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Blinking dummies can be a problem in a keen hunting spaniel

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A relatively common problem experienced by spaniel owners once their dogs are working on real game,  is that of the dog refusing to retrieve (blinking) canvas dummies.

The habit often begins quite subtly and you may think at first that your dog did not see the dummy. If no action is taken, before long it becomes  quite clear that the dog is deliberately ‘pretending not to notice’ the retrieve.  

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hunting is a spaniel's first love

This may not be a problem for everyone, but if shooting is quite a small part of your dog related activities, and you want to keep your dog fit and in practice when not shooting, then it is a most annoying development.  Carrying bags full of cold game around to practice with is also very inconvenient.  So what can be  done to cure blinking?

The reasons why

A spaniel’s first love is almost always hunting.  This is the spaniel's primary role. Blinking is common in spaniels because they prefer to hunt for real game rather than a boring old dummy.  There is no certain cure, but you can greatly reduce the incidence of blinking by following a particular routine.

Reducing blinking

Every time you take your spaniel out for exercise, have him retrieve a dummy fresh out of the car/house.  Do not allow any free running at all until he has completed a retrieve.  If he blinks the retrieve, put him back on the lead or in the vehicle and try again later.

Most spaniels quickly realise that if they don’t retrieve your boring old dummy, life is going to get increasingly dull.  Sooner or later,  usually within a day or  two, you will get a retrieve.   Once the dog has completed a successful dummy retrieve,  give him masses of praise and allow him to hunt for a few minutes.  

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The next time you go out, ask for two retrieves before hunting is permitted.  Build up the number of retrieves gradually as you would with a puppy. This is also a good way to exercise your spaniel and keep him fit. Stick to your guns and put him back on the lead or better still back in the vehicle if he refuses a retrieve. Once he has started retrieving again,  you may find you can focus him on the retrieve with verbal rebuke (ah-ah)  or a sharp NO,  if he runs past an obvious dummy on the ground.  Back on the lead if the rebuke doesn't work and he will pay more attention to it next time. 

Preventing blinking

As with most things,  prevention is better than cure.   Maintain your spaniel’s retrieving drive from the very beginning by never allowing any hunting until the dog has completed some retrieves.  Don’t have a retrieving session on dummies after the dog has been hunting for any length of time.   The same rule applies to a dog of any breed  whose retrieving  drive is 'suspect' or that has lost some enthusiasm for dummies.   A dog that has been confined in a house, kennel or car is far more likely to retrieve for you than one that has been allowed to hunt first. 

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