Dumbell size..question??

[Mojave's Mom]

I want to start Mojave on retrieving the dumbell exercises but when I went down to the petstore, they have three different sizes! Is there a regulation on what size dumbell certain breeds are supposed to retrieve? Which one should I buy? The sizes looked like small, medium, and large....

Thanks in advance! :) :D

[Judi W]

Hey girlfriend!
AKC just asks that they be of an appropriate size.

It should be big enough so the dog can take the bar it his mouth and not so big that it wobbles around. (see, isn't that easy?) In the ol' days hehehe, we got all scientific for a while and did all the measuring and had expensive custom made ones. The dogs didn't care! Heck, they fetch sticks don't they? Get a couple of inexpensive ones to train with. Mine have a 3 inch bell and are about 3 1/2 inches long for the bar (mouth) part. I have both the wooden ones and the plastic J&J ones. I have them scattered around for inpromptu toss and fetch practice which is why I suggest a couple of inexpensive ones. One in the car, one by the door, and then you'll have your nicer trial ones for later. (don't buy that yet) Practice throwing the darn thing now and then without the dog so you will learn just how much backspin to put on it so it lands and stays where you want it too. Hard on the dog to have the fetch interupted because your dumbell went under the fence or behind a tree, or waaaay off side from the jump.

You're on your way!

[WorkinDogz]

Ahhhhh yes! :D The dumbell throw!!! It's a learned skill!! I've thrown it into the next county...thrown it so it lands JUST on the opposite side of the meter hurdle....smacked the scaling wall (at just about every location from the first rung to the tippy top) and was placed in "remedial dumbell throwing" by my training director.

I second Judi's "practice" advice....lol :D

[Mojave's Mom]

Originally posted by WorkinDogz:
<STRONG>Ahhhhh yes! :D The dumbell throw!!! It's a learned skill!! I've thrown it into the next county...thrown it so it lands JUST on the opposite side of the meter hurdle....smacked the scaling wall (at just about every location from the first rung to the tippy top) and was placed in "remedial dumbell throwing" by my training director.

I second Judi's "practice" advice....lol :D</STRONG>

ROTFLMAO!!!!!! :D :D

It's funny you mention that WD....at the last show we were entered in, we stopped to watch the Open ring before we left. This one lady threw the dumbell and it went careening about 20feet OUTSIDE of the ring. Steward goes and gets it for her. She throws it again, it lands 10feet OUTSIDE the ring. I'm watching the dog and after it lands the second time, he looks up at her with this look like "OK, can you get it RIGHT next time you throw?? I'm getting sick of waiting here!" Even the judge was laughing.

Thanks for the advice, Judi and WD! :) :D

[Lucky]

I am moving this topic to training

[luvarott]

Good question....and for competitive obedience it IS important that the DB be sized appropriately to the dog. Improper sizing can encourage the dog to mouth the DB, to have difficulty clearing the HJ (because the too big bells are interfering with his vision) and can cause difficulty with proper pickups (because the bell is not big enough for the dog to pick it up quickly enough without hitting his nose!). Length of the bar is equally important.
A choice of S/M/L intended for ALL breeds of dogs is not good enough.
A primo DB has many performance enhancing characteristics to it.....from the fact that they are weighted appropriately to lessen the chance of bad bounces/rolls, plus they have rounded edges on the bells, which also increases the chance that they will stick to the ground where you intend to land them plus not annoy/hurt the dog. They are also formed out of very high quality woods, that will not suddenly split/crack on you in trial.
I order my DB's on line from J and J's and am very happy with the quality. There are MANY different sizes available and you can make a cardboard mock up at home to fit your dog before ordering one. My females have the same size bells at the male, but their bars are shorter to fit their more feminine mouths...

[Mojave's Mom]

Traci & Luvarott-

My trainer tonight told me she'd order me one from J&J AFTER she measured him at next week's class... :D Looks like you all are on the same page... ;)
Thanks for the advice!