Why We Use Marker Dummies in Gundog Training

When we’re training a gundog, we don’t expect them to understand a difficult exercise straight away. We like to build each stage gradually, giving the dog the confidence and understanding it needs before asking for more.

One exercise where this is particularly important is teaching a dog to take a straight line away from the handler, especially when we eventually want to progress onto blind retrieves.

This is one of the reasons we’ve introduced the Kugae Marker Dummy to our training range.

What Is a Marker Dummy?

A marker dummy is designed to give the dog a clear target to run towards.

Our Kugae Marker Dummies are made in highly visible white and blue, making them easy for the dog to see from a distance. They also have a flat bottom, allowing the dummy to stand upright rather than simply lying on the ground.

This creates a clear visual marker and allows us to concentrate on teaching the dog one of the most important parts of the exercise — taking a confident, straight line away from the handler.

Why Is a Straight Line So Important?

As our gundog training progresses, there will be occasions when we need to send a dog for a retrieve that it hasn't necessarily seen fall.

Eventually, we want the dog to trust the handler and take the line it has been given, rather than setting off and immediately beginning to hunt around.

But we don't expect a young or inexperienced dog to automatically understand this.

Before removing the visual retrieve altogether, we can use a Marker Dummy to help the dog understand what we're asking.

The dog can see where it is going, take the line, find the retrieve and bring it back. Through repetition, we can begin to build both confidence and understanding.

How We Use Marker Dummies at Kugae

One exercise we use is to place three Marker Dummies in a straight line, approximately 10 yards apart.

We send the dog back in a straight line to collect one dummy and retrieve it to the handler. We can then send the dog again for the next dummy, followed by the third.

As the dog becomes more confident and understands the exercise, we can gradually increase the distance and difficulty.

If we have a particularly enthusiastic dog that wants to rush through the exercise, we may increase the spacing between the dummies to around 20 yards. The important thing is to adapt the exercise to the individual dog rather than trying to follow exactly the same formula every time.

Building Towards Blind Retrieves

The Marker Dummy isn't the finished exercise. It's a stepping stone.

Once the dog is confidently taking the line, we can start making the exercise more challenging.

For example, we can introduce other retrieves alongside the Marker Dummy, including our Hen and Cock Pheasant Dummies. Over time, we can reduce the dog's reliance on that obvious visual marker.

The eventual aim is for the dog to understand:

When the handler gives me a line, I take that line confidently until I'm told otherwise.

That's an important skill when progressing towards more advanced retrieving work and ultimately blind retrieves.

Don't Be in a Hurry to Remove the Help

Something we regularly talk about at Kugae is not rushing young dogs.

It's very easy to make an exercise harder because we want to see what the dog can do. But if the dog hasn't fully understood the previous stage, we can end up creating confusion rather than progression.

The Marker Dummy gives us another way of making the exercise clear.

Once the dog understands and is consistently succeeding, we can increase the challenge. We would rather see a dog confidently complete a slightly easier exercise than repeatedly fail at one it isn't ready for.

Two Different Weights

The Kugae Marker Dummy is available in two weights:

• 8oz – ideal for introducing the exercise and for a lighter retrieve.
• 16oz (1lb) – useful as the dog progresses and you want to introduce a heavier retrieve.

Both are made from a soft material that's comfortable for the dog to pick up and carry, while the distinctive white and blue design provides the visibility we want from a marker.

A Simple Tool With Plenty of Uses

Good gundog training doesn't always need to be complicated.

Sometimes a simple change to an exercise can make what we're asking much clearer to the dog.

For us, the Marker Dummy is about building confidence, encouraging straight lines and helping the dog understand the foundations of more advanced retrieving work.

Take your time, make the exercise achievable and only increase the difficulty when your dog is ready.

That's how we build understanding rather than simply hoping the dog gets it right.

You can view the Kugae Marker Dummy and both available weights in our online shop.

Shop the Kugae Marker Dummy

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📧 Email: info@kugaegundogs.uk
🌐 Website: https://www.kugaegundogs.uk