[Megora]

The one the lady lent me is 3” on the ends and appears to be a 3” bit that is 1/2” in diameter. The 3” fits him perfectly, but the diameter of the bit is too small. My instructors thought that and it does appear to be. Thanks for giving me something to compare it to.

I wish I had a receipt for one of the dumbbells - the measurements may be different. Actually, if I can find a tape measure, I could probably check the diameter. I'll see if I can do that.

 

[DevWind]

Thank you! I was just curious why people felt that way. It doesn’t matter to me how everyone trains their dogs. As long as they aren’t abusive. I’ve learned a lot about how others train. I’ve gained respect for some and lost it for others.

Happy training to all!

 

[AmberSunrise]

I was on the road today and had stopped to eat a salad, so I responded — but briefly.

As for the FF subject, I guess people do what is comfortable with them as far as how they train their dogs. The only time I’ve been pretty uncomfortable is when I see people training their dogs to the point they yip or cower. I’m just not a fan, but I don’t tell other people what to do with their dogs — their dog to train. Having said that, Logan was force fetched at our first obedience school. There was some collar twisting and ear pinching, but not for long because he caught on real quickly. He didn’t yip out in pain or anything. I was wondering if his ears are tough as heck or what. I’ve not pinched his ears myself, but I was sitting right there when he was force fetched. When I got him home, I worked with him like crazy teaching him how to hold a dumbbell and that was with getting him to hold it, softly holding up under his chin and stroking his muzzle, and giving him a treat for success. We did that repeatedly.

Anyway, my thoughts on all of that is to each his own. I have no intention of lording over others as to how to train their dogs. I just know my comfort level with mine.

I’m looking at dumbbells right now…. I guess I’m just buying one — or like Kate suggested one decent one and one practice one. Not sure yet.

You may want to purchase 2 when you find what you want. I always travel with a spare dumbbell - they are tossed a lot and can weaken and break. I have seen both plastic & wood break (I think single turned wood is more stable than older plastic that has had temperature/humidity variations for a while but don't know for sure)

One of my dogs had a DB break in the ring (Open B if I remember?) and he came back with the pieces LOL He didn't lose points since the pieces landed in a close pattern so it still counted as going directly to & from, but it happens. But if a DB breaks on say the ROF (in Open A), if you have a spare with you you can just ask someone to grab it from your setup and continue on with the ROHJ -- otherwise you need to find someone with a like sized dog that can lend you a dumbbell.

 

[diane0905]

You may want to purchase 2 when you find what you want. I always travel with a spare dumbbell - they are tossed a lot and can weaken and break. I have seen both plastic & wood break (I think single turned wood is more stable than older plastic that has had temperature/humidity variations for a while but don't know for sure)

One of my dogs had a DB break in the ring (Open B if I remember?) and he came back with the pieces LOL He didn't lose points since the pieces landed in a close pattern so it still counted as going directly to & from, but it happens. But if a DB breaks on say the ROF (in Open A), if you have a spare with you you can just ask someone to grab it from your setup and continue on with the ROHJ -- otherwise you need to find someone with a like sized dog that can lend you a dumbbell.

Thank you! Good idea. I have to make sure not to leave things in my cars here because it gets so insanely hot In the summer. I left a water bottle in my car once and it melted, getting blue from the label all over my seat leather.

 

[diane0905]

So, do y’all really think color matters? I enjoy green. Lol

 

[hotel4dogs]

I'm guessing you were being funny about liking green but in terms of colors, remember there are some colors that dogs have a very hard time seeing. Also many ring mats are green! In field training we tend to use orange ribbon markers because most dogs can't see orange very well at all.

So, do y’all really think color matters? I enjoy green. Lol

 

[AmberSunrise]

Thank you! Good idea. I have to make sure not to leave things in my cars here because it gets so insanely hot In the summer. I left a water bottle in my car once and it melted, getting blue from the label all over my seat leather.

Oh no!!! Hope it came off the leather okay! But yeah, don't think you'd want to risk you DB melting!

 

[AmberSunrise]

So, do y’all really think color matters? I enjoy green. Lol

I stick with natural wood bit and white ends -- I know dogs can see those and there is a contrast

There are color charts that approximate what colors dogs can see. And colors might matter based on where you plan on showing -- ie; if you show on artificial turf, grass or green matting, green may not be a great choice unless there is contrasting white?

As Hotel4Dogs mentioned, orange is difficult for dogs to see (orange markers and orange bumpers are used in the field for just that reason).

