Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:04 am Post subject: Holding a dummy central
I have noticed in the last few weeks that Alfie's holding of dummies is getting worse.
He motors out to them so fast that its fairly random how he picks them up.
Even if he does pick them up central,, he seems to juggle them about and loose grip on them and will often carry them by the toggle.
Any ideas how i can correct this ??
After a recent trainign session someone i think sugested placing the dummy in the mouth how you want it,
But lets say dog is 50 yards away on his way back,, starts juggling it then,,, do i dart out to him and replace it out there,, ???
much of it seems to be grip,,, i wonder if he is that soft mouthed that thats part of the issue,, as plastic dummies with grips and also phesant type dummies he carries nicely.. it seems to be canvas when it gets slobbery.
We had something similar with Shadow a while ago but we took the toggles off and he started picking them up closer to the middle. Now, I'm not saying he will pick a dummy up perfectly and I don't really care about that but he does bring rabbits back every time without dropping them. I guess it depends what you want from your dog at the end of the day.
A lot of people who rough shoot round here, don't use their labs for fur but keep them for feather only. Would this be a problem? What about putting a bunny pelt round the dummy, the full grown rabbits fit almost exactly
Andy one of the posts I've put on here a few times now is on the fact that all of your scent collects on the end of the canvas dummy where you carry them ie around the toggle and your dog is attracted to that scent.
One of my tips is too power wash all your canvas dummies and allow them to dry, then try to remember to carry them and throw them by the centre of the dummy, so building up your scent in the place that you want your dog to carry the dummy. It works honestly.
His carrying will improve on game etc. as he gets more experience, but if you want to do a few more tests on canvas dummies the above is well worth a try.
Now, here's a long shot but what about putting something grippy round the middle to give him the hang of where it should be? Gaffer tape, strips of rabbit pelt, something along those lines?
How old is he? Oak holds things very lightly, so much so that I often knock the dummy out of his mouth when I go to take it from him. He picks up the dummy in the centre, but as your describe sometimes it slides to the side of his mouth as he gallops to me. I asked the trainer on weds and he wasn't concerened - it is a puppy thing he said and far better that he holds lightly that puts his teeth in.
I follow Jill's advice about the holding in the middle myself though, and Oak always picks the dummy in the centre.
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