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Favorite brand, style and materials??

Can't remember your dog's age?

Go to gun dog supply online. They have em all. I've always preferred the lucky dog bumpers. Depending on your dog they have 2" and I think 3" or 4" jumbo bumpers. Just made of hard plastic and they'll outlast your dog

Redbeard wrote:Can't remember your dog's age?

Go to gun dog supply online. They have em all. I've always preferred the lucky dog bumpers. Depending on your dog they have 2" and I think 3" or 4" jumbo bumpers. Just made of hard plastic and they'll outlast your dog

He is 11 weeks old. I just got his 1st one at tsc just a canvas Remington 2x9. Just want him to get use to it and guessing I should start using the smaller one for now till he gets bigger.

Just stock up on lucky dog 2"bumpers from gun dog supply. Best Price I've seen on them with throw rope included. If you progress into double T drills then you will need 10 to 15 bumpers at that point. If course that is down the road.

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Redbeard wrote:Can't remember your dog's age?

Go to gun dog supply online. They have em all. I've always preferred the lucky dog bumpers. Depending on your dog they have 2" and I think 3" or 4" jumbo bumpers. Just made of hard plastic and they'll outlast your dog

He is 11 weeks old. I just got his 1st one at tsc just a canvas Remington 2x9. Just want him to get use to it and guessing I should start using the smaller one for now till he gets bigger.

I started both of my dogs with canvas as well, dont know if it actually made a difference or not but it made me feel better. I also prefer the canvas type if you are training with scent - seems to soak in a little bit.

Lucky dog bumpers. The cheaper the better.

3legged_lab wrote:

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Redbeard wrote:Can't remember your dog's age?

Go to gun dog supply online. They have em all. I've always preferred the lucky dog bumpers. Depending on your dog they have 2" and I think 3" or 4" jumbo bumpers. Just made of hard plastic and they'll outlast your dog

He is 11 weeks old. I just got his 1st one at tsc just a canvas Remington 2x9. Just want him to get use to it and guessing I should start using the smaller one for now till he gets bigger.

I started both of my dogs with canvas as well, dont know if it actually made a difference or not but it made me feel better. I also prefer the canvas type if you are training with scent - seems to soak in a little bit.

Thanks, I found on ducku that they suggest canvas because of weight and what not compared to the plastic filled with air.

Flightstopper wrote:Just stock up on lucky dog 2"bumpers from gun dog supply. Best Price I've seen on them with throw rope included. If you progress into double T drills then you will need 10 to 15 bumpers at that point. If course that is down the road.

Those were the exact ones I was looking at. Ducku put them in their best gear of 2014. Thanks!

Olly wrote:Lucky dog bumpers. The cheaper the better.

Thanks! Seems to be the general vote so far.

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Olly wrote:Lucky dog bumpers. The cheaper the better.

Thanks! Seems to be the general vote so far.

yup canvas is fine for playing fetch with the pup for now bit once you start training the lucky dogs won't be too heavy at all

Good looking pup by the way

Redbeard wrote:

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Olly wrote:Lucky dog bumpers. The cheaper the better.

Thanks! Seems to be the general vote so far.

yup canvas is fine for playing fetch with the pup for now bit once you start training the lucky dogs won't be too heavy at all

Good looking pup by the way

Thanks, he has seemed to like his little sheds for retrieving rather then his tennis ball. Hopefully he will be bumper crazy soon!

Never to soon to introduce them to Duck feathers too. Get a hold of a wing and tie it to a bumper to get him nice and birdy.

I have nothing to add here, but see that you are kinda new and wanted to welcome you.

I usually start pups on a pair of rolled up old socks and from there move up to small bumpers. (get a six pack of them from Pet Smart, sometimes WalMart or order them on line) once the dog is a little older (9-12) months, move up to larger bumpers. Mostly white but you will need some grey and orange bumpers too.

I have never used canvas bumpers very much and don't have much to say about them pro or con. I have used the canvas bumpers that are shot out of a launcher but that is a pretty expensive way to go.

I would suggest that you find someone else that is training a dog and work with them once in a while, it helps if you heel the dog and someone else throws the bumper and fires the gun. Switch places and training becomes more fun and more complete.

One thing I forgot to mention.....No matter what bumper you chose for the job at the time, never leave a bumper where the dog can play with it or chew it up. They are not toys for the dog, they are tools used to train the dog.

Do not throw tennis balls or sticks for puppies that are in training. Once a dog is trained to the point that you want him, he will retrieve anything that you throw. Until that time don't throw anything but bumpers.

