Day five.

[Brimmer 220]

Nothing really to report, out on saturday, good conditions, mild weather, just stayed fine. Finally got the old chap to work the young dogs on there own, locking the others in the truck out of the way.

 

Finally it showed up the faults the dogs have, rather than the pair of them picking up the pieces of the others failure, they were made to work on there own, showing there biggest faults, which since last season i knew were there, but the old feller could not see.

 

We have a pair of dog collie grey crosses, bred from our own dogs which have proven they can do the business. Jed and Robbie. They are around 3 yrs old, and to be honest would show a clean pair of heels to most rabbit dogs around in there ability to strike, and commitment to the job in hand.

But as i have watched and worked with there flaws, i can see the problems setting in.

Jed is a piss poor retriever, and Robbie is a piss poor hunter.

Put them both together and you have the perfect dog, but on the land that we hunt, then a single dog has to do it all.

 

Took Jed out to start with, he is maybee the worst striker out of the two, but makes up for it in determination and prey drive. Good bit of land, throwing up the easy kills, nailed most of the rabbits he run, but fell way short on the retrieve, even seeing him drop the rabbit where he killed it, when he had finished it off.

At times i got him part way back but then sometimes he would veer off and drop the rabbit. Maybee used to seeing my old feller with a dog on the leash which for months i've been telling him to put it in the truck.

 

Ended up with 25 rabbits at 11.30am with Jed, decent total, but a strong feeling that things were way off the mark.

 

Broke Robbie out of the mould next, (brother of Jed) he did what he does, but fell short of covering the ground thorough, everthing he chased he hit and retrieved without question, but took ages to work out the rushes, only being egged on with people pressure. No prey drive.

 

After 1 and a half hours of hunting the rushes up through human eye's, we finally managed to get to the 30 mark.

 

The old feller has made an error of judgement on these two, which after many months he seems to have realised they are not the great dogs he thought after last weekend whilst working on there own.

 

One is a sheet hot retriever and one a sheet hot hunter, but only together do they get the results!

 

Finally at last, the old chap has seen he has decent dogs, not great dogs. and from this day on i can finally move forward and work on the dogs faults.

 

We will see what crops up now, it cannot be a backward step.

 

Only 30 rabbits in todays total, no big bag, was so pissed off i would not even take a photo. A few months left yet.

[The one 8,497]

your starting well mate

[stealthy1 3,964]

Still a very respectable total mate, I dont mind little flaws in my dogs, just so long as they put their heart and soul into their work, and even more so, look like they're enjoying it, because thats what I enjoy about working them

[andy s410c 61]

Chin up big B I'm sure you'll get the hounds running the way you want...i ain't a dog man as you know but at 3 yrs should they be the complete article??

30 rabbits is a good bag by anyone's standards so don't beat yasell up .

Here endeth the pep talk you can try this ,failing that ring this number 08457 909090 & they'll lend you a ear

[watson 1]

i went ferreting on friday and got 1 !!! think how i feel!!

[lofti 579]

good write up mate, still not a bad bag

its always good to watch 2 dogs working together but i think they can

realy on each other like you say ,ive learnt this with my 2 and have just recently

started to work them on there own a bit as i feel this is an important time for them

being 15 month old now and taking everthing in.

 

lofti.

[Moe 108]

30 bunnys is a respectable figure by anyones standard if imright in thinking youve worked the dogs together from pups from my own past exp erience running 2 together one will exploit the other and vice versa this is fine until theyre split its taken my bitch nearly 2 seasons to start to hunt up alone good luck hope you crack them

[Moe 108]

30 bunnys is a respectable figure by anyones standard if imright in thinking youve worked the dogs together from pups from my own past exp erience running 2 together one will exploit the other and vice versa this is fine until theyre split its taken my bitch nearly 2 seasons to start to hunt up alone good luck hope you crack them