they came with the same bullshit here - hottest november ever - we had snow and ice since 27 of november until yesterday!

its possible to shot dummies with a shotgun. Keller & Simmann make inserts for common 9 mm blanks

https://www.einstecklauf.de/aktuelles.html

its an expensive pleasure and hard to get in australia but a reloader can copy this with a common cheap shotgun, handload 12 ga blanks to fire a dummy for the dog. this connect play and noise in the best way together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz52khzzdTQ

there are other special dummy launcher maybe better available for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwiTMn_xCQs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeTCzfSi7ZA