A dog for your head and a dog for your heart

[WILF 46,536]

Just reading Chalkwarrens excellent book again and the last chapter "Mercedes" allways makes me smile.........for all his knowlege and the man obviously knows exactly what type of dog he needs, he knows what a properly trained dog should do, but for all that you can really feel the warmth come through when he writes of this out and out running dog.......a wild and free partner that seems so far removed from the perfectly trained herding type of dog.

 

I have had dogs trained to a standard and I have also had the wild free thinking type characters, the dogs that are more your partner than your servant, they walk to the beat of there own drum and will allow you to "boss" them if you deserve such a reward and allways give you there all........its the latter that I really warm to.

 

Its heart all the way for me............

 

So the point of my thread is.........what would you prefer and why............

Edited November 1, 2009 by WILF

[poacher3161 1,766]

I must admit to likeing the dog that is and does work with me and is in tune to my commands.Probably why i am not getting on with this beddy lurcher pup [9 months] its definatly got a mind of its own. I have found basic training makes the dog even more eager to please.atb dell

[UNFIT 0]

one that already knows what you going to do next , you cant beat a thinker .the reason why ,well its the sort that i seem to end up with after the way they are shown early in life .

Edited November 1, 2009 by UNFIT

[merle24 61]

one that already knows what you going to do next , you cant beat a thinker .the reason why ,well its the sort that i seem to end up with after the way they are shown early in life .

 

Here we go

Edited November 1, 2009 by merle24

[UNFIT 0]

one that already knows what you going to do next , you cant beat a thinker .the reason why ,well its the sort that i seem to end up with after the way they are shown early in life .

 

Here we go

[Meerihunter 7]

Just reading Chalkwarrens excellent book again and the last chapter "Mercedes" allways makes me smile.........for all his knowlege and the man obviously knows exactly what type of dog he needs, he knows what a properly trained dog should do, but for all that you can really feel the warmth come through when he writes of this out and out running dog.......a wild and free partner that seems so far removed from the perfectly trained herding type of dog.

 

I have had dogs trained to a standard and I have also had the wild free thinking type characters, the dogs that are more your partner than your servant, they walk to the beat of there own drum and will allow you to "boss" them if you deserve such a reward and allways give you there all........its the latter that I really warm to.

 

Its heart all the way for me............

 

So the point of my thread is.........what would you prefer and why............

 

I've only just wrote a similar post in the Training and Health section.

 

This is one of reasons I love my Salukis, I love their physical abilities and I love their mindset and having the connection to that feral side to them out in the fields and woods. I've done the formal trained to a standard thing with gundogs and my first lurchers to some degree, but working with Salukis I did a complete turn about. I like dogs that know their job inside out rather a dogs that simply responds to commands and is so hung up on commands that it can't or won't think it just does because it is told.

[stealthy1 3,964]

I prefer the partner type out of the two discriptions, purely because if I wanted to do everything myself, then I would'nt need dog, but having heart makes up for any dogs foibles in my book

[fathom 2]

only after finishing reading this book its the best lurcher moucher book i've read and the chapter on Mercedes is my favourite if you have'nt read ths book your missin out cant say enough good words about this book. as for the answer to the question a free thinker all the way as my little cur has proved to me in the past nine times out of ten the dog knows best. Regards

Edited November 2, 2009 by CHALKWARREN

[Fat-Ferret 857]

Whats the name of Chalkwarrens book?

[Stabs 3]

This old one of mine is very much a dog of her own. She hunts up and generally does her own thing but she knows what I want her to do. People often misread her type as pig-headed and stubborn, but they simply don’t understand the dog in my opinion. She’s not one of these types that will perform circus tricks although I had her retrieving dummies to perfection in the garden. That all went out of the window when we got to the hunting field, although I would say she retrieves very well…it’s just not textbook. I’d say she’s very primitive and she works with me as opposed to for me. A hunting machine who’s often still looking for more when I’m ready to call it a day. If she was a footballer, she’d be Peter Beardsley….not the prettiest looking thing in the world, but without constraints and given a free reign will get a result for you in her own inimitable way.

 

 

Her son on the other hand does exactly what you tell him to. He picks up the slack when he works alone and he will hunt, but when run with his mother, he’s Lineker to her Beardsley. To be honest I’ve never trained him much, purely because I’ve never had to…he just does what I tell him. He’s not the most experienced lamping dog in the world but he’s straight back after a run. He’s grown up watching his mother and he reacts to her; mops up the pieces and for the outsider watching – takes a lot of the plaudits.

 

 

She’s all craft, guile and sneakiness. She amazes me sometimes with the elaborate diversions she employs to steal his food. A canine, Machiavellian, Peter Bearsdely. A cunning, evil genius.

 

He’s all business – no messing about. Speed, strength but smart too. What I’d call an honest dog.

[whin 463]

had acouple of dogs simliar to mercedez and expect all my dogs to be simliar one way or another most are genuien saluk type greyhound colli ,they act like that as youngsters but it takes time and a bit of work to get that years a go the nlrc feild trails made me realise the sit and stayers was not all that it was cut out to be a dog performing tricks to the owners tune ,its nice to see awell behaved dog but not to the atate it doesnt no what to do and looks at the owner for guidance 24 7 thtas not a hunting dog , saw some of the best trained dogs and they werent a patch on dogs at catching game naturaly,you need a bit of both at times

[skycat 6,173]

I know what you mean Whin: I did the robo-dog thing many years ago but moving on to Saluki types changes your attitude a bit!

To be honest, hating authority myself and never having been one to feel happy about rules etc, I can really appreciate the Saluki types, and having got older and more patient I am now in a happy place where I can really allow a dog the time to mature and give it the freedom it needs to learn etc.

And there is such a HUGE feeling of pride and humility when a Saluki type lets you into its heart: goes and does its thing and then retrieves its catch to you!

 

Yes, they may drive you nuts at times but I'd put up with the irritating-two-fingers-up-at-owner attitude for the privilege of being that owner when the dog comes right.

[rabitin girl 16]

After many years of owning Collie/ grey/ deer types of dogs , we were out one morning and saw something being thrown from a van , we pulled over and found a bald half dead Saluki pup , which took a good few months to recover.

She has really come good , and although she makes you pull your hair out at times , shes taught us a lot about training a dog with a different attitude than what we were used to. Shes a dog of the heart not the head LOL

[skycat 6,173]

After many years of owning Collie/ grey/ deer types of dogs , we were out one morning and saw something being thrown from a van , we pulled over and found a bald half dead Saluki pup , which took a good few months to recover.

She has really come good , and although she makes you pull your hair out at times , shes taught us a lot about training a dog with a different attitude than what we were used to. Shes a dog of the heart not the head LOL

 

That's a great ending to a horrible start: I'd love to hear more about her: how old was she when you got her? Got any pics of her: I'm a sentimental old fool and love to hear happy ending stories LOL

[rickyspringer 15]

That's a great ending to a horrible start: I'd love to hear more about her: how old was she when you got her? Got any pics of her: I'm a sentimental old fool and love to hear happy ending stories LOL

 

ME TOO, Tell us more please and get some images up.