I have started doing some gundog training with m 2 year old springer (she already knows quite a few commands etc.) and I am not bothered if she doesnt do that well, just want to have some fun with her She is not like most springers and is very calm. I hae only been training with her 3 times but the oly problem we have is that I have to tell her a few times to fetch the dummy and sometimes she isnt bothered at all. She is used to carrying rabbits/birds about the farm (which have been shot and thrown for her/she has caught) but she hasnt had either for months.
I have got her coming to a whistle and am teaching her directions now. She stops and sits when I blow the whistle.
This is the first time I have done any gundog traning. Does anyone have any suggestons as to how I can get her more interested? When she is "in the mood" to fetch the dummy, she loves it!
Also I a looking for a dummy, but dont know which sort to buy? The other people in the gun dog club seem to all have the plain canvas ones (I would ask them, but im not going for a few weeks now) Are those best? Or shall I get one that looks like a duck? or a rabbit pelt one? thanks for any advice

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If in the past she has picked fur/feather with no problems then try out a rabbit skin dummy - it should be much more interesting for her. I would also forget any steadiness for the moment; instead, let her run in after the retrieve, make it fun fun fun. Encourage her as much as possible, almost as if she was a puppy! Once she is picking this dummy happily every time, you can either start cutting strips off the rabbit skin (so that more of the canvas is exposed) or alternatively buy a half-skin rabbit dummy. If this works, you can then move onto a plain canvas dummy.

Remember though, don't give her more than 6 retrieves per session, you don't want to bore her. Even if she's only picking 2 or 3 enthusiastically then that's fine, don't push for more, just stop there and let her know how clever she is - at this stage you're looking for consistency, quality and enjoyment, not quantity.

I take it she likes to hunt (you say she's caught rabbits/birds)? A spaniel that loves to hunt is less likely to want to retrieve - spaniels live to hunt! If you want her retrieving more enthusiastically I would try to curb the amount of free-hunting she is allowed to do.

At the end of the day, if you are simply looking to have fun, nothing more serious, then it doesn't really matter if all she picks are rabbit skin dummies or Dokken phessies - as long as you're both enjoying yourselves . If you are training in a group setting though, you may have to take the dummy she prefers with you when you go if she won't pick plain canvas. It's no biggy though .

Hope this helps!

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thanks

I have been throwing traeats for her sometimes, and hiding them for her to find, and she is more interested now I give her lots of fuss when she returns toys to me.

I have seen some stuff that you put on dummies that smells of phesant.Has anyone used that?

She hasnt caught any rabbts this year as all the local ones died of myxi over the winter but she used to catch them last year and bring them to me without a mark on.
She is very soft mouthed and often comes into the hous with (unmarked) eggs that my chickens have layed in strange places (not in the hen-house)

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Is there a good Working Trials Club near you? WT people often train with play, which helps motivate the dog.
To encourage my dog to retrieve I was taught to play tuggy with his retrieve toys (ball on rope or dummy). So bringing it back meant he got an exciting game, which he loved. Of course you have to also teach a Release!

Good stuff! Sounds like she's catching on and having fun.

I've never used dummy scent of any kind - I don't know if this would happen but I'd be wary incase my dog became dependent on scent or started blinking plain dummies. Besides, the dummies that I use pong anyway, they don't need more scent! However, if it gets her to retrieve or makes the dummy more attractive to her, you could give it a go. Personally I'd try out the rabbit dummy first, or if you could get a pair of pheasant/duck wings you can attach them to a plain dummy using elastic bands.

Sorry about the myxi rabbits - we had the same problem up here last year, whereas this year they're everywhere! Great steadiness training for the youngster .

ClaireandDiasy, working trials training is slightly different in that it doesn't matter if the dog is hard mouthed. I agree, tuggy is a great reward for dogs, but it is rather frowned upon when training a gundog since the dog is encouraged to bite down.

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