all my dogs retrieve to hand, i shoot with my lurchers aswell as run them, all retrieving has been taught with the aid of an older dog usually the pups father, ive never used a ball, dummy or any other man made object always fresh shot game, ive never thrown anything for my lurchers to retrieve. they are as much at home in a hide as they are on the lamp or working daytime. when working togeather double retrieves are the norm.