First shoot success: transitioning from dummies to game

Preparing for the Shooting Season

The shooting season brings anticipation, joy, and plenty of game. Many handlers focus on the kitchen side of things, but the real priority is preparing your dog.

Left alone, most dogs will eat game rather than retrieve it. In previous articles, I’ve emphasised layered training:

• Puppy dummies

• Larger dummies

• Fur and feathered dummies

• Dummies with flaps or awkward bits

• Cold game in a sock

• Freshly shot game

This progression lays a solid foundation for a successful retrieving plan.

Training Days

Today, there are many shooting field training days available for all breeds. From the start, attend sessions run by experienced dog handlers. This ensures exercises match your dog’s ability.

Avoid over-challenging your dog. Excessive difficulty can cause unwanted behaviours.

Your dog will quickly associate gunshots with retrieving. Early training should create a positive link between noise and reward. However, sending your dog for every shot can create overexcitement.

Teaching Steadiness to Shot

At Mullenscote, we start with thrown dummies accompanied by a loud hand clap. This builds an expectation of noise. Later, a starting pistol or shotgun replaces the clap.

By now, your dog should:

• Sit and wait for your command

• Retrieve straight to you

• Ignore distractions

You can start practising memory retrieves with left, right, or back sends. Align your dog alongside you before sending it.

Further Education and Avoiding Common Mistakes

Vary the distance and timing before sending your dog. Too much repetition can create poor habits. For example, a dog may run early if exercises are always identical.

If your dog runs in too soon:

• Stand in front as a physical block

• Use a lead to check movement

• Hide the dummy behind your assistant’s back

Multiple thrown dummies with gunshots also reinforce steadiness. Walk out and return a dummy to your dog to teach patience and respect for the shooter’s role

Transitioning to Real Game

Do not expect your dog to move from dummies to freshly shot game on the first shoot day. Use shoot-over or live-game training to reinforce earlier lessons:

• Sit and wait

• Move away before sending

• Let others retrieve first

• Avoid sending into a sea of birds

Keep your dog close and give only a few short retrieves. In the first season, less is more. It sets the dog up for a lifetime of successful work.

Key Takeaways

• Start with structured dummy work, then progress gradually to real game.

• Choose training days wisely, aligning exercises with your dog’s experience.

• Introduce noise gradually, reinforcing positive behaviour.

• Vary repetitions to prevent early launches or bad habits.

• Take a calm approach during the first season: safety and patience are paramount.