new bumpers

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drake handler
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new bumpers

Post by drake handler » Sun Apr 03, 2011 1:31 pm

I have a 8 month old lab. And I got him a knew bumper because he woulden't retrive his old one. But this one is even worse all he does is chew on it and smell it what should I do?
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nikegundog
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Re: new bumpers

Post by nikegundog » Sun Apr 03, 2011 1:46 pm

Is it plastic or canvas? Have you tried both?

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gittrdonebritts
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Re: new bumpers

Post by gittrdonebritts » Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:52 am

Put him on a CC throw the bumper a short distance and reel him in slowly, don't yank on it pull slowly and praise him once he is by your side still holding the bumper, do it with a few different types of bumpers and he'll figure out after a few times that no matter what you throw he has too bring it back, other wise you would need to FF him when he is older JMO
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Cajun Casey
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Re: new bumpers

Post by Cajun Casey » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:15 am

I would start him with FETCH-HOLD-GIVE up close and would use treats. Most non-slip retrievers would probably do better with forcebreaking at an appropriate age.
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

drake handler
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Re: new bumpers

Post by drake handler » Wed Apr 06, 2011 6:09 pm

He used to really love his canvas bumper. But then I started to use birds and now he won't take his old canvas one or his new plastic one. So you think I spoiled him on the bird or somthing like that.
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Cajun Casey
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Re: new bumpers

Post by Cajun Casey » Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:19 pm

drake handler wrote:He used to really love his canvas bumper. But then I started to use birds and now he won't take his old canvas one or his new plastic one. So you think I spoiled him on the bird or somthing like that.
I think the problem is that the bumper was "his." Start over and work with "your" bumper. Even excellent natural retrievers should be working for you when they are having fun.

You might also consider the fact that his teeth are coming in and his mouth is constantly changing at this stage of his development. Try a soft and easy target. We love dollar store paint rollers.
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

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Re: new bumpers

Post by Trekmoor » Thu Apr 07, 2011 6:26 am

Been wondering ......... what kind of "bumpers" do you use in the U.S. ? In Britain we call bumpers "Dummies" and they are made of canvas with a sawdust filling contained in a sealed internal plastic bag. These dummies are often very stiff , hard and (obviously) lacking in scent. I break in new dummies by pounding them with a mallet to soften them then I sometimes rub cheese on them. It does seem to make them more attractive to dogs and they don't object to picking them up either. Maybe trying something like that would help this poster ?

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crackerd
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Re: new bumpers

Post by crackerd » Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:06 am

Howdy, Bill - think I remember telling you way back when and way over on the NOBs clubhouse that we use white bumpers to enhance a dog's marking ability and orange bumpers for blind retrieves because dogs don't see orange (or see it as orange), and almost always plastic/rubber bumpers because we give them a lot of water use and need something that can stand up to that kind of use. The best I can recommend, incidentally, is the DT Systems' South-Mouth Trainer, which doesn't have to be pounded with a mallet because it comes with an air valve, thus letting you deflate (or inflate) it to your preference. Also is festooned with embossed "squigglies" on the outside, thus enhancing a dog's carrying (i.e., "soft-mouthing").

Where we also differ from you all is over weighted dummies - what a bumper weighs is irrelevant because we're teaching a gundog to handle weight displacement,

Image

not the weight itself. They're all from the smallest spaniel capable of handling the weight, it's how they handle it what counts. We also train on cold game more frequently than with bumpers, which helps and likewise eliminates any need for scenting dummies (besides, rubber gives off a pretty good scent of its own, so if a dog's marked a fall, it'll have little trouble coming up with the pick of a bumper.

Cheers,

MG

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Re: new bumpers

Post by Trekmoor » Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:20 pm

Thanks MG , that's clarified things. I have 4 plastic dummies with little nodules on them I often use but as you probably know our tests are almost always run using Turner Richards 1lb. weight plain canvas dummies so I have to keep my dogs used to retrieving them. We do also have 3lb. weight canvas dummies which I never use and 6lb. weight canvas dummies which are supposed to get dogs used to carrying something getting near to a hares weight and bulk. I tried them many years ago and I felt they discouraged dogs from retrieving yet those same dogs would happily carry hares and geese.

My cocker Charlie was sent for his first ever hare last season and he picked it without thinking twice about it. He made a perfect job of it ......probably thought it was a big rabbit ! :lol: He also retrieved a fox somebody shot , I didn't send him ......... the little sod ran in ! :x
Biggest bit of "game" I ever had brought back to me was a seal last Autumn . My cocker Dax left the beach my wife and I were walking along, swam a short distance out to sea among some big waves and came back in with a dead seal held by the flipper ! Hope he hadn't pegged it ! :lol: He gave dragging it up the beach to me a good try but couldn't quite manage it ............. cockers are nuts !!!

Bill T.
The older I get, the better I was !

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