Widgeon is a really keen retriever, to use one of Pippa's analogies of fire, he's a raging inferno!! I'm sure he would play all day if he could. He's always keenly chased and picked up anything and brought it straight back to me. The only problem is he's still a bit possessive. He will return tennis balls, knogs and a rubber chew toy every time to hand for a kibble treat every 4ish times But a dummy he will still parade around with and then lays down and chews it. I've had to patch them to stop the contents emptying over the floor. I'm hoping this is a puppy thing that he grow out of? He's not yet 9 months. I have increased the treats value, which gets him circling me but sometimes still not swapping. I had thought about putting the rubber toy in one of the canvas shells to ease him in? I'm happy to continue but was concerned chewing the dummy could lead to chewing game in years to come (don't know how likely that is?)
Re: Chewing dummy's Why not use a Hexabumper, he cannot damage that. Then when he has become more sensible with age, you could introduce dummies again. My 2 year old Lab when your dog's age, used to shake the dummy like a rat, but now he is older he doesn't do it any more. By using something that he will return to you with, you are laying a good foundation, if you continue with dummies his foundation may be to always chew them and lay down!
Re: Chewing dummy's Have you got the gun dog trust books? There is lots in that about refusing to hand over the dummy. I think the advice is basically if you've tried everything else for a couple of weeks, you should think about training the return in steps. I did this with my boy - he was about 7 months. I don't think he would have grown out of it, it looked like he was settling down to not bringing it back being a habit, but I don't know whether some dogs do.
Re: Chewing dummy's Yes, thanks Stacia, I was thinking of picking him up a Hexabumper at the game fayre next week. Julie, I don't have that book. I know you had issues with yours on the handover. Widg has got the hang of the handover, but I think the 'chewable dummy' is just to much for him at the moment. I followed your videos and advice carefully and I think it helped get where we are. I will carry on with the hard dummy's and hope to move on later. What sort of weights are the 2" and 3" bumpers? He has no problems with 3/4 or even 1lb dummy's.(he even picked a full grown cock bird and carried that around to my horror/pride)!
Re: Chewing dummy's The one I particularly like is the 'soft mouth dummy' from Sporting Saint. The Hexambumper I have is a bit stiff, I have the larger one, would have preferred the smaller one I think. Sorry, don't know the weights, but the ones I have are not heavy.
