Training Dumbbell

Does anyone have any recommendations for a training dumbbell for Yogi.

I trained Flame with a plastic one with string wrapped around the middle (but it got rather chewed over time ), and was wondering whether a wooden one may be kinder on a dogs mouth? Also does a dog need to measured for a dumbbell (I was given a couple of plastic ones rather than buying them)?

If you use one, where did you get yours from?

I have a plastic one - the red ones.

You could always try a wooden one?

The base of it needs to be wide enough so the dog can hold it, but wide enough so it isn't too tight..

I have a wooden one with string around the bar from Petneeds. If you ring them they will be able to tell you what size is best.

I bought a plastic one but have never liked it and have been told that a retrieve is more difficult to train with the plastic one because of the shape.

I agree - it took me ages to get Louie to take it.. I think it's the texture too..

I gave up on dumbells because my dogs are so hard-mouthed. Daisy chomped straight through the wooden one from petneeds.
I`ve gone on to gundog dummies, which at least float as well as being more resiliant.

Thanks guys.

Don't your dogs chomp straight through the gundog dummy Claire?

No - they`re really good - I got the water dummies from here
http://www.turnerrichards.co.uk/acat...g_Dummies.html

You can use any dumbell you like.

My dogs will pick up plastic one, rubber ones, fabric ones, wooden ones, it makes absolutely no difference to them. But then of course they are trained to pick up ANYTHING.

I have a range of sizes as of course the dog's mouth grows as it grows, that way I always have one that fits EXACTLY the dog's mouth.

The most crucial things re dumbells are

1 Colour - there is absolutely NO point in buying any other colour than white or yellow if you can possibly help it. As you want a dog to RETRIEVE a dumbell rather than search for it. Dogs cannot see red!

2 Height of ends

If the height of the ends is not sufficient then a dog will slow down and not pick up cleanly and swiftly as he will be afraid of hurting his jaw as he opens his mouth when there is not room for it to go under the bar.

3 Width of bar

You do not want one that can move (as of course the object of retrieving is to pick it up without mouthing, chomping or chewing) neither do you want one that is too narrow and pinches the flews, again making your dog reluctant to pick up.

4 The diameter of the bar

Too thin often encourages the dog to hold it in the wrong place in his mouth.

String is entirely superfluous and is one of those things that people do rather than actually TRAIN the dog properly!

5 Weight

In Schutzhund weight is increased throughout the stakes on the flat.

Mine have white ends,and the last two I have taught to retrieve I have used my clicker by first rewarding any acknowledgement, then a touch, then a nudge it takes time but it does work, but as youngsters I also randomly drop objectsof different materials and click when picked up......my pockets are full of stuff

Daisy doesn`t do competitive stuff because she`d get stressed. So yes she is hard mouthed and she chomps as a way of relieving stress. I don`t have a problem with that - I just want her to enjoy her training and not bite people. That`s why I don`t use dumbells.