Are you tired of sifting through countless generic blogs about gundog training dummies? Look no further! At ADW Gundog Supplies, we offer valuable insights on the different types of training dummies available and their specific applications in gundog training. From pocket-sized Snipe dummies to massive 6lb Hare and Goose dummies, our range of products is designed to cater to your needs. Say goodbye to confusion and frustration, and discover the perfect training dummy for your furry companion. Explore our selection now and take your gundog training to the next level.
I'm a beginner, What are the basics I need?
This is ultimately down to your desired results and the dogs age. For example, If your starting out on your journey with a puppy the goal needs to be building in repetition and keeping it fun. A great dummy to use would be a 100g or less puppy dummy with a soft filling and no toggle or edges. This makes it easy for them to pick up.
As you progress or if your starting with an older dog you can build in new shapes, textures and colours making it more of a challenge. Dummies such as the dummy ball or slightly heavier 1/2lb dummy. These often feature a throwing toggle or rope so you can build a bit of distance between the dog and the retrieve.
Once you've nailed a solid fun retrieve you can slowly start to build, by adding distance and weight. It is advised to increase this slowly so not to add too much pressure too quickly.
A great alternative, especially for a Spaniel who's natural instinct is to hunt, Would be to add a Snipe dummy to your kit bag. Designed to be small but weighty, When thrown into cover they'll sink into it making it harder for your dog to find, This will really engage their brains as well as noses.
Which Colour Dummy should I purchase??
To help build a dogs confidence you need to set them up for the best chance to succeed. While a dog isn't colour blind, their range of colour vision is vastly limited compared to ours. You can use this to your advantage through your training journey by selecting different colours throughout, gradually swapping them over making them more difficult as time goes by.
White and Blue are the best starter colours as these are highly visible (White, not so much in snow). Once you've got the your exercises dialed in with these it's time to up the anti with more testing colours such as Orange, Red and Green. They'll still be able to see these but less so, engaging their noses into the retrieve.
Which Textures do I need?
A great foundation material is Canvas, This is both soft and to an extent, Washable. From there you can look at introducing PVC which will wipe clean and aid in marking as these are more often than not White.
Should you want to train your dog to work on a shoot or just up the anti, you can introduce Rabbit fur or Pheasant pelts, But these are recommended to add in once you have the basics nailed and at a slow pace.
What's the best starter kit for my Gundog training?
To sum up, a basic kit really doesn't need to be much. We would advise a decent slip lead, 6mm or 8mm is a popular preference. An Acme whistle, the variant would depend on the breed of dog you own. A small dummy and a couple of slightly larger 150g or 250g (1/2lb) dummies will be more than enough to get you started into the wonderful world of Gundog Training.
Written by ADW Gundog Supplies
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