For John and all the others who have gundog trained their dogs. Have you found your dogs can retrieve the orange dummies but not the green ones, or is it just Ebony. She can do a blind retrieve with the orange dummy but couldn't find the green one if it got up and bit her, even on short grass.
At gundog training the other night she failed to find anything (they ownly use green dummies) but out with me she can find orange dummies anywhere. I am going to take the orange dummies training next time.
Do you think she will get better as time goes on, my friends 7 mth old puppy can find either.

You may find she is just relying on vision, and hasn't yet realised that she needs to use her nose.

What happens if you throw a green dummy, she looks for it but doesn't find it, then you point it out to her? Will she then pick it?

She needs to learn that whatever you throw, she has to sniff out. So buy some green ones, go back to square one, and start by only throwing them a couple of feet. Surely she can't miss them then.

My guess is that she is using her eyes rather than her nose which is not that uncommon but she needs to learn to use her nose. I do some retrieves after dark so she has to use her nose. Your own garden is big enough for that to start with. When out, throw the dummy into long grass into the wind so the scent is coming back to her. Just a short distance at first. That way she will start using the scent rather than her eyes.

Hope that helps.
Regards, John

Thanks will try that.

I agree with Dave and John, she is using her eyes.

Two things you might try Nicolla :-) Would it be possible for you to *swop* dummies with a couple of people at your training class? I advised people to do this at our training classes, as it was very easy for some dogs to home-in on their own dummies and blank others. It doesn't have to be a perminent swop, just so your dog gets different dummies up her nose. The other thing that I would suggest is if you are using *new* dummies and placing your own blind retrieves/seens etc, that you rub the dummy on your dogs back/sides before you place them. Always work her into the wind when training too. Give her all the help that you can.
She'll work it out eventually :-)

Good Luck

Backside!!!!! Work her into the wind!!!!!! :D
Sorry very childish.

:rolleyes: lol

Well it is strange as my golden went to a gundog training day and retrieved the green dummies fine but didnt like the 1 orange dummy that was occasionly used!!!!!! :(

I must admit I have both green and orange dummies. I also have dummies made by "Quest", "Turner Richards" and some indeterminable ones from the URC shop. Add to that some plastic ones for the dummy launcher, just in case there is a difference in scent.

At the start of my class I collect up the dummies from the people taking part and add a couple of mine to them. They are then used at random from my dummy bag so what dummy is used by which dog is pure chance. That way the dogs get use to retrieving any dummy and do not cet into the habit of looking for their own dummy. When training my own dogs I use the dummies which have been used in class so even these have other dogs scent on them. I also have a tanned rabbit skin I use from time to time, so my dog never knows what she is going to find.

Regards, John

I have been out with Ebony tonight and you are all right she is looking for the dummies. I turned her away and hid them under some cut grass (green ones only) it took her a while but she found them. I noticed after that that she had her nose down more so will keep up the training.

One more question - Ebony goes to classes once a fortnight for 2 hours. How much training should I be doing away from the classes? At present I am going out everyday with her for about 30 minutes, sometimes it's just sitting and coming to the whistle, other times it's retrieving, and sometimes I throw the dummies around and I fetch them. Once a week we go to a river and retrieve across the river.
Is this too much or should she do more?

Sounds about the right amount to me. Just keep it short and sweet while she's doing well, then end it on a high note. That way, you feel happier that it's gone well, she feels happier, and you both look forward to it next time.

I'm not sure just how old Ebony is Nicolla, so what you do hinges very much on that. but as Dave says, it sounds about right.

I believe in little and often. I always do some steadiness to start with, throw some dummies around and collect them myself before I start the real work.

Always pick up more of the dummies yourself than you send Ebony for. This way you will keep her nice and steady.

Plan what you are going to work on that day in advance and if things don’t go right be prepared to make it a bit easier for that day. If you don’t plan it you wont get the most from it.

Start with something simple so she gets off to a good start as a confidence builder and try to always finish off with something she does well so you finish on a good note.

If things aren’t going well, do something simple then quit for the day.

The real secret is to leave her wanting another retrieve so don’t bore her. Some dogs will go on for ever while others just switch off if you carry on too long.

That should give you something to think about

Best wishes, John

Hi Nicolla, my dogs retrieve either colour, but I personally favour the orange ones because I can see them easier. We have some really long grass in the fields around here at present and last week I thought I'd lost a green dummy that my older dog couldn't find. I sent my younger dog in and she found it which was great. Incidentally, I have a 'golden coloured' dummy that Turner Richards are doing this year called the Golden Jubilee dummy. At least it was golden before it had landed in some very muddy woods.
I agree with the other advice on training. I try to always do something each day, even if its only five minutes. Just some nice heel work, and stopping on the whistle. Happy training!
Lorna

After 2 days with green dummies only she is much better and knows to search for them now, this morning she found all 4 straight away.
Our gundog training classes only run for another 3 sessions and I was looking for a trainer to help me train Ebony through the winter. Tonight myself and 2 others have conned the trainer who lives locally to us to help the three of us to train our dogs throughout the winter. We told him we'd pay him what our nearest local trainer charges, £10 an hour each, and after about 30 minutes of nagging the poor man he gave in and agreed.
Now we have discovered the joy of gundog training we're all eager to learn more and more!!!

Well done Nicolla, I love gundog work, in fact you could say its taken over my life, as I've got so involved. Its just so good to see the dogs doing what they were bred to do,and they obviously enjoy it so much. I've made some great friends over the last 2-3 years as well. Whereabouts in the country are you? Try the gundogs UK site and you'll find me and John and lots of other gundog nutters there.
Happy training
Lorna

Hi

We're in Plymouth, Devon. Our training classes are part of the SW dartmoor gundog club.

Sounds a lovely part of the country to be in. I'm sure you'll meet lots of other gundoggy people there. I've just started my younger dog jumping. A few weeks back she wouldn't attempt to jump but now she's sailing over with great enthusiasm. Is Ebony a labrador (black I presume!)?
Lorna

Hi

Yes Ebony is a labrador, aged 13 mths and she is indeed black.

My youngest is 13 months, born 1st June 2001, whens Ebony's birthday.

Ebony's birthday is 25th May. I have a labrador here who was born 1st June 2000.