness in Gundog Training: Beyond the Sit-Stay

Steadiness is more than a sit-stay—it's about helping your gundog make calm, confident choices under pressure.

Steadiness in Gundog Training: Beyond the Sit-Stay
By Connected Canines

Today I had the pleasure of attending a fantastic steadiness workshop run by Jill at Develop Your Dog. It was a brilliant reminder that steadiness is so much more than asking a dog to sit still—it’s about creating emotional regulation, choice-making, and confidence under pressure.

As gundog handlers, we often talk about steadiness in the context of the shooting field: a dog sitting calmly as birds flush, waiting quietly as another dog retrieves, or resisting the urge to chase a moving dummy or rabbit. But steadiness starts long before the drive. It begins with the everyday choices our dogs make—and how we support them in those choices.

What Is Steadiness, Really?

At its core, steadiness is a dog’s ability to pause and think, rather than react impulsively. That pause can be a split second—a quick glance at their handler before deciding whether to move. Or it can be a longer moment, like holding position as another dog works nearby. It's about teaching our dogs that they don't always need to do, and instead can just be.

Crucially, steadiness isn’t something we demand—it’s something we build. Through repetition, trust, and thoughtful setups, we help the dog realise that staying composed is not only rewarding, but a choice they feel confident making.

Building Blocks of Steadiness

At the workshop, we began with simple, familiar tasks in the company of other dogs. These weren’t high-pressure drills—they were quiet, calm moments to help each dog settle into the environment and learn that just because there’s another dog’s scent around, or movement nearby, it doesn’t mean they have to act on it.

From there, we gradually layered complexity:

Heelwork in scented areas
Stopping where another dog had just been
Watching retrieves they couldn’t have
Honouring while other dogs worked
And the ultimate challenge—resisting the chase of a bolting rabbit

Each dog worked at their own level, and every success—no matter how small—was celebrated.

What I Learned from Griff

Griff, my young golden retriever, made some lovely choices today. I watched him think through distractions, watch other dogs retrieve, and—perhaps most exciting of all—sit calmly as the rabbit dummy bolted in front of him. It was a joy to see him process those moments and choose to stay put.

Of course, we’ve had our moments. Like many adolescent dogs, Griff sometimes forgets how to sit, never mind stay. But today reminded me that those wobbles aren’t failures—they’re opportunities to learn, both for him and for me. Steadiness isn't built in a day, or in a workshop. It’s built in the quiet, consistent moments where we support the dog in making good decisions.

Supporting Steadiness at Home

If you’re looking to build more steadiness into your dog’s routine, here are a few practical ideas:

Practice pause moments in everyday life—before meals, before exiting the car, before throwing a toy.
Use familiar exercises (like heelwork or a sit) in new environments to gently stretch your dog’s ability to focus.
Celebrate calm choices—even if they seem small. Not chasing a squirrel? Jackpot.
Work at your dog’s pace—don’t rush. Steadiness isn’t a race; it’s a skill grown through trust and time.

And most importantly: work with the dog you have in front of you today. Not the one you had yesterday, or the one you hope to have tomorrow. Today’s dog might need a little more support, or they might surprise you with just how thoughtful and grown-up they’ve become.

If you’d like help introducing steadiness into your training, or if you’re not sure where to start, feel free to get in touch. I’m always happy to help you and your dog find your rhythm—whether in the field or at home.