Gun Dog Training

Hunting dog training: Retrieve training, dummy training and tracking shoe

What would a hunter be without his hunting dog? For centuries, man has made use of the dog's keen senses in hunting.

Whether it's the lost duck, the pheasant that's been ahead or the roebuck that's still running for cover: hunting dogs make hunting a lot easier for us.

In order for the four-legged companion to become a good hunting helper - and not a hunting troublemaker - it requires consistent hunting dog training with the right hunting dog accessories. As a dog handler, you should playfully start preparing your dog for the serviceability test when it is still a puppy. 

In addition to obedience , important exercises such as retrieving as well as tracking and welding are part of a hunting dog's training.

Learning to retrieve with dummy training

Hunting dog training requires a lot of time, patience and regular dog training from you as the dog handler - even outside the dog school. 

Because a dog does not learn to retrieve overnight. For the retrieve training not every hunter can or wants to provide as much drag game as a whole dog training requires. Fortunately, there are alternatives.

Fur dummy and food dummy

Dummies are very practical for retrieve training. These are available in different weights and designs. When choosing a dummy, you should always consider the size and breed of your dog, because its condition and strength depend on it. 

The long-lasting  fur dummies from Mystique have proven to be very useful for training hunting dogs. They look deceptively real for the young hunting dog or puppy. Because they are covered with rabbit fur, they get the dog used to retrieving real game. This way you better appeal to the hunting behaviour in the dog. For added appeal, the dummies are also available as food dummy . 

Water dummy & Duck dummy

For water work the dummies from the company Dokken have proven themselves. The Dokken Entendummy is ideal for practising retrieving with your four-legged friend in and around water. The dummy is very durable, easy to clean and floats reliably.

Retrieval buck

When the young hunting dog has mastered the retrieval of light retrieval objects, it is time to use a retrieval buck. Gradually, additional weight discs can be mounted on this special device. In this way you can slowly get your four-legged hunting helper used to heavier pieces and prepare him step by step to retrieve a fox.

Training for the hunt - training with the tracking shoe

A hit piece of game does not always weld reliably into the track.

Experienced trackers therefore rely on a tracking shoe when training their dog. With the Waidwerk Permium or Waidwerk Classic tracking shoe, it is very easy to create natural tracks that prepare your dog ideally for the hurdles of a real search. 

Remember to give your hunting dog sufficient reward at the end of the tracking work. This can be done, for example, by playing with a blanket of the game you are looking for, a dog toy or food.

So that you can remember the exact course of the track you have trodden, simply mark it with track marking tape, which simply rots away after a while.

Helpful accessories for hunting dog training 

For the training of impulse control it is best to start with the stimulus trap. You can then increase the level of difficulty with, for example, the Running Rabbit, a professional device for training impulse control.

Also useful for hunting dog training is a food bag in which you can keep treats for the reward within easy reach.

A dog handler's waistcoat can also prove practical, as you can stow all kinds of accessories such as dog leash, dog whistle etc. in the many pockets and keep your hands free.

If you have any questions about a product from our shop or are unsure which dummy to choose, please feel free to contact us.

We will advise you in detail.