Check cords

[JasonW77]

I'm new to training hunting dogs and I was wondering if there is a correct distance i should train my dog to stay with in me. In the area I live (northwestern, wa) pointing isn't always going to work she will need to learn how to flush the bird from heavy cover where I can't get into. I see they sell check cords usually around a 20ft length is this a good distance or should I get something longer? I just want to teach her a good distance to stay within me for hunting. Thanks

[Ditch__Parrot]

Way too close. If your dog is hunting within 20 feet why have a dog? Generally I consider any dog that hunts closer than 150 yards a close working dog. I have one that seldom hunts further than 80 yards. Thats a real close working dog. Nice for working row crops or working a line. But she is still out finding birds that I wouldn't have otherwise stumbled across. You need that cute britt of yours to go find and point birds for you. How far is very debatable. It's generally a matter of what you are comfortable with. As far as flushing birds you can't get to you can always entertain the possibility of teaching them to "road in" after they have pointed.

Check-cord is generally used for teaching commands. Not for subduing range. Range is hardwired. You can teach them to recall and call them back in evertime they get too far out for you. After sometime I think they would stay within your range and hunt if you are consistent with it. Or teach a command to change direction and when they start getting out of a range you are comfortable with have them change directions a couple times while you catch up. Or even just whoa them untill you catch u a bit..............

Or....You could just let her roll............you might even find you like it.........

My 2 pennies anyway.

[Benny]

There are some great arguments on here about distance and range when training. I would review them in the topics below. From what I've come to understand, you can increase the distance of the check cord over time for "whoa" breaking. As for ranging distance and hunting distance natural within your dog...its natural. I don't think your check cord work with the dog will shorten his/her range.
What could work over time is your dog finding birds within close range of you. That means planting birds in the 20 to 30 yard range or less and training the dog to stay close. Sounds like you guys are a ways away from working with planted birds, but it is a thought for consideration.

[Neil Mace]

There are those pointing dogs that are best hunted as flushers, I have a couple in my kennel.

But the real value of a pointing dog is to find birds that you would be likely to walk by without them.

Might be best to train the dog to point, and then, while keeping it under control, let it hunt.

And guys, of course you can shape the range of a dog. Some is genetics, but if we could not both shorten and push a dog out, we would have more field trial washouts, more bootlickers and far more run-offs. It is large part of what I do in training a dog. Getting them to point (or flush) is pretty easy, getting them to find wild birds takes training.

Neil

[Ruffshooter]

You can train the dog to hold its point untill commanded to flush. Takes more effort, to keep the dog steady until you get there but can be done. In fact there is a fella here from the UK or IR that I believe trains that way. Can't remember his handle.

[Prairie dog]

Or you can deceit a staunch dog that goes with the flushing bird by tossing a rock,or a clump of dirt in the bush that will make noise that fools the dog in to thinking the bird has flushed and go with the noise, most times the dog will flush the bird and the dog does not know any better.

But all that a side , it sounds to me like you made the wrong choice in dogs. A lab is what you need ..

[JasonW77]

I'm really happy I join this forum. Everyone here is great thanks for all the info

[gonehuntin']

What a cc does is to teach a pup to work to a whistle and in a quartering pattern. It also allows you to control them later on birds when you let them drag it. You can walk up on the pup, grab the cc, then flush the bird and have control of the dog. A cc has very little to do with range control. It's more of an obedience and control training aid.

[RayGubernat]

Jason-

What type of hunting have you done previously and what type of dogs(if any) have you been exposed to in the field?

Our perceptions of what is right and wrondg can be colored by our experiences or by what we have been told. I would like you to start out as right as you can, both for yourself and your dog.

If you would rather use the private mail feature of this bulletin board, I would be happy to help you in any way I can.

RayG