Testimonials
Jill and I have received numerous positive comments from our customers since launching our business in August 2008. Many of these relate specifically to our new exclusive design of training dummy, the Partridge and Pheasant, whilst others have thanked us for the level of service we have provided. It is always satisfying to know that our hard work is appreciated and gratifying that our customers find the time to thank us. Equally satisfying of course is receiving praise from professional gundog trainers and journalists. We have added this testimonial section to the website in order to provide evidence of our commitment to both excellent service and innovative design. We believe that customer satisfaction is our greatest advert. We welcome all customer feedback so please contact us. Your comments are important to us.
On one occasion when my usual dummies were sodden after water training work I decided to give it a try. I was immediately surprised at how far I could throw them with accuracy and liked the way they rolled and bounced to leave a line of scent.
At the time I also had a problem with one young bitch that had some delivery problems, I found that the shape and feel of these dummies helped tremendously to overcome the problems and the bitch now holds the dummy just as I would expect and demand.
I am pleased to say that the Working Dog Company dummies have become an important addition to my retriever training bag."
George Ridley
Professional Gundog Trainer and Handler 'Shadowbrae Gundogs'
Andrew Cullen MBE of Laochin Gundogs writes about our purple dummies:
"The working dog company have worked very hard in trying to provide gundog owners with another training aid and have brought out new dummies for us all to try, the easy mark, the red and the purple dummies. Like most things new we are all sceptics to a point unless proven differently. In fact my dummy bag was getting more colourful by the week! But more importantly, did they work? In a straight forward answer I have to admit that yes they do, and once again I cannot fail but to promote and encourage the use of these dummies by the gundog community during training sessions.
I am not an expert on what dogs do or do not see colours wise and have heard many contradicting theories over the years on this very subject. All I can and will say are the facts, after talking with Ian he told me his reasons for the purple dummies and about a little test he conducted.
So armed with a range of different coloured dummies I carried out my own test to analyse the theory as follows: I used a purple dummy with a variety of other coloured working dog company dummies and placed them in a corner of the field. Unsurprisingly the dogs always brought the purple dummy back first, every time! Each time I took the dummy back and placed it in a different spot amongst the other dummies, the results with a different dog each time was the same.
Click photos to enlarge
In conclusion I can only agree that dogs must see the purple dummy well, meaning that it can become a very useful tool for the trainer when teaching a dog to retrieve. I am pleased to say that Purple dummies in my little test proved to be a real winner with my dogs and have become a useful addition to my bag in improving a dog’s confidence and competence to retrieve."
Andrew Cullen MBE
Laochin Gundogs
Andrew also said the following about our dummies:
"As a Professional Gundog Trainer I often get retrieving problems with
older dogs that Clients have started to train themselves and hit problems
with, this is when we generally get a phone call to help sort it out. Like
most things, once sloppy retrieving is learned behaviour it can be very
difficult habit to correct, at the same time trying to maintain the dogs
enthusiasm and confidence.
As a trainer I use various methods and equipment to correct retrieving issues, both the Partridge and Pheasant dummies / training aids designed by The Working Dog Company have certainly proved to be winners in our training of the type of gundogs mentioned. In addition I recommend the Partridge dummy, in my view it is ideal for that all important confidence building in bringing on youngsters to retrieve, we have found the dogs love to carry these training aids around and so do I being able to get more into my bag than the larger more commonly used canvas dummies.
In summary I am delighted to promote theses training aids and to be associated with The Working Dog Company and its products."
Andrew Cullen MBE
Laochin Gundogs
In the Shooting Times of 13th November 2008, David Tomlinson the weekly Gundog Columnist wrote:
Revolutionary New Dummy
"Innovation in the world of gundog training is as rare as a golden retriever winning the Retriever Championship. It happens occasionally, but not very often, so when it does it is newsworthy. So I was fascinated when Ian Clinton told me he had designed and was marketing a revolutionary new retrieving dummy. Ian, together with his wife Jill, runs the Working Dog Company. They both train and work their own Labradors.
Like all good ideas, the new dummy is very simple but totally logical.