 

[diane0905]

I'm guessing you were being funny about liking green but in terms of colors, remember there are some colors that dogs have a very hard time seeing. Also many ring mats are green! In field training we tend to use orange ribbon markers because most dogs can't see orange very well at all.

I love green — and I know dogs see certain colors better (like blue) — but I looked it up and it listed the colors and said green wasn’t great. But green is blue and yellow. Haha. What I read said they see green as gray.

 

[diane0905]

Oh no!!! Hope it came off the leather okay! But yeah, don't think you'd want to risk you DB melting!

I could not get it out, but maybe they did at the car dealership in the detail shop.

 

[Laurelin Goldens]

I love green — and I know dogs see certain colors better (like blue) — but I looked it up and it listed the colors and said green wasn’t great. But green is blue and yellow. Haha. What I read said they see green as gray.

They can’t see green because they can’t see red. Dogs are essentially red-green colorblind. They only have the two cones for blue and yellow. Dogs have more rods than humans though, so they can see in finer detail than us - in general.

 

[diane0905]

I stick with natural wood bit and white ends -- I know dogs can see those and there is a contrast

There are color charts that approximate what colors dogs can see. And colors might matter based on where you plan on showing -- ie; if you show on artificial turf, grass or green matting, green may not be a great choice unless there is contrasting white?

As Hotel4Dogs mentioned, orange is difficult for dogs to see (orange markers and orange bumpers are used in the field for just that reason).

I’ve not seen green mats yet or worked outdoors. Maybe I should make sure to have more than one color. I think the actual bit will be white and the green on the ends does have contrasting white on the edge.

 

[diane0905]

They can’t see green because they can’t see red. Dogs are essentially red-green colorblind. They only have the two cones for blue and yellow. Dogs have more rods than humans though, so they can see in finer detail than us - in general.

I wonder why they sell the green? Lol The one Annette lent me is just a natural wood/light tan color.

 

[Megora]

otherwise you need to find someone with a like sized dog that can lend you a dumbbell.

Gotta share a smile today - I read this and immediately thought of the times at classes that I've seen little dogs running out to retrieve dumbbells bigger than their heads.... and big dogs retrieving little dogs dumbbells completely in their mouths.... 🤣 I know there are dogs who would stop and dwell on the prior smells on the strange dumbbell, but it would be tempting to assume that most dogs would be fine.

 

[Megora]

They can’t see green because they can’t see red. Dogs are essentially red-green colorblind. They only have the two cones for blue and yellow. Dogs have more rods than humans though, so they can see in finer detail than us - in general.

I have my doubts on that a little bit. There was a trial a few years ago where I was in the obedience ring doing the death march (rally) and my Jacks managed to pop his crate door open and escape. This was a crowded/tight trial so a lot of people + red rings were still good, so more people besides me had red jackets or sweaters and too crowded for him to see or scent me outright. He literally zeroed in on anyone wearing red. My sister was chasing after him and was astonished to see him literally tracking down anyone in red.

You would think if the dog can't see red, the color would just appear dark? But he literally bobbed and weaved checking out anyone with a red sweater while slithering out of everyone's grasps - this before I scrambled out of the ring to catch him. This was fortunately before judges got the word to NQ dogs for misbehavior outside the ring! Main thing rattling in my brain was catch him before he entered the ring. He was about 5 feet away and locked on target (me) by the time I got out there to grab him.

 

[DevWind]

So, do y’all really think color matters? I enjoy green. Lol

Not sure...my friend has a dumbbell with orange bells. Her dogs ALWAYS find it immediately. Orange is supposed to be a color they can't see. My dumbbells are blue and white and red and white. I intentionally configured the colors so the dog would only see the white part. There's a small ring of color where the bit and bell meet and the flat part of the bell is a color. The rest is white.

 

[diane0905]

I can see where certain situations would make it more difficult to see. I remember when people were saying they had a terrible time with gloves when the floor surface was some sort of loose white material. And, of course, in field the situation changes so much as to cover and such. There is plenty of white on the dumbbells I was looking at when I saw the green ones I like.

 

[DevWind]

I can see that being a problem. All of Pilot's gear is matching. His gloves have a blue band, his articles are blue and black, dumbbell blue and while. Even his leash matches. This is exactly what happens during 2 years of lockdown....

 

[diane0905]

I can see that being a problem. All of Pilot's gear is matching. His gloves have a blue band, his articles are blue and black, dumbbell blue and while. Even his leash matches. This is exactly what happens during 2 years of lockdown....

I like my stuff to match also and my favorite color is green.

 

[DevWind]

I like my stuff to match also and my favorite color is green.

Bet you can't guess what mine is....