Marking retrieves in cover

Why it matters

Game rarely falls on a neatly mown lawn. Practising marks that vanish into cover teaches the dog to commit to the area of the fall and hunt it out with its nose, rather than expecting to see the dummy the whole way.

Set up

• Choose a patch of longer grass or light cover with permission to access.
• Throw so the dummy is clearly seen to land, even though it cannot be seen once down.

Run the drill

1. 1Throw the dummy so it lands and disappears into the cover.
2. 2Send the dog on the mark, encouraging it to work the area with its nose once it arrives.
3. 3Reward a determined search and a confident pick up.

Make it harder

• Increase the thickness or height of the cover gradually.
• Throw two marks into cover from different angles.
• Add a short wait before sending so the scent has time to settle.

Common mistakes

• Helping too much by pointing at the fall area: let the dog work it out with a little encouragement rather than doing it for them.
• Choosing cover that is too thick too soon: build up gradually so confidence stays high.
• Giving up on a mark too early: encourage a proper search of the fall area before considering a reset.