Part 2: "Come, Go With Me" - A Step-by-Step Guide

The “Come, Go With Me” drill teaches a gun dog to move through the field while remaining connected to the handler’s direction. Instead of controlling every step with verbal commands, the handler uses movement, body language, a leather training collar, and a check cord to establish a silent working partnership.

This drill follows early recall work and becomes the movement foundation for heel, stand, and more advanced field handling.

The finished dog should hunt with independence while still noticing where the handler is going. Think of it as an invisible connection running from your movement to the dog’s collar: the dog has freedom to work, but it does not forget that the two of you are moving through the field together.

What Does “Come, Go With Me” Mean?

“Come, Go With Me” is not a formal recall. The dog does not return all the way to the handler and stop.

Instead, the dog learns to:

• Hunt or explore in front of the handler

• Notice when the handler changes direction

• Turn with the handler

• Maintain a useful working range

• Continue forward in the new direction

The pattern often resembles a windshield wiper or zigzag. The dog moves across the handler’s path, turns with a change of direction, and works back across the front.

The purpose is not to manufacture an artificial pattern. It is to teach the dog that the handler’s movement matters.

When Is Your Dog Ready?

Before beginning this drill, your dog should:

• Be comfortable wearing the leather training collar

• Move confidently in an open field

• Respond to light check-cord guidance

• Have an early understanding of recall

• Remain engaged for a short training session

The dog does not need perfect obedience. In fact, this drill helps create the attention that later obedience depends on.

Choose a quiet field without birds or strong distractions for the first sessions. Your dog needs to learn the movement pattern before being asked to perform it around game.

Equipment for the Drill

You will need:

• A properly fitted Leather Training Collar

• A check cord long enough to give the dog room to move

• An open field with good visibility

• Gloves if needed for safely handling the cord

• Comfortable footwear that allows you to keep moving

Position the leather training collar according to its instructions, low behind the dog’s regular ID collar.

Inspect the collar, snap, and cord before every session. Keep the cord clear of fences, vehicles, dense brush, and other hazards. Never wrap it around your hand or allow the dog to hit the end at full speed.

Step 1: Begin With Forward Movement

Enter the field and begin walking with purpose. Allow your dog to move ahead of you rather than holding it at heel.

Keep your head up and concentrate on your own direction. The dog should learn to watch where you are going; you should not follow every place the dog chooses to go.

Allow some exploration, but keep the working range manageable through the check cord.

Step 2: Establish the Invisible Connection

Imagine a line connecting your belt buckle to the dog’s collar. As you move, remain aware of the dog’s location through the check cord without keeping it tight.

A loose cord means the dog is moving within the available range. Constant tension makes it difficult for the dog to recognize individual cues.

Your goal is to create communication through brief moments of contact followed by an immediate release.

Step 3: Make Your First Direction Change

As the dog moves toward one side of the field, turn and walk diagonally in the opposite direction.

Commit to the turn. Do not stop and wait for the dog or continue following it while calling repeatedly.

Give the dog an opportunity to notice your movement. If it turns with you, continue walking and allow the cord to remain loose.

The dog begins learning that watching your direction keeps the drill easy.

Step 4: Use the Check Cord to Support the Turn

If the dog continues in its original direction, use a brief check-cord cue to interrupt that movement and direct its attention toward your turn.

Release the pressure as soon as the dog changes direction. Continue moving rather than pulling the dog all the way across the field.

The check cord should say, “Pay attention to this change,” not, “I will drag you everywhere you need to go.”

Timing and release are more important than force.

Step 5: Build a Natural Zigzag Pattern

Continue walking through the field while making smooth changes of direction.

The dog should begin moving from one side of your path to the other, turning when you turn and remaining generally in front of you. Keep the pattern broad enough to feel natural rather than making constant sharp pivots.

During the early sessions:

• Keep the pace steady

• Turn before the dog reaches an unsafe distance

• Use the cord only when necessary

• Avoid repeated verbal commands

• Reward attention by continuing the movement

Several good turns are more valuable than a long, tiring session.

Step 6: Let Body Language Do the Teaching

One of the most important features of this drill is its silence. Too much talking can make the dog dependent on repeated commands and less attentive to the handler’s movement.

Use your shoulders, feet, pace, and direction to communicate. When you turn, turn clearly. When you move forward, commit to that direction.

The quieter you become, the more opportunity the dog has to notice the information already available through your body.

Step 7: Add a Directional Cue

Once the dog is regularly turning with your movement, you may add a directional cue such as “hoooeee.”

This cue does not mean “come all the way back.” It means “turn and go with me.”

Say it once as you make the turn. If needed, pair it with a brief check-cord cue, then release the pressure when the dog follows.

Keep recall and the directional cue distinct:

• Recall: Return directly to the handler.

• Directional cue: Turn and continue in the handler’s new direction.

Clear definitions prevent confusion later in the field.

Step 8: Reduce Check-Cord Assistance

As your dog begins anticipating changes in direction, allow the check cord to remain loose for longer periods.

Do not rush to remove it. First, make sure the dog can follow your movement:

• In more than one field

• At different times of day

• With mild environmental distractions

• From different positions in front of you

• Without requiring a cue on every turn

Under safe conditions, the dog may eventually drag the cord while you continue practicing the same pattern.

Step 9: Introduce Controlled Field Distractions

After the movement pattern is dependable, introduce distractions gradually.

Begin with mild environmental interest before progressing to the excitement of birds. When distractions are added, shorten the range and simplify the drill.

If the dog becomes completely disconnected from your movement, return to an easier environment. The purpose is to strengthen cooperation, not create a battle between the handler and the dog’s instincts.

Step 10: Carry the Lesson Into Other Commands

The attention developed in this drill supports the rest of the Best Gun Dogs system.

Once the dog understands how to follow your movement:

• Recall brings it directly back to you.

• Heel places it beside you.

• Stand teaches it to stop and remain stationary.

These are not isolated tricks. They are different applications of one communication system.

Common “Come, Go With Me” Problems

My dog ignores my turn

Your turn may be too subtle, too late, or made after the dog is already absorbed in a distraction. Turn earlier, commit to the new direction, and use a brief check-cord cue if needed.

The check cord stays tight

You may be holding the dog at a fixed distance instead of allowing it to make choices. Create more slack and use brief contact only when communicating a change.

My dog follows behind me

Keep your own energy forward and choose an open area that encourages exploration. Avoid repeatedly turning toward or crowding the dog.

My dog runs straight to the end of the cord

Shorten the working range temporarily and turn sooner. Do not allow repeated high-speed impacts at the end of the line.

I have to keep talking

Return to clear body movement. Practice several silent turns and allow the collar and cord to support your direction when necessary.

My dog performs in one field but not another

This is place learning. Practice the drill in several low-distraction fields before expecting the same response around birds or unfamiliar cover.

Movement Before Close Control

The “Come, Go With Me” drill teaches your dog that freedom in the field still includes attention to the handler. The leather training collar and check cord provide a physical connection at first, but the lasting goal is a dog that follows your movement without requiring constant restraint or conversation.

Keep the sessions short. Move with purpose, use the cord lightly, release pressure promptly, and allow the dog’s confidence to grow.

Once that directional connection is established, continue the progression with the step-by-step heel guide. After the dog can move with you and beside you, the stand command begins teaching stationary control.

For video demonstrations of cord handling, silent turns, field patterns, and the complete training progression, join the Best Gun Dogs Virtual Training Course. The handcrafted Leather Training Collar gives you the same foundational tool used throughout the program.