training dummies for piles

[chrokeva]

So we are starting to train hard and heavy on piles and baseball drills and I have a question regarding training dummmies. Right now I have been using all of my 3" dummies of which I have 8 and I am realizing that I am spending too much time putting out dummies so I would like to have at least 16.
The question is can I mix up my old 2" dummies and dokkens to make the 16 or do I need to go out and buy 8 more 3" dummies? The thing I worry about is that if I mix up all the varied dummies I now own that it will cause her to start "shopping" the pile? Any advice would be appreciated.

[polmaise]

Only if the dog has a preference to one over the over I would imagine ? But that would have been recognised on a single pile of the same earlier.
The desire to 'return' being the same momentum as the Go out' is something (this side of the pond) we condition from 4-5 weeks old . Some call it re-call. ..
But jokingly ,I'm serious ..
I'm sure there is a drill for this covered in the many programmes available though.

[gonehuntin']

Doesn't matter what mix you put out, a trained dog retrieves them all. If he doesn't there is a major hole in your training. I use a mix of 3", 2", plastic, canvas and Dokens in a mix of colors. Color is important; it varies the suck of the piles and lines.

[chrokeva]

Sounds good to me. Saves me about a hundred bucks by not having to purchase more dummies .
I have not started to use different colors in my training as of yet but think I may need to purchase a few orange dummies in the future.

[polmaise]

Personally never had a preference from the dog on colour ! ...In a pile . more a scent , but then it also depends on other factors ?
Colours are great for ''marking'' , but 'Pile work' isn't marking

[chrokeva]

Personally never had a preference from the dog on colour ! ...In a pile . more a scent , but then it also depends on other factors ?
Colours are great for ''marking'' , but 'Pile work' isn't marking

True True. We are not working on marking so color really should not matter.
I know the retriever people use the orange dummies for some more advanced training but not really sure how much of that I will be doing to be honest so maybe I will hold off on making a purchase of orange dummies right now. You guys are just saving me so much money today!

[mnaj_springer]

Personally never had a preference from the dog on colour ! ...In a pile . more a scent , but then it also depends on other factors ?
Colours are great for ''marking'' , but 'Pile work' isn't marking

True True. We are not working on marking so color really should not matter.
I know the retriever people use the orange dummies for some more advanced training but not really sure how much of that I will be doing to be honest so maybe I will hold off on making a purchase of orange dummies right now. You guys are just saving me so much money today!

Just think about color logically and consider the dog's vision. White will show up bright against most backgrounds (on the ground), and sometimes black does the same. Orange is nearly invisible to dogs. Etc. Use that info to get the results and proofing you desire.

[polmaise]

Does a dog pick up a Male pheasant in favour of a female pheasant.
They both smell of pheasant.

[chrokeva]

Good way to think about it mnaj!
Polmaise....is this a trick question? .

[welsh]

It's entirely possible dogs can tell the difference, but don't care.

[gonehuntin']

The reason you use Orange is for suck. If you have a white pile on each side and orange in the middle the dog always wants to fade to white. It's no great mystery or even worth arguing about. It simply teaches a dog to go where he's sent. It's practical application in hunting would be if you had a duck drifting toward a current, another one closer not in danger and you want the one that is in danger of hitting a current. It's nice to be able to give a dog a line and have it go where you want it. It's not hard to teach, just don't work tight lines. Sending a dog for a white bumper continually is akin to playing wing on a string.

[chrokeva]

The reason you use Orange is for suck. If you have a white pile on each side and orange in the middle the dog always wants to fade to white. It's no great mystery or even worth arguing about. It simply teaches a dog to go where he's sent. It's practical application in hunting would be if you had a duck drifting toward a current, another one closer not in danger and you want the one that is in danger of hitting a current. It's nice to be able to give a dog a line and have it go where you want it. It's not hard to teach, just don't work tight lines. Sending a dog for a white bumper continually is akin to playing wing on a string.

Yep I can see this as being a very good drill. OK back at ordering a few orange dummies this morning as I can see they will be useful in the future.

[gundogguy]

FC CFC Zeta was first introduced to casting drills and pile work 01/14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qvdUMdNEZ8

The goal was intended to give her a cursory understanding of Left and Right hand casts, along with good solid behavior when given the back command. I have no desire to make her a non-slip retriever. Knowing full well that she we never be sent from the heel position but rather from some point out in front of the handler. In the video at about the 33sec mark you should be able to notice that she is about 15ft in front of me with her back to the pile, the pile is about 60 yds out. I do agree with gonehunting concerning the quantity of white bumpers so in realty her reacquiring blind work comes freshly birds or deads. Good stuff Chrokeva!

[polmaise]

In the UK we use extensively 'Green Canvass' dummies/Bumpers for Blind retrieves and coloured ones for Marks when Training.
...
Green on the deck is 'blind' to the dog because we are after 'Nose' /scent .
Colour on the deck is 'sight'.
....
An orange or even Pink or any other colour on pile work as a retrieving drill is of no consequence as the dog is forced to the pile ,no matter the colour .

[ezzy333]

I wish they had used a different title for this thread. training dummies for piles sounds like one of those books for dummies dealing with a medical issue.

[chrokeva]

Video of Bridget and I working angle backs and overs this morning with the help of a place board. She is coming along well and I would say she is about 95% on this drill (at the distance I am working and in a controlled environment). Surprised at how many reps it took just to get to the point we are at.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0ccOSU ... e=youtu.be