Gundog training dummies

There is a bewildering range of dog training dummies on the market. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours and it can be difficult to know where to start and which dummies are relevant to different stages of training. Here’s a short guide to the types of dummies available and what they do.

The ‘traditional’ canvas dummy

The go-to dummy and still the most popular. These come in a variety of sizes from the tiny ‘snipe’, the very light and soft puppy dummy, the dummy ball, right up to a hefty 6lb+ hare/goose dummy. Usually made with a toggle for ease of throwing, they also come without (an ‘endless’ variety) for those dogs that like to carry the dummy by the toggle, swinging it around madly or dragging it along the ground as they run back to you.

Unless you are training your dog for picking up large game, then you will usually have a mix of 1/2lb and 1lb dummies in your collection for everyday training scenarios.

Plastic or rubber dummies

These are usually referred to as ‘water’ dummies, they are light, easy to throw and float on water. They are also great in muddy terrain as they can be easily wiped clean. Some softer dummies are now made from pvc coated material, which also makes them easy to wipe clean.

Different shapes and textures

Dummies now come in many different shapes, from balls that roll when they land to bird-like dummies, with a flapping head & wings that help the dog to get a feel for carrying a real bird and discourage him/her from shaking their head as they run back. Some come with rabbit fur or with feathers which give the dog a sense of the ‘real thing’ and helps them start to transition from dummies to cold game.

To encourage a dog to get its nose down & hunt, we designed the Micro Hunting Dummy. A small, compact dummy, it is filled with sand, so it really buries itself into grass or undergrowth.

When deciding which type of dummy to buy, think about what job you want your dog to do. Small dummies that are designed to encourage a dog to hunt are ideal for spaniels. Larger, bird dummies are fantastic for any dog that you want to train for picking up as they give them the feel of a real bird and also teach them how to correctly carry the larger body.

Different colours

When you want to build up a dog’s confidence to retrieve, it’s sensible to use a dummy that is easy for them to see. While a dog isn’t colour blind, the colours they can distinguish are more limited than ours (see our blog on how dogs see colours). White or blue dummies are clearly visible against most backgrounds (obviously not snow, in the case of a white dummy!). These are ideal when you want the dog to be able to build up their confidence and find the dummy by sight. An orange, red or green dummy will make it more testing for them and will encourage them to use their nose. The brighter colours that contrast with grass or undergrowth are also easier for us to see, making it less likely that you will lose one if you fail to mark it accurately.

What should I buy?

This is ultimately down to what you want to do with your dog and what stage of training you are at. If you’re starting out with a puppy, a snipe, puppy dummy or a dummy ball is easy for them to carry and can be used when they are older for hunting practice. The KONG Fetch Stick is great for dogs who have been retrieving tennis balls as it has the same feel but with the shape of a traditional dummy.

To get your dog used to carrying some weight, start with a ½ lb canvas dummy before you progress to the heavier 1lb size. A few dummies of this size in your bag or vest will also serve you well throughout the lifetime of your dog and most training exercises can be done with just a couple of canvas dummies.

If your dog is a ‘reluctant retriever’ (a dog that either won’t retrieve or won’t retrieve to hand) then you can use specialised training aids which have been designed to get them back on track. Our bestselling Reluctant Retriever Dummy® is a training aid for dogs who need some encouragement to pick up a dummy. It also helps to encourage dogs to deliver straight to hand rather than running around with the dummy. Tennis ball or rabbit fur wraps can also be placed around canvas dummies to encourage dogs to pick them up – these are especially effective if the dog loves tennis balls or finds fur more exciting than canvas. They can then be removed once the dog is consistently picking up the traditional canvas dummies.

After that, the world is your oyster! Before you know it, you’ll have a collection of every shape, size and colour.

If you are just starting out with a puppy or you are a beginner, then one of our Field and Fireside Training Packs might be for you.

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First published 13 June 2021

Revised 20 December 2024