Looking for advice here once again. Kingston is now 9 months old and I am still having issues with him and the recall or "come" command. I admit that I believe it is more likely my fault and am looking for people who can help me correct my mistakes. I've read a few posts here, but they are all fairly old so I wanted to start a fresh thread.

I'll start from the beginning...

When we first decided to get a chessie we knew that we were in for a huge learning curve. We enrolled him in puppy kindergarten and start training him the basics. My ideal job for Kingston is for him to become a bird dog, but I understand that he must be reaching the stars in his basic obedience before moving on.

I believe that the biggest mistake was not continually using a check cord. I have used one, along with a regular leash and a flexi leash for those leisurely walks around the neighbourhood. I plan to go back to the basics and use a check cord for a little longer, but it seems as though Kingston's urge to explore gets the better of him. I have felt that he deserves the freedom to explore, but when he doesn't come when called I wish that I had him on a check cord or the latter, an electric collar.

It seems as though the neighbourhood deer droppings and the geese that are beginning to show up are causing such a distraction that he doesn't come 100% of the time anymore. It was only a month ago when he was coming in evertime. Is it the spring smells that distract a dog or should I simply keep Kingston on a check cord ALL the time. How do chessies respond to the electric collar?

It's hard to truly explain the situation we're in here. We have noticed that Kingston has started to test us again in the house. He is "stubborn" with his basics commands inside the house. We don't give him many treats. Should we be thinking about luring him in with treats? I didn't want to have to bribe my dog to perform a task. And I don't want to develop a dog who EXPECTS a treat everytime he does something that we ask.

When pups are younger they come to you because they want to. The older and more independent he becomes the more trouble you will have. He probably knows the "here" command and is blowing you off. Because he knows that he can. He is at an age that I would put a e-collare on and condition him to here. Probably won't take a week or so. He'll come running when you say "here" Alot of people on here don't use collars. I respect and admire their decision. A collar is a very effective and humane way to reinforce a command that the dog knows. I'll bet yours knows exactly what you are telling him to do. Just for safety reasons you need your dog to come when called.

Greg,

I would assume that you use an e-collar for your dog? Do you have any preference on the type of e-collar. I have heard a lot about the tri-tronics e-collars, but the ones that I had in mind are all sold out at cabelas.

Can anyone point me in any direction on literature of the use of e-collars?

Are there any special treats that I might be able to start using that may change Kingston's attitude to coming when called?

I would buy a TT. You can probably order it online. It should be cheaper that way. If your dog is blowing you off on basic commands I would either use a checkcord and a prong collar or an e-collar when you are ready. Like Kent said you don't teach with the collar, you enforce commands that he already knows.

I am very new to this too, but I have one suggestion. I would do some research, and find the local Hunting retriever club. I found it very useful with my pup who turned 9 months today.

There are ton's of resources out there, you just have to use them to their fullest. And definitely never give up!!!

Good Luck,

Josh

Muddy Twelve Gauge

Thanks for the input guys. I think that we will try the check cord for a bit longer. We have a prong collar on order. I tried the closest retriever club and they said that I lived too far away (1 1/2hrs).

As for the comment that Kingston should be hunting already, I would like to point out that he was only a pup starting obedience training when we got him in September when our hunting season begins. This spring and summer will be spent training him with bumpers and hopefully others with retrievers. I am new to bird hunting. I have never hunted ducks or geese, so this fall should be a learning curve for both Kinston and I.

Don't let anyone get under your skin about timelines for when a dog should be hunting (or whatever!).

It's normal for adolescent dogs to blow off their trainers/handlers/owners. Basically it comes with the territory. You just have to ensure that this doesn't become a habit. The advice that people provided is sound, and if you act on it them you should be set. Many problems with delivery of game are actually recall problems, so it's worth getting this fixed and fixed right.

Best, Claire

Thanks for your input Kent. I would have had Kingston Hunting at 9 months, it's just that there are three reasons for him not hunting at such a young age:

1)When we got him he was too young to be fetching ducks and geese. I was more focused on the basics.

2)I took him grouse hunting when he was 3-4 months and he loved it. He loved it so much that his eyes seemed to "pop" out of his head when he had a grouse in his mouth. Then, I heard it's not a good idea to get a dog hunting at such a young age.

3)We have no duck or goose season up north here in January or February. The only season we get is in the fall. Wish I lived down in the lowermainland or on Vancouver Island. Sounds like they had a blast there this winter.

All in all. I will try to keep Kingston on as short a leash as possible. I agree that it's important as well to meet people with experience training dogs. We will be trying to start a retriever club of our own here.

When to start hunting is an individual decision. Early hunting has its pitfalls, and for a beginning trainer, holding off until good habits are established could be the right call.

Whether or not to use the ecollar is an individual decision. Whatever tools you use, Kingston needs to know you mean it and will follow through. This doesn't mean you're necessarily going to get rough on him, just that he IS going to end up coming, any time you call him. He is still young, and still learning rapidly, which means he will notice if you stop enforcing "here."

A good way to make use of a long cord is to let him drag it around. When you call him, the dragging cord makes it relatively easy for you to catch him if necessary. I myself don't like the Flexis. I think that tension of any kind on a lead or line encourages a dog to tune you out.

Hope this helps,

Amy Dahl