The Big Orange Bumper

Ingrid has been walking around carrying her big orange bumper waiting to do some retrieving. She is a retrieving fool; would go all day if you needed her to. She is a true retriever in that, yes she drives out to get the item but...her main focus is to bring it back to as soon as possible. I love this, it is called "biddability" and is something that is strived for in any retriever. There are lots of dogs who drive out on the pick up but do not return immediately or sometimes not at all or they tease and play with the bumper or the bird.

The inportance of maintaining the "retrieving genes" is of utmost importance when considering a breeding regardless of whether owners do further field training or not. My puppies all get to do fun retrieves too, be it with a puppy bumper or a bird wing. And, if the weather cooperates they even have a chance to play in the kiddie pool and get used to being in water.