It has the gently rounded shape of a real bird and its soft, firm filling
is much more likely to encourage a dog to retrieve gently than the sawdust
filled, canvas-wrapped sausages we all take for granted. It’s easy to throw
and bounces on landing leaving a scent trail for the dog to follow. It
also floats, so is perfect for water work. Attention to detail in the design
ensures that the toggle is small, so that dogs won’t be tempted to pick
the dummy up by it.
It is such a sensible design it makes you wonder why nobody has thought
of it before".
BASC Shooting and Conservation Magazine Nov/Dec 2008
Product Reviews page 79:
Dummies for the not-so-dumb
"Launched at the Midland Game Fair the new era of gundog dummies has arrived. Have you ever wondered why conventional dummies have the right weight for game but never the right shape? Well, the Working Dog Company wondered the same thing and came up with two new dummies, the pheasant and partridge. Shaped and weighted like these two game species, they encourage correct carriage of the dummy and require the dog to open its mouth a little wider, as it would have to with game.
Other quirks are that they bounce slightly when they hit the ground, as
game often does, and also float in water, meaning a dog really has to grip
it correctly and not bite as hard. This versatile dummy really is a welcome
addition to the training bag and although slightly more expensive than
the traditional product, helps considerably with the transition from dummies
to game".
"Hi Ian, I would just like to say how impressed
I have been with your service and products, especially the dummies. I
have fed this information through to a number of people that come to
me for training and also on a few forums, so I hope you have seen an
increase in business during the economic slow down. When I am thinking
of replacing equipment especially dummies I always think of The Working
Dog Company first and recommend you to all my friends, because you offer
great products, good prices and supply 1st time every time. Which is
more than you can say for your competitors."
Ian
Mitchell
Eshiels Gundogs
"Order received very efficiently - thank you."
Liz Ingram
Gundog Trainer and Field Trialer
"I would just like to thank you for your prompt and
excellent service. The goose is fine as a replacement for the pheasant
and thank you very much for the complimentary lanyard, it will be put
to good use! I look forward to doing business with you again soon and
wish you all a happy Christmas and an excellent 2009."
Lisa Macsmith
"Many thanks for your prompt delivery, at long last
a sensible training aid. She is in her second season and is still reluctant
to really get hold of and carry a cock Pheasant, I hope these will help
to solve the problem. Initial response looks very promising!"
Alan Collen
"Hello Ian & Jill, I met you at the Bedfordshire
Country show and at Belvoir in October where you kindly provided me with
two dummies. (I do the gundog demonstrations in the arena at these and
other shows). Just to let you know, I am impressed with the dummies,
they bounce, roll and float better than other dummies."
John Cavana
Patanavac gundogs
"Dear Ian and Jill, thanks very much for the items that I ordered and
the quickness that you dispatched them. The personal note was very kind
too. I've added a few photos of Billy playing with his new dummy. Thanks
again."
Mike and Abby Swann
"Thank you very much for the speedy despatch of the two dummies
I ordered which arrived safely this morning. I tried them out on one
of my young dogs this afternoon and they are brilliant. The best ideas
and subsequent new products are the ones you realise you have missed
having and that description certainly fits the bill with these. Living
on Exmoor there are numerous hills and valley and the dummies roll beautifully
thus creating the perfect introduction to taking a line. In short, I
am delighted!"
Sheila Neary, Hon FT Secretary - Flatcoated Retriever Society
"Re
pheasant training dummy: I know I have already thanked you for the dummy
and said it was solving my 8 month old Golden puppy Dylan (Merryway Osprey)
delivery problem, but just an update. He came first in what was only
his second working test yesterday, delivery was fine thanks to the training
with his new dummy, will recommend to friends. In the photo he is on
the far left. Thanks again."
Jim Heelis - Pitlochry
"Thank you for the fast response to my recent order, I have used the dummies today for the 1st time and can tell you they are excellent! I run a training centre for gundogs and am happy to pass on details of your dummies to my clients"
Gary McCarthy -MAP Working Gundogs
"Many thanks for a prompt despatch, waistcoat arrived today."
J.P
"Received my order today, many thanks for your prompt and efficient service and the complimentary lanyard. So nice to have, very rare these days."
Jean Robertson