Dummy training

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Two dummies

When Dummytraining dogs are in the terrain to waidgerechten retrieving wherein instead of the wounded or dead prey a designed dummy ( Dummy :) (see also feed dummy is used).

Originally, certain breeds , the retriever , for the hunting of waterfowl bred for retrieving after the shot. In order to be able to do without dead or even living game in dog training, dummies are used. These usually consist of canvas or canvas bags that are filled with plastic granulate or sawdust.

In the meantime, this special type of training has developed into an independent discipline that still follows the basic idea of ​​hunting training, but is practiced by many from a purely sporting point of view. Due to the changing terrain and various retrieval tasks, this is a very demanding, interesting and varied job for the dog, which challenges him physically and mentally. The good interaction between handler and dog are the basis of every successful dummy work.

The entire dummy work is based on the three pillars of marking, searching and instructing.

To mark

Golden Retriever with Duck Dummy

A well-trained retriever should closely follow the (simulated) hunting process if he quietly waits next to his handler during the drive. He should independently observe the trajectory of the "shot game birds" and note (mark) the fall point. A retriever must have the ability to estimate the distance to the fall site, even if it cannot observe the bird's trajectory entirely, only partially. The fall point of the piece is often hidden in the vegetation, behind bushes or trees, so that the dog cannot see it. Even then, a good retriever is expected to be able to judge the direction and distance to where the piece falls.

The retriever is sent on the hunt as soon as a piece has fallen and the line of shooters has stopped. He can then work without any major delay. When driving at a stand , however, in order not to disturb the driving process, the dog can only be fetched after the driving has ended. While driving, the dog is only sent to injured, fleeing game (English runner); this for reasons of hunting ethics. A good retriever must therefore be able to memorize several fall points from pieces shot (markings) at the same time, even over a longer period of time. After the end of the booth, he should then approach them with confidence, work them out one after the other and bring the shot pieces. A well-trained retriever is able to run up and bring fallen, but still living pieces before those that have already died.

When it comes to marking, it's not just eye skills that are required. In the fall area, the piece is mostly invisible to the dog in the higher vegetation, so that it has to learn to use its nose like any other hunting dog. He should search independently in a narrow area around the fall site, but without going into a large-scale search. If the piece is injured and flees, the dog must independently pick up the track or the trail of the piece and work it out. Upon reaching the injured game, the dog is expected to grab and fetch without hesitation or further orders.

Search

Golden Retriever doing dummy training on the water

Searching, also called “free lost search”, is understood to mean a fetch in which the dog could not mark and the dog handler does not know exactly where the game is falling. The dog should find the game by searching independently. If the game is shot, the dog must pick up the trail, work it out and bring the game.

In hunting practice, independent work is therefore of the greatest importance when searching for a lost one, because the dog handler can only show the dog the approximate direction of the search area. Many lost searches take place in high vegetation, where it is no longer possible for the dog to ask his handler for help. There can also be a combination of marking and searching, for example if a marked piece of game falls into dense cover or a piece of game (runner) that has been shot escapes from the fall site. In addition, there is the possibility that only the dog handler could mark the game. Then the dog must be instructed on the fall site and search there on command.

Instruct

When instructing the dog handler directs the dog with the help of voice, whistle and hand signals as directly as possible into the fall area of ​​the piece. In contrast to the free search for lost things, the dog should not look into the wind and cover larger areas. The dog should follow the handler's instructions and be easy to direct. In this work, the dog is largely dependent on the handler and should respond obediently and precisely to the help and directional information. As soon as he has arrived in the target area, he should start an independent search in a very narrow area on command. Therefore, he must not lose his independence when instructing.

When you arrive at your destination, you expect initiative, independence and the will to find something from him. The purpose of this working method is to get possession of the dog as quickly as possible while conserving the dog's strength and disturbing as little terrain as necessary.

When instructing, it is very important to have an absolutely clean basic training. Before starting any targeted training, the dog should have already been taught the basics of safe obedience. In the exercises you have to break down the task area into several small parts. Each sub-task is like a jigsaw puzzle for the overall picture "instructing". All puzzle pieces have to be learned and practiced separately. Only when the dog has fully mastered the forward, right and left, sending back, coming back and stopping, everything fits into the overall picture.

The audio and visual signals with which one wants to communicate with the dog must first be learned through continuous training. Only if the dog has understood these means of communication is it possible to instruct over long distances. A good instructability of the dog requires great trust of the dog in its handler and also the willingness of the dog to work with humans.

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