Rick wrote: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.)
Thanks for screwing up the consistency!!