I had to swim out and bring my dog back to shore once when we were camping in Mexico, she tried to retrieve a mooring buoy (a small fender from a boat) that was anchored to the bottom and she could only swim in circles. Usually you won't see anything that resembles a bumper in the field but sticks are common and you don't want one in lieu of a duck.

RonE wrote:One thing I forgot to mention.....No matter what bumper you chose for the job at the time, never leave a bumper where the dog can play with it or chew it up. They are not toys for the dog, they are tools used to train the dog.

Do not throw tennis balls or sticks for puppies that are in training. Once a dog is trained to the point that you want him, he will retrieve anything that you throw. Until that time don't throw anything but bumpers.

I had to swim out and bring my dog back to shore once when we were camping in Mexico, she tried to retrieve a mooring buoy (a small fender from a boat) that was anchored to the bottom and she could only swim in circles. Usually you won't see anything that resembles a bumper in the field but sticks are common and you don't want one in lieu of a duck.

I knew about the bumper not being a toy but really good to know about sticks and balls. Thanks!

NuffDaddy wrote:I have nothing to add here, but see that you are kinda new and wanted to welcome you.

Thank you!

Olly wrote:Never to soon to introduce them to Duck feathers too. Get a hold of a wing and tie it to a bumper to get him nice and birdy.

We didn't know we were getting him so soon or we would have frozen a duck for him. Do you know where I could buy a wing from? He's found feather around the yard here and there so I know he likes them. All I've seen are pheasant wings online. I'm figuring it needs to be duck because of the scent?

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Olly wrote:Never to soon to introduce them to Duck feathers too. Get a hold of a wing and tie it to a bumper to get him nice and birdy.

We didn't know we were getting him so soon or we would have frozen a duck for him. Do you know where I could buy a wing from? He's found feather around the yard here and there so I know he likes them. All I've seen are pheasant wings online. I'm figuring it needs to be duck because of the scent?

Pheasant wings are fine. I've used pigeons a lot in my training but Ducks are always my first choice.

Look on craigslist sometimes you can find people selling farm Mallards.

Just don't tell them what you want to use it for haha.

Olly wrote:

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Olly wrote:Never to soon to introduce them to Duck feathers too. Get a hold of a wing and tie it to a bumper to get him nice and birdy.

We didn't know we were getting him so soon or we would have frozen a duck for him. Do you know where I could buy a wing from? He's found feather around the yard here and there so I know he likes them. All I've seen are pheasant wings online. I'm figuring it needs to be duck because of the scent?

Pheasant wings are fine. I've used pigeons a lot in my training but Ducks are always my first choice.

Look on craigslist sometimes you can find people selling farm Mallards.

Just don't tell them what you want to use it for haha.

Lol not gonna lie... I was thinking about that. Hopefully my boyfriend will get a turkey soon then.

Pigeons are the best substitute IMO, they are easy to trap alive and are lively birds. I've used hundreds with training my dog. The first live bird he was introduced to was a pigeon because it was during the off season and couldn't find any ducks.

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Olly wrote:

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Olly wrote:Never to soon to introduce them to Duck feathers too. Get a hold of a wing and tie it to a bumper to get him nice and birdy.

We didn't know we were getting him so soon or we would have frozen a duck for him. Do you know where I could buy a wing from? He's found feather around the yard here and there so I know he likes them. All I've seen are pheasant wings online. I'm figuring it needs to be duck because of the scent?

Pheasant wings are fine. I've used pigeons a lot in my training but Ducks are always my first choice.

Look on craigslist sometimes you can find people selling farm Mallards.

Just don't tell them what you want to use it for haha.

Lol not gonna lie... I was thinking about that. Hopefully my boyfriend will get a turkey soon then.

Find a local retriever club, lots of time they will have left over birds after their hunt test. I'm sure you could talk someone into a few wings for some kind of trade. You can also volunteer to help at hunt test to not only pick up on what other trainers are doing, and what fits your plans, but you could also walk away with a freezer full of ducks. Just make sure you don't pick up any that are torn up or ones that are going down hill.

Flightstopper wrote:

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Olly wrote:

Southern_Pistol wrote:

Olly wrote:Never to soon to introduce them to Duck feathers too. Get a hold of a wing and tie it to a bumper to get him nice and birdy.

We didn't know we were getting him so soon or we would have frozen a duck for him. Do you know where I could buy a wing from? He's found feather around the yard here and there so I know he likes them. All I've seen are pheasant wings online. I'm figuring it needs to be duck because of the scent?

