How to train a lurcher to mark?

[stealthy1 3,964]

Have you ever wondered what dogs can smell??? how the hell can they smell if a rabbit is down a hole 8 foot underground??? it's beyond me.

 

it could either be one of two things i think.

1) rabbits urine.if yo notice once you squeeze the urine out of a rabbit once it has been dispatched it has got an aroma of its own.i think that rabbits "dribble" as they are moving about much the same as a rat or mouse does.this could be one answer.as the rabbit is entering the sett or being chased to ground.the rabbit dribbles.the dog can pick p on this scent and give yo a positive mark.

 

the only other thing i can think of is that they have scent glands in there feet.much the same as a dog.when dogs foul,wether it be rine or the other they will scratch their two hind feet around where they have done their buisness to leave their scent.i dont know wether this will also apply to rabbits.

 

i think the first one has a chance to be a bit nearer the mark.as you know we have ferreted setts before where they have absolutley reeked of rabbit urine.the dogs have marked them and we have also smelt it our selves while we have been netting up.

 

dont ask me where toby learned to mark up because im still trying to work that one out

 

 

Thats what I think, after you put your dog to work it soon learns which sets are occupied, its not some thing you can force them to do, they do it because they injoy it

[billy_wizz 2]

most dogs will mark it's about learning to understand the dog my bitch shows attention to an inhabited warren but passes straight over an empty one but if you didn't know her you would think she was hardly bothering about either!

[Goldvale 0]

Reading this with interest. One Question, at what age would you start taking you lurcher ferreting?

[knocker 0]

every dog is different, mine sticks his head down the hole then paws the ground at the entrance to the hole then goes to the next hole, if you ain't watching you miss the mark ! my mates whippet cross stannds 2 feet from the hole listening and then marks by growling ! again, if you ain't watching you miss the mark. your dog will decide how it wants to mark, you just have to watch and decide what is a mark and what isn't....

[The one 8,477]

Keep taking the dog out with you and they soon pick it up ,but watch you dont praise them all the time or they might start false marking every hole for a bit of praise

[Malt 379]

Most dogs will do it, my mums red setter x golden retriever is funny to watch. He's fecking huge, but he sticks his whole head down the hole, pauses, then tries pushing on down there!

[stealthy1 3,964]

My Shepherd loves ferreting, I have no doubt when he's showing occupied warrens with a tail the size of his