Question on cleaning up leftover dummies after blinds

[Ron in Portland]

I was running some blinds with my dog last weekend, and I noticed something I wanted to get some feedback on, since I don't recall seeing it mentioned before.

My BLM has his Jr. title and we're working on Senior. I've been running some blinds, and I put two or three dummies out for each blind I'm running, on the chance that I'll need to repeat. He's been doing well lately, so I haven't found myself repeating blinds. After we're done, I walk around and pick up the extra dummies and my dog comes along with me. As we get close, he'll run ahead, remember where he got the dummy on the blind, and bring back the extras.

Is this a problem? Is his revisiting the previous area of blinds going to cause any issues? I don't want to create any issues, but I enjoy the leisurely walks with him after our sessions, picking up the "spares". (well, they're leisurely for me, he's still running around like a madman)

[Brad B]

I wouldn't worry about it. He's picking up the bumpers under a whole other context. I can't think of any issues that this would create. I let mine do it and usually bring my older dog along and send him off for some of the piles while I go to another so I don't have to walk so far.
I would however, be sure to keep up your standards about carrying and holding the bumper. That may be an issue in a young dog that could cause problems.

[lablover]

It will not be a problem.
It's like "Hey Dad, look what I found" from the dogs point of view.

As said above, keep your delivery standards high.

[DL]

I have different version of the same story. With my male dog, I didn't learn about fun bumpers until after I had him running the double T. He learned about fun bumpers about the same time I started him on transition pattern blinds. I had to make things fun for him because I didn't know exactly what I was doing.

Ok, here is my point. After finishing running pattern blinds I'd start walking back to my home because I do pattern blinds in my front yard. All the way back to the house my dog would go and bring back the remaining bumpers and I would collect the bumpers as I walked back. The trick was that when he brought one back I'd throw it as a fun bumper before putting it in the bucket. For a dog with a poor attitude coming off the TT because I didn't know about fun bumpers it was good for picking up his attitude.

I didn't have the heart not to throw them because that was the whole reason he ran off to get them. Not throwing them just wouldn't have been right. From the way I saw it, if I or someone else runs off two hundreds for the sole intention of another person tossing a bumper, the least they can do is toss it. It did get old sometimes.

[Gun_Dog2002]

Hey Ron, hows it going? I wouldn't worry about this becoming a problem. Sounds therapeutic

/Paul

[Ron in Portland]

It's going great, thanks for asking. This is the time of year I live for. Cool nights, longs days. I can get training in before work and/or after work. Good stuff!

Hey /Paul, I see you're judging out at Sauvie on the 14th. I'm not running Porter's first Senior event until the weekend after that, so I guess I'll have to go out to Sauvie, check out your test, and report back to the RTF on your set up.

I'm glad to hear the feedback that letting Porter gather up the extra dummies isn't a problem. It's always encouraging to see that, even if we've had a tough day training (a relative term), he's always ready for one more...and one more after that...and one more after that...

[Kristie Wilder]

I do it all the time on all kinds of stuff... I'll walk out and do silly casts on "blinds" to the over piles on the double T as I'm walking to the long pile to pick up the majority of the bumpers. Or I'll just throw my arm up and say "fetch it up" happily or "hunt it up" and have them go get the bumpers.

I have a couple of dogs after no-no drills (that is all of my dogs' FAVORITE drill for some reason), I'll tell them "okay" and we'll start walking and they'll take off over the jump, get a bumper...

That stuff doesn't bother me at all AS LONG AS the dog is well-behaved and not out of control.

To me, it's good clean fun. And a relaxing way to end yardwork.

-K

[HarryWilliams]

so I guess I'll have to go out to Sauvie, check out your test, and report back to the RTF on your set up.

Please post up a picture of Paul so we can see what hunting clothes he's a wearing. HPW

[Mark Littlejohn]

After we're done, I walk around and pick up the extra dummies and my dog comes along with me.

I used to do this until one rare day when my daughter was with me, she asked: "Daddy, isn't that the dog's job?".

[Gun_Dog2002]

It's going great, thanks for asking. This is the time of year I live for. Cool nights, longs days. I can get training in before work and/or after work. Good stuff!

Hey /Paul, I see you're judging out at Sauvie on the 14th. I'm not running Porter's first Senior event until the weekend after that, so I guess I'll have to go out to Sauvie, check out your test, and report back to the RTF on your set up.

I'm glad to hear the feedback that letting Porter gather up the extra dummies isn't a problem. It's always encouraging to see that, even if we've had a tough day training (a relative term), he's always ready for one more...and one more after that...and one more after that...

Hey ya come on out we're gonna have fun. Been talking to my cojudge and we're thinking of a quad to start with a remote send with the handlers in layout blinds and a bubba gunner on each side. We have 26 dogs in the group and i figure we could be done and outa there in 2 series. Promises to be fun doing an actual hunt scenario in a HT.

/Paul