Gundog training: Are gundog training dummy launchers worth it?

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Are gundog training dummy launchers worth it?

Dummy launchers add a new dimension to advanced gundog training.

By Peter Blatch

Monday, 19 April 2010

How far do dummy launchers throw a dummy? Are they better than chucking them by hand and are they worth all the money?

Gundog training
PETER BLATCH
When gundog training dummy launchers have definitely got their uses – and one of them is being able to teach a dog how to mark retrieves at a distance.

Not everybody is blessed with a cricketer’s arm but a blank-firing launcher can easily throw a dummy around 80 yards.

Furthermore, when held at arms length, a dummy launcher can also simulate the gun and can be used more easily when you’re training alone – especially when you are trying to manage a gun and a dummy and a dog at the same time!

I still think throwing dummies by hand has its place in training and combining the two is the best way to get the dog to mark short or long distances.