Working a dog on a check cord - collar choice

[skunk]

When I work with my dog on a check cord in my yard, I almost always put a pinch collar on him so he's not pulling me around like a mule. This makes him much more controllable. However, when we're in the training field, I have been just using a flat collar but my dog's prey drive is so high, he constantly pulls me around. I'm about 170 and he's 55 pounds so I can manage it but it's annoying so I'm considering putting him on a pinch collar in the field just to keep him under control more.

I'm thinking I should use it sometimes and not others just to mix it up so he doesn't suddenly realize he's not on the pinch collar and go wild.

What do you do?

Also, just to clarify here -- I'm only talking about when I have him on a check cord.

[Eric]

Is your dog ecollar conditioned ?

[skunk]

Yes, but I need to keep him on a check cord in some situations for more control.

[RayGubernat]

When I work with my dog on a check cord in my yard, I almost always put a pinch collar on him so he's not pulling me around like a mule. This makes him much more controllable. However, when we're in the training field, I have been just using a flat collar but my dog's prey drive is so high, he constantly pulls me around. I'm about 170 and he's 55 pounds so I can manage it but it's annoying so I'm considering putting him on a pinch collar in the field just to keep him under control more.

I'm thinking I should use it sometimes and not others just to mix it up so he doesn't suddenly realize he's not on the pinch collar and go wild.

What do you do?

Also, just to clarify here -- I'm only talking about when I have him on a check cord.

Couple of thoughts...

You could loop the checkcord around the dog's waist creating a half hitch. The dog WILL NOT PULL with a half hitch around its belly.

A more permanent solution might be to go back to the yard and concentrate on heel. Then, when you bring the dog into the field, if it pulls, put it at heel. I do heel/whoa drills (after the manner of Paul Long, using a pigging string(poor man's version of the Smith wonder lead). A gentle pop on the string is generally sufficient to stop the dog in its tracks. If it is not...I have more yardwork to do.

Honestly, when I do field work, I have the checkcord on the flat collar, but the dog is also wearing (in my case) the prong collar. I do this because I let the dog run free for the most part and do not want the prong collar to stop the dog. However, if and when it scents a bird and stops, I want to pick up the cord, go to the dog and switch to the prong collar in case the dog moves or breaks, so I can correct it instantly.

I do recommend that you do yardwork until the dog starts and stops, comes in(all the way) and kennels up with a single command. it is boring, repetitive drilling, but it payas a HUGE dividend in the field. that dividend is the ability to trust the dog enough to let it go. With solid Obedience in place, your ability to control the dog's movements in the field will be so far advanced that you can in fact let run in the field without holding the cord, because a verbal command will inststop, turn or bring in the dog.

RayG

[cooperdux]

IMO- Heel means heel.

I am assuming you know this, but do not use a prong or choke chian off lead or check cord.

i would focus on basic heel, on a short lead and ecollar.
"NO!" and/or "Heel!" and a nic on the collar w/ a firm tug says alot (if collar conditioned).

[DonF]

I quit using pinch collar's over twenty years ago. 20' check cord with an overhand knot in your end and a decent pair of leather gloves. learn to feed the cord in and out and do your best to keep it off the ground. before you let the dog reach the end, give it the turn command, whatever you use and you clamp down on the cc and change direction. The thing that will make or break it is your timing of the command. That is why the cc doesn't drag but is off the ground and fed in and out by hand. Timing is every thing. By the time you get to the field with him, he should be either dragging the cc or off it and on an e-collar.