Obedience retrieve

[jla]

Pup (working cocker) will be coming home on Friday and while it will be a while before I will be expecting a formal retrieve from her  I was mulling over what I should get her used to.

I don't formally compete in obedience but do train it and like my dogs to be able to do a decent retrieve with a dumbbell for demo purposes.  I normally start my GSDs on a very small plastic Mikki dumbbell from day one of introducing the exercise and then progress from there onto a full size wooden one.

Do you think that I should take the same road with Reah or is it best to start them off with something softer?

[LurcherGirl]

I started off with a proper dumbell from day one, a mini size mind you.  If your dog has no problem taking/holding a normal dumbell, I can't see why build in a step that you then have to phase out again. 

Vera

[jla]

Thanks!  Saves me buying more new stuff!