Posted: Sun Sep 27, 09 3:22 pm Post subject: Dummy Launchers
Advice needed please, I am training my two year old black lab retriever, and was considering a dummy launcher, but am not sure if the expense is worth it. If all it does is catapult a dummy, then why not just throw one?...Or does it go "BANG" too?
Has anyone tried one, or have any advice to offer please? Thanks
Tavascarow
Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 8407 Location: South Cornwall
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 09 6:19 pm Post subject:
They use .22 blanks so do make a bang.
Nothing like a shotgun though.
If you have a friend with a shotgun get them to fire in the air then lob the dummy.
Keep the gun at a distance to start.
You don't want to ruin the dog by making it gunshy.
Better for you just to control the dog at first.
She's not gunshy, the opposite really, gets so excited and can't wait to start quartering the ground in search of the quarry. She has problems with feathers, mind, and struggles collecting woodies, but is fine on rooks and crows. I just thought a launcher might take her forward a bit more.
If I have her clipped to a ground anchor in the hide, when I shoot and miss, (as I usually do), she still immediately wants to go check the field to retrieve, so maybe I don't require a launcher at all, I dunno, what do you lot think?
Tavascarow
Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 8407 Location: South Cornwall
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 09 8:15 am Post subject:
Think you are trying to run before walking.
If she is over excited the same advice as earlier would apply.
Getting her used to the gun from a distance with you hands free to calm her & reasure.
Keeping her sat till you command to retrieve.
Having a dog running in is considered bad manners & can be dangerous.
Take her to a clay pigeon shoot & watch from a distance calming her all the time.
If she becomes overexcited move further away, out of site (but safe) from the guns.
The sheer volume of shots will get her so used to guns going off she will eventually except it as background noise.
I don't think a dummy launcher would be good now as she will associate the bang with a retrieve every time & compound your problems.
Keep practising retrieving with a thrown dummy & no gun shot & when she is behaving well to gun noise elsewhere bring the two together.
Jenna
Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Posts: 263 Location: Away with the fairies
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 09 8:59 am Post subject:
Agree with Tavascarow, work on her steadiness first Are you planning to work her in company or do trials? If not, and she'll just be a rough shooting companion, a bit of exciteability (is that a word???) won't hurt, but running in can still be dangerous I tend to keep steadiness to flush, retrieving and steadiness to gunshot all seperate at first (easy for me cos I don't shoot meself and work the dog for a dogless neighbour who does, so I'm not tempted to put all 3 together until I'm ready)
Are you planning to work her in company or do trials? If not, and she'll just be a rough shooting companion, a bit of exciteability (is that a word???) won't hurt, but running in can still be dangerous 
I tend to keep steadiness to flush, retrieving and steadiness to gunshot all seperate at first (easy for me cos I don't shoot meself and work the dog for a dogless neighbour who does, so I'm not tempted to put all 3 together until I'm ready)
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