small dogs that made the grade!!!

[craigheff 12]

any of you guys had small dogs that made the grade for hunting rabbit???..by small i mean around the 20" mark or even smaller, any one had a lurcher around 18" that made good rabbiting dogs???...the reason i am asking is that my dog is going to be quite small and i am just wondering what small dogs are like on rabbits???..my dog is 5 months and around 17" so you think he will make a decent rabbiting dog if entered properly???

 

let me know if you had a small lurcher...how small?..wat was the breed?

 

what do you think of small lurchers around 20"?

 

thanks for reading and hopefully you could give me some advice as it is my first lurcher and need all the advice i can get

 

atb craig

[wild rover 548]

Hi Mate

 

Many of the best rabbiting dogs are small, whippet size or smaller, ok some do not have the conformation and constitution to lamp and catch 30-40 a night, some bigger lurchers dont either, but will lamp and catch on a regular basis.

 

On the other hand they make excellent bushing and ferreting dogs, I have my first small lurcher, she is just over 20 inch but built like a tank, as with any other lurcher enter them right.

 

[-=Magwitch=- 29]

[Fat-Ferret 857]

 

Shes getting there....

[craigheff 12]

thanks for the replie wild rover ...mate i wont be looking for big bags, if i got 40 bunnys on the lamp a season id be happy!!(rabbits are very thin on the ground around here)...hopefully mine will make 20", he wont be built like yours tho!!...very nice dog you have there ....i like the bit of ferreting alright and hopefuly he will do well at that...do they just start to bush them selfs or do they need to be brought out with other dogs all ready doing it???

 

atb craig

[craigheff 12]

nice dogs magwitch!!! what height is the black one???..good on the lamp and ferreting???

[craigheff 12]

 

Shes getting there....

 

 

thats a fine animal fat ferret ..was that bag caught on the lamp???fine big bag, looks like she is doing you proud ...what height is she mate???

[Ideation 8,216]

i got a dog 19inch ,whip x beddy ,rabbits are very easy for him ,all because that is all he realy saw in the first 9 months of his life he is going on 7years old now and still finds them easy ,when i take him on them ,it is all down to taking him out4 or 5 nights a week ,right throughout the season .give your dog loads of oppertunity to prove its self .

 

This dog is a scruffy jedi! One of the smartest wee dogs i've seen.

[wild rover 548]

thanks for the replie wild rover ...mate i wont be looking for big bags, if i got 40 bunnys on the lamp a season id be happy!!(rabbits are very thin on the ground around here)...hopefully mine will make 20", he wont be built like yours tho!!...very nice dog you have there ....i like the bit of ferreting alright and hopefuly he will do well at that...do they just start to bush them selfs or do they need to be brought out with other dogs all ready doing it???

 

atb craig

 

We all have different ways of starting them off mate, I'm not a big lover of running them with other dogs until they have learnt to hunt scents for themselves, I think some dogs become lazy and can let the more experienced dogs do the graft.

 

I like to take them ferreting when mature mentally and physically to cope, once they are marking, holding rabbits in the net and chasing bolters and of course retrieving, some dogs are jealous retrievers so another reason to start alone, take them some where there are rabbits sitting out, let them hunt them up, even going into cover, the earlier experience of catching will spur them on, once they have hunted and caught they should be keen.

Do this a few times until going well, then I let them work with the other dogs.

 

Just my own way doing things, not the definitive way but it works for me so I stick to it.Cheers WR.

 

 

[craigheff 12]

thanks for the replie wild rover ...mate i wont be looking for big bags, if i got 40 bunnys on the lamp a season id be happy!!(rabbits are very thin on the ground around here)...hopefully mine will make 20", he wont be built like yours tho!!...very nice dog you have there ....i like the bit of ferreting alright and hopefuly he will do well at that...do they just start to bush them selfs or do they need to be brought out with other dogs all ready doing it???

 

atb craig

 

We all have different ways of starting them off mate, I'm not a big lover of running them with other dogs until they have learnt to hunt scents for themselves, I think some dogs become lazy and can let the more experienced dogs do the graft.

 

I like to take them ferreting when mature mentally and physically to cope, once they are marking, holding rabbits in the net and chasing bolters and of course retrieving, some dogs are jealous retrievers so another reason to start alone, take them some where there are rabbits sitting out, let them hunt them up, even going into cover, the earlier experience of catching will spur them on, once they have hunted and caught they should be keen.

Do this a few times until going well, then I let them work with the other dogs.

 

Just my own way doing things, not the definitive way but it works for me so I stick to it.Cheers WR.

 

 

 

 

thanks for the reply again mate..some helpful info in there ...not in any rush to get him hunting anyway..i bring him for a walk down through the feilds everyday so he can get used to all the smells and sounds, fences, gates and livestock while he is young..

 

atb craig

[-=Magwitch=- 29]

21" and a very determined animal.

[craigheff 12]

very nice dog MAGWITCH credit to you mate

[stroller 341]

This my little bitch 10 month old and has been out 4 times with the ferrets doing really well very pleased with her,kelpie x grew about 21", i will start lamping with her in a couple of months not seriously just to get her working and used to it

 

apologies to everyone who has already seen these photos i must get some more

 

 

 

[swamper 11]

whippet x ariedale 19 tts...........took a while to get there.......but got there in the end

 

[craigheff 12]

that dog is a credit to you stroller...he is in some condition, the shine off his coat tells you he is well looked after..well done mate