I have been working my first chessie, he will be 6 years old this year. He is by far the best retriever I have ever owned or worked.

He got his HR title before he was 14 months, but since then we just can not get past the issue of breaking. Hunting, unless I am hunting with another dog, he doesn't break--another dog present, he is leashed solid.

He is a solid marker and excellent control with the blinds, being steady with another dog present is not happening. All the people in our club own labs, I have used their methods it works for a while, but not at hunt test. He has became Hunt Test wise.

The one thing I have learned about chessies is they seem to never forget....he broke on his 2nd HRCH test and since then we have been 0/3. Needless to say I have quit running him at hunt test but I still train him on a regular basis. Any suggestion will be appreciated--one important note, e-collar is not an option--he won't break with a e-collar on.

Have you tried a snubbing post with a good check cord?

I guess I ought to list everything I have done.

1. Lose check cord that provides a good yank when the end is reached.
2. Shank rope--not my choice, but some of the pro's in the club. Cord goes around waist, if he moves an inch helper lifts his butt of the ground.
3. E-collar around waist
4. Heel stick with helper to correct
5. Always when he breaks-no retrieve and gets put up and other dogs ran.

It looks like you have covered the bases, but I would try never letting him off a check cord. Train with as many people and dogs around as you can, with a long cord, and never let him off the cord. Even by yourself in the yard, at least have him on a short cord. For exercise, a 50 or 100 footer. And never let him get away with anything. If you say here and he wants to stop and piddle, pop him with the cord. Not vicious, just enough to let him know you mean business. When you feed him, make him sit and wait to be released to eat. Anything that he wants to do, make him wait to be released for, especially around other dogs. It sounds like he has a jealously issue going on, so you are going to have to show him that he doesn't get everything. If someone else is working their dog, leash him up tight, sit him so he is out of the way and make him honor the other dogs as they work. If he is collar wise, you are going to have to do it all amish. Good luck

I'd lose all the training aids - except other dogs, tennis shoes, stern (but not harsh) correction and absolute consistency.

Tell you what...I figure most people whom have had any other retriever and move to chessies are in a world of shock. I have never seen a dog that is so easy to work with and personalable. Anytime a correction is done ( verbal 99% of the time) the look I get is unforgetable.

I figure it is just gonna take some time and consistancy with this. Our club has a training day scheduled for this weekend, I plan to sit in a chair and let him watch. We will see what happens.

I have the same problem. Be careful about sitting in a chair and having him watch. When I have my dog watch for a few dogs he starts verbalizing. Two dogs I stroke his head say no bird good dog.Then walk away.I make every effort to calm him down instead of using stick or anything else. It only seems to make the situation worse.Just my approach and opinion. Keep in mind my dog is only doing derby so I have had no real honor situation yet. Could be wasting my time.

Yep, he will start whinning--a little spray bottle with mist of water and a firm "quit" usually settles him down. I might do that let him watch a couple then move on..

I sure wish I ran derby's with him--tell you the truth I didn't find about this "retriever game" until I bought my chessie--Now I am hooked...I run 99% HRC stuff--bought I have thought about venturing into the AKC side--

assuming may make an ass of me...but I assume you have not tried the 'lie down' approach...I have seen this work with hard charging dogs that were made to lie down while on honor.

Perhaps he would realize that to lie down = no work...whereas sit = watch, mark, retrieve....

Juli

Oh yes...tried, still do when he is honoring though.

By the way I have noticed some judges want a dog sitting, believe me the judges get my opinion. I sometimes ask, " so do also need to blind fold my dog in order to run a blind "....they don't appreciate it that much, sometimes it gets a good laugh.

In response to your question-I had the same trouble.I started writing once but, lost it somehow.So here goes.Kind of complicated but it worked.I put two(2) collars on my old chess Pete.I did some heel training,etc. got a couple of corrections in then ran a hunttest scenario. My training group had a triple and an honor set up.wkng dog on left hnr dog on right.Birds fell left to right w/good delays between marks.Last mark fell out past hnr dog.(To increase jealousy factor!)Now upon coming to the line,I made a big deal out of taking off "his" collar.(while leaving the other one on!)Left collar and trnsmttr.While someone in gallery had trnsmtr to the other.As the last mark fell he could'nt stand it!He bolted!!Well my helper in the crowd burned him.He flipped out!Yelped,jumped,bit at his neck,then returned to heel.we went back to the holding blind.waited a bit then re-ran.He was steady as stump! I made a believer out of him that day! Believe it or not,he never broke at a hunttest again.Most times had to use while hunting though,to much excitement! Give a try,let me know if it works!!! C-YA

Use a pinch collar with the check cord.

Every single one of you all have good ideas. Believe me I will probably try all of them. But what I have learned over the past few years is it really doesn't matter how you do it, just be consistent in the way you do it. So I have refocused my train on true discpline with a solid obedience. No, I am not saying beating the dog, I am just not giving an inch on obedience. I figure some of if not all of the problems that occur at hunt test were caused by me in some way or another. So, I have went back to the KISS--Keep it simple stupid.

So I have not ran my dog in a hunt test for about 18 months now. Obedience prior to every training session, with guick and solid sits. Very little "hunt test" training, just a lot of walking marks and blinds with strict obedience all the time...the butt moves, a correction, the butt comes off the ground correction.

I have also purchased a little girl chessie. I have been slowly introducing her to the stick men marking drill-- throwers, while I am doing this the big ole boy sits and watches. He is holding steady.

Yes, when we get in a hunt test game I imagine he will break--that is why I plan on doing some mock hunt test late summer or early fall, just before hunt test start up again. Wish me luck..

Thanks again for all the replies..