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.
Dummy Training SpanielLike 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.
BillyOther 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”.