Ideas for controlling a pup in the field once on scent

[Big Dog222 0]

Hi guys. Well my Patterdale, Parson Jack pup is a week short of 8 month. She is a great wee dog, energetic and a great nose. She is fairly good on basic trainingstuff but her weakness is coming to heel at time. If she don't want to, she will hold back for a wee while and then come. I feel I can work on this in a demestic situation.

 

However, what I find hard is when we are in the field. I have used a variation of 15 mtr leash and off leash. She will work reasonably well until see gets a scent of the rabbit, fox, rat she is off like a hare tonguing the whole way. It is usually fine in rushes and I have shot most but like yesterday, me and the kids went for a walk beside a nature reserve. It all went well until Nell; the pup, got hot wind of a bunny, 45 mins latter we caught up with her, she must has chased 50 of them.

 

She is leggy and faster than me. so is there a way to keep her more in control?

 

[slingshot82 32]

A shock training collar? ATB

[Guest jt750]

A shock training collar? ATB

 

That the best you can up with ...arsewipe ...shock collar is the final straw ..

Don't know what the answer is mate but i've just taken a a similar cross of 8/9 months old and she's the same ..think its youthful exuberance and a willingness to hunt ...patience might be your best option ..basic training on recall little and often and the penny should drop soon enough ..well here's hoping anyway

[Shadowstalker 2]

A shock training collar? ATB

 

That the best you can up with ...arsewipe ...shock collar is the final straw ..

Don't know what the answer is mate but i've just taken a a similar cross of 8/9 months old and she's the same ..think its youthful exuberance and a willingness to hunt ...patience might be your best option ..basic training on recall little and often and the penny should drop soon enough ..well here's hoping anyway

you could try calling the dog when shes about 20 - 30 yards away from you then turn and walk in the opposite direction, when she realises you arnt following her she will rush back to you, after a few times doing this she will automatically stay closer to you just incase you disapear. I use this method when training spaniels only i like them a little closer (15 - 20 yards) ATB Shadowstalker

[old dog 210]

im sorry mate ,but i would'nt listen too the comments you have had,there are some silly people on here,the type of hunting you want to do, doesn't justifly the bred of dog you are working,you are better off with a spaniel or a lab,a terrier is too independent you could be waiting alot longer if she went to ground,and i bet you don't carry a shovel with you ,it's not the dog that's needs the collar,all the best mate you know what i mean

[waidmann 105]

i think the answear was given in your original post bud.

the problem is "recall" and this cannot be trained in "a domestic situation",it should be started at home(with little or no distractions) and then gradually moved out to fields etc and increasing distractions for the dog(scent of game,other dogs in the park etc etc).

all of this should be done with a positive manner(praise and treats when she does it right,not a stick when she fails).when the dog comes belting down the garden path at a call from you,put her back on the lead and take her to a field with rabbits,try the recall on the lead a few times(up the 15meters you have).from there you can build it up to distance. dont overdo it and bore the dog to death,but every time she comes have a bit of cheese or something ready for her(you will find she will know whats coming and comes flying at you:thumbs:).

 

i wish you all the best with the cracking looking little terrier

 

waidmann

[sh 08 17]

i think the answear was given in your original post bud.

the problem is "recall" and this cannot be trained in "a domestic situation",it should be started at home(with little or no distractions) and then gradually moved out to fields etc and increasing distractions for the dog(scent of game,other dogs in the park etc etc).

all of this should be done with a positive manner(praise and treats when she does it right,not a stick when she fails).when the dog comes belting down the garden path at a call from you,put her back on the lead and take her to a field with rabbits,try the recall on the lead a few times(up the 15meters you have).from there you can build it up to distance. dont overdo it and bore the dog to death,but every time she comes have a bit of cheese or something ready for her(you will find she will know whats coming and comes flying at you:thumbs:).

 

i wish you all the best with the cracking looking little terrier

 

waidmann

Very good advice there, you may also want to try a gun dog whistle with that training, as the dog is running off she will hear the :realmad: in your voice and wont want to come back. a whistle doesn't show this.

[skycat 6,173]

I've worked terriers in cover for many years, and some never do get the hang of sticking near you and working with other dogs: problem is if the pup has no older dog to teach it how to hunt close by and listen to commands your'e in for a rough ride. My young pups learn from the older ones, and I only keep dogs which have more of a pack mentality rather than a go it alone attitude.

 

Make yourself the pack leader, make sure the dog respects your authority, and also be aware that at 8 months old this pup is a teenageer and desperate to do its own thing, so it will run amok and be a pain in the rear for a while yet. By the time mine have got to about 12 months old they are usually pretty obedient, but I will have to have put the fear of ME into them a few times to get them to come back when I say so.

 

I never hit them, just roar at them savagely and shake them by the scruff or pin them to the ground and shout horrible things at them: never hurt them but just do enough to let them know who is boss. Trouble is that if you are not actually leading the hunt by taking the dog where the rabbits are, you are doing the other thing which is following the dog whilst it is hunting up, and the more you allow yourself to follow the dog the more you are putting it in the driving seat which means that it will be less likely to see you as the person in command.

