Check cord or No check chord

[protiller]

I have a 15 month old lab who will be hunting at a game farm for the first time this weekend. (Just her and I) Would it be wise of me to use a check cord? In the past when I've tried a check chord she doesn't want to retrieve as she wants to turn around and pick up the rope. What are your thoughts?

[rundrave]

I would recomend NOT using the check cord. What exactly do you think it will be needed for? Are you worried that the dog will wonder off or range too far?

If you keep the dog on check card, you are teaching it to only hunt with in the limits of the check cord 30ft, or 50ft etc. In some situations that might be what you want. But in applying to an actual hunt, if it is only you and your dog, you would want to follow the dog, not dictate where the dog will be going.

I only use a check cord for obedience work. When we are in the field or this case game farm we are there to hunt and only to hunt, not to work on obedience.

Let the dog work on its own, it will figure it out.

good luck and have fun

[Lund4ver]

Pups won't stray very far even at that age, they want to know where you are, and what you are doing, more so than what you want to know of what the dog is....Just speaking from my past expirences with three labs, and two springer spaniels.

[protiller]

Thanks guys, kinda what I thought. The only thing that I'm nervous about is that is the bird got in the corn and was running and the dog took off after it. It would be nice to have the check cord.

[gspman]

Carry one with you in your vest while on your hunt. If you need it then you have it and can catch your dog and put it on him.

[duckbuster]

Have you used a check cord when doing most of your yard work and other training? If the dog is comfortable with the check cord being there here is a very easy thing to do.

Leave the check cord on the collar. Instead of the 5',10' or whatever length you are using now cut it down to where it hangs about half way to the ground from her collar. She continues to get the feeling that she is on a check cord but it DOES NOT hinder her while hunting.

I can't imagine what it would be like to go into the woods or a corn field dragging a lengthy piece of rope.

GOOD LUCK & ENJOY THE HUNT!!!!!

[protiller]

Well, I ended up not using a check chord. The nervousness I had pretty much ended when we started hunting. Antime I called her she came right back to me. I ordered 4 birds, she found all four birds. I shot them and she brought each one back to me. I think I'll head back to the hunt club a couple more times to fine tune some other skills. It was a good day for both of us. As always, thanks for your advice.

-tiller