The ultimate retrieving dummy looks, smells and feels like a duck so that gun dogs in training won't be tempted to bring back other objects during an actual hunt. Corks added to the throw rope provide a better grip, thereby making it easier to toss the dummy longer distances.

(Question) I recently acquired my first gun dog, a Weimaraner pup from solid hunting bloodlines, and plan to train him myself, mostly for upland birds but also some waterfowling. But I'm a little confused by the variety of training products on the market.

In the September issue of Gun Dog there was a section on training equipment, and some of the retrieving dummies shown there looked like gimmicks. Are the ones that look like gamebirds really better than the plain old canvas or plastic knobby ones? If dogs operate mostly by scent, does the appearance of the dummy really make any difference? -- Kansas

(Answer) Actual, honest-to-goodness gamebirds are vital in the training of any gun dog. But whether it's establishing fundamentals, brushing up after a lay-off or polishing the retrieving requirements of a hunting dog, the only economical way to do the job right is to use bird substitutes.

Whatever their inanimate similarities or differences, the various ersatz "birds" that are flung for Fido to fetch represent a practical way to get a training job done. They can be utilized in-house, in the yard or in the field. They are readily available and can be used over and over. The vast majority of sportsmen, even when they can afford real birds, don't have a source, don't have a holding pen or can't find a convenient place to use them.

All of which is a very unfortunate fact of life. Everything in our world has become more artificial and contrived, including dog training. And hard as it might be to imagine, there may well come a time when gun dogs will be tested in field trials and acclaimed winners and champions without ever having had a mouthful of real feathers.

That's the downside. The positive fact is that there's no shortage of objects that can be used in basic retriever training and result in turning out worthwhile gun dogs. Supplementation with as many real birds as you can manage is strongly recommended, despite the fact that some dogs manage to finish the job by adapting to game shot while hunting.

Most, however, will need introduction plus practice with actual birds while training, whether pigeons or pen-reared gamebirds. However, initially using dummies greatly reduces training cost and enables frequent, informal fetching sessions that are invaluable in programming pups or perking up adult dogs.

The quality of dummies used in training and the methods of utilizing fake birds varies. The designation "smart dummies" is not an oxymoron, although each trainer in the end determines what he considers suitable. So to aid in determining which dummies are "smart" or "stupid," we offer some practical guidelines for dummy selection in order to make learning easier for your Weimaraner.

For openers, let's touch on some non-dummies, items which were not designed for teaching pups to fetch, but can be readily adaptable and may be available for spur of the moment opportunities when a made-for-the-job purchase is not.

Today, when the vast majority of personal hunting dogs are "in house" dogs (and must be started in the kitchen, living room or den) the tennis ball is a very "smart" dummy. It is the right size and texture, lending itself to being gently carried.