 

I reckon you need to work on the recall out in the field: and I've found that terriers respond well to a rabbit skin dummy as a reward: use a different voice, sound excited and urgent when you call the dog then throw the dummy into some easy cover (long grass, a little bramble or whatever) for the dog to find and retreive. If you can get the dog retrieving then that is half your battle and I've not met a terrier yet that isn't mad for retrieving. By getting the dog obsessed with fetching the rabbit skin dummy you'll also get your recall, even if it is chasing the real thing.

But you need to make the dog respect you first and I've often seen that terriers which live in the house with their owners are often a peg or two above the bottom of the pack place they should be in as they usually get too much attention from the family and start to feel that they're too high up the pack.

Attention from you and the rest of the family is something that the dog needs to earn, not demand as its right. Kenneling, crating, separating from you and the family is one way you can knock the dog down a peg or two: most obedience problems stem from the dog not knowing its place in life: respect first, attention second and the rest follows naturally.

[rickyspringer 15]

Skycat another great post from yourself. TOP MAN

 

I would also like to add that if you want the dog to become that bit more sticky and not so self employed, i'd find a item the dog likes, as Skycat said a rabbit skinned dummy/ tennis ball. I would have the dog always in close proximity and when not watching drop the item around your feet, when the dog keeps finding items near you, it will realise good things come around you...

 

Alot of obedience work needs to be done first, in areas where there is no game so the dog cannot bog off, if there is game about and rewards for the terrier which don't come from yourself, ie a lovely chase of a rabbit you are setting the dog up to fail and get in bad habits.

 

Recall work is the key, without distractions, then keep upping the ante until the dog will not fail!! Good luck

[poacher3161 1,766]

im sorry mate ,but i would'nt listen too the comments you have had,there are some silly people on here,the type of hunting you want to do, doesn't justifly the bred of dog you are working,you are better off with a spaniel or a lab,a terrier is too independent you could be waiting alot longer if she went to ground,and i bet you don't carry a shovel with you ,it's not the dog that's needs the collar,all the best mate you know what i mean

Well said.Terriers are idependant hunters and hunt for themselves ok you will get them to a level of obediance but nothing like a spaniel or similar dog were as a spaniel will hunt with you a terrier you have to follow them most of the time [bANNED TEXT] there hunting.

[Born Hunter 17,788]

Skycat another great post from yourself. TOP MAN

 

I would also like to add that if you want the dog to become that bit more sticky and not so self employed, i'd find a item the dog likes, as Skycat said a rabbit skinned dummy/ tennis ball. I would have the dog always in close proximity and when not watching drop the item around your feet, when the dog keeps finding items near you, it will realise good things come around you...

 

Alot of obedience work needs to be done first, in areas where there is no game so the dog cannot bog off, if there is game about and rewards for the terrier which don't come from yourself, ie a lovely chase of a rabbit you are setting the dog up to fail and get in bad habits.

 

Recall work is the key, without distractions, then keep upping the ante until the dog will not fail!! Good luck

 

Its amazing how hard a place like that is to find! Hares are the burden of my life at the moment, i just want them all to leave lincolnshire for the next 6 months! lol

[rickyspringer 15]

haha them irrestible hares Born hunter most dogs will try in there earnest to catch one, the most steady dogs become unsteady around these..

 

Its not difficult to find an area without distractions, use your imagination, tennis courts, gated car parks, the possibilities are endless just to start the foundations to a steady obedient dog.

 

Dell I'd also disagree on the terriers being a law to themselves, if trained correctly they will do what is asked of them,A spaniel which hasn't been trained correctly is a self employed hunting machine..Who will hunt within the next county without batting an eye lid.

[slingshot82 32]

A shock training collar? ATB

 

That the best you can up with ...arsewipe ...shock collar is the final straw ..

Don't know what the answer is mate but i've just taken a a similar cross of 8/9 months old and she's the same ..think its youthful exuberance and a willingness to hunt ...patience might be your best option ..basic training on recall little and often and the penny should drop soon enough ..well here's hoping anyway

F**cksake, I wasnt being serious! I had the exact same problem with 1 of my russells and put it down to him being a pup and being inquisitive and instinct. He comes back now when hes called, well most of the time anyway unless hes actually chasing something.

 

Someone has suggested you try a whistle and I would agree, a whistle doesnt sound angry no matter how hard you blow it, unlike your voice if the dog is ignoring you.

I used a whistle and on return the dog would be praised and receive a small treat. Just do it as often as you can, I done it a few times every walk I took the dog when he was younger, hes 2 years old now and I still occasionally do it.

It doesnt take long for them to pick it up if you keep at it.

ATB mate

[romany52 313]

Terriers are not verry different to any other breed when it comes to trianing , the biggest proplem is that folk start them hunting before they are trained to a high enough standard.No dog should see game untill its obedience training has reached the standard you require.

[romany52 313]

It might sound daft, but a good way to gain dominance over a dog, is pretend to eat first from its rations at feed time, if the dog comes too close growl at it. Dominant members of the pack eat first , it's a language he'll understand.