Pheasant wings are fine. I've used pigeons a lot in my training but Ducks are always my first choice.

Look on craigslist sometimes you can find people selling farm Mallards.

Just don't tell them what you want to use it for haha.

Lol not gonna lie... I was thinking about that. Hopefully my boyfriend will get a turkey soon then.

Find a local retriever club, lots of time they will have left over birds after their hunt test. I'm sure you could talk someone into a few wings for some kind of trade. You can also volunteer to help at hunt test to not only pick up on what other trainers are doing, and what fits your plans, but you could also walk away with a freezer full of ducks. Just make sure you don't pick up any that are torn up or ones that are going down hill.

Thanks! That's awesome advise will for sure look into that!

Olly wrote:Never to soon to introduce them to Duck feathers too. Get a hold of a wing and tie it to a bumper to get him nice and birdy.

yep.have a sock full of duck feathers .his only toy that don't get torn to hell

ea oneal wrote:

Olly wrote:Never to soon to introduce them to Duck feathers too. Get a hold of a wing and tie it to a bumper to get him nice and birdy.

yep.have a sock full of duck feathers .his only toy that don't get torn to hell

IMG-20140128-00709.jpg

Hahaha! I love it!!!!

I've used a duck wing that's zip-tied onto a puppy sized dummy on puppies and then same with a larger canvas one.

Should be said you need several types and colors.
On a really inexperienced pup use white dummies at first and then toss an orange one out every so often to get it to start using it's nose. It's also good to have a black dummy or two.

Do NOT get one of them duck toys that has a duck call inside. It's a big mistake.
Wife bought one or two and thinks its cute because she's not in the field when my dog tries to make dead ducks quack.

aunt betty wrote:I've used a duck wing that's zip-tied onto a puppy sized dummy on puppies and then same with a larger canvas one.

Should be said you need several types and colors.
On a really inexperienced pup use white dummies at first and then toss an orange one out every so often to get it to start using it's nose. It's also good to have a black dummy or two.

Do NOT get one of them duck toys that has a duck call inside. It's a big mistake.
Wife bought one or two and thinks its cute because she's not in the field when my dog tries to make dead ducks quack.

OMG that is so hilarious! I'm sure you don't enjoy it lol. Hoping to get some wings soon! Probably make retrieving more fun for him too.

he is spot on about toys my wife buy,s toys like that! no no no I think that's why all toys must DIE !!!

I'll be the heavy who points out that he's had trouble with Lucky Dog bumpers, as some of mine have melted, for lack of a better term, like what happens when rubber fishing baits come in contact with certain plastics. Don't know if it was the sun, composition of the 5 gallon bucket they were in or that of some of the other bumpers in it with them (Newman Bennetts, DT and EZ-Rotational) or something else in the truck bed, but they became gummy and had to be pitched. Lucky Dogs are the only bumpers I've seen that happen with.

I've Newman Bennetts that are 30 or so years old and going strong, but they're relatively expensive, and most of my more recent purchases have been EZ-Rotationals which will likely outlast me. They're the generics Gundog Supply just calls "Firm, knobby plastic Dummys": http://www.gundogsupply.com/-9645-.html They're made of a dense compound, which coupled with their compact shape will allow you to throw them MUCH farther than canvas bumpers.

And while I'm being the bad guy, I'll add that I see no value in using wings. Wings aren't birds and can't even smell anything but vaguely like the live or fresh shot birds pup should love. Wings are long dead carrion, something most of us would not want our pups messing with if we think of them as Pup's nose will.

While Pup's small, I'd try to find a live pigeon or chukar to use just enough to light its fire for birds, and then work with nothing with bumpers until good mouth and retrieving habits are well conditioned before reintroducing birds into training.

(I'll go back to my cave, now, like a good little ogre.)

Southern_Pistol wrote:

aunt betty wrote:I've used a duck wing that's zip-tied onto a puppy sized dummy on puppies and then same with a larger canvas one.

Should be said you need several types and colors.
On a really inexperienced pup use white dummies at first and then toss an orange one out every so often to get it to start using it's nose. It's also good to have a black dummy or two.

Do NOT get one of them duck toys that has a duck call inside. It's a big mistake.
Wife bought one or two and thinks its cute because she's not in the field when my dog tries to make dead ducks quack.

OMG that is so hilarious! I'm sure you don't enjoy it lol. Hoping to get some wings soon! Probably make retrieving more fun for him too.

DO NOT RESPOND TO BETTY'S POSTS

IT WILL ONLY ENCOURAGE HIM!