Jump to content

dogs used for ferreting


Recommended Posts

ok so i don't have a clue when it comes to using a dog as a ferreting companion but on reading up on it,lads often do warrens that their dogs have positively marked,so my question is ,what am i looking for in my dog when it comes to marking, don't want to be praising her for just showing a bit of interest,false marking as it were,so how do i go about it the bitch is only 9 month at the moment but will be heading out for her first trip in a few months.

no im not expecting her to mark occupied warrens from the start but how will it progress,does it come naturally is it something she will learn with experience,basically need all the info i can get,prob could have worded it a bit better but you get my drift all help much appreciated cheers

rob :thumbs:

Link to post

  • Replies 31
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

in my experience some dogs do it natural from a very young age. my one pup here started from 13 weeks old but my other still hasnt clocked on and hes coming up 1. just depends alot on how much the dog knows about his quarry and knows what the scents relate to and just how game the dog is. you'l know when there high signs of quarry in a warren as most dont like to leave the hole and even start digging at the entrance to try and get in the hole these are key signs the warrens active and with high chances of bunnies in side. theres no set training for marking except giving the dog the opertunity to gain the experience. as with everything time,time and more time lol and it'l get there. i find a big help is take the pup ferreting with an experienced dog and he'l pick it up alot quicker plus he'l notice when the bunnies bolt and realise quarry is below ground as well as above.

maybe few more experienced guys could help better

atb jamie

Link to post

in my experience some dogs do it natural from a very young age. my one pup here started from 13 weeks old but my other still hasnt clocked on and hes coming up 1. just depends alot on how much the dog knows about his quarry and knows what the scents relate to and just how game the dog is. you'l know when there high signs of quarry in a warren as most dont like to leave the hole and even start digging at the entrance to try and get in the hole these are key signs the warrens active and with high chances of bunnies in side. theres no set training for marking except giving the dog the opertunity to gain the experience. as with everything time,time and more time lol and it'l get there. i find a big help is take the pup ferreting with an experienced dog and he'l pick it up alot quicker plus he'l notice when the bunnies bolt and realise quarry is below ground as well as above.

maybe few more experienced guys could help better

atb jamie

thanks for that mate, haven't got another dog to help out so a complete learning curve for both of us :thumbs:

Link to post
Guest stewie

walk round and find some warrens with rabbits sat outside that you can see but she cant, scare them back in the warrens and then let her mark them inside she wont no you cheated and you will no see aint false marking :thumbs:

Link to post

walk round and find some warrens with rabbits sat outside that you can see but she cant, scare them back in the warrens and then let her mark them inside she wont no you cheated and you will no see aint false marking :thumbs:

excellent idea,thanks for that mate appreciate it :thumbs:

what if she doent show interest should i encourage her or just move on,bearing in mind i know its occupied could this lead to her false marking,thinking i just want her to acknowledge the warren,hope that makes sense

Link to post

walk round and find some warrens with rabbits sat outside that you can see but she cant, scare them back in the warrens and then let her mark them inside she wont no you cheated and you will no see aint false marking :thumbs:

excellent idea,thanks for that mate appreciate it :thumbs:

what if she doent show interest should i encourage her or just move on,bearing in mind i know its occupied

ferret it mate then she knows that that scent means a rabbit . . .

Link to post

you cant train a dog to mark holes, it just comes naturally. had my lurcher out for its first season there and done a lot of ferreting. she just started marking holes after 5months of ferreting with her. my spaniel was marking the holes for me but a would let the lurcher pup have a good sniff about before i put the ferret down and just kept doing that at every warren i done and she finally stared marking them. some i was going to and she would mark them and the spaniel wouldnt. i would say the spaniel was a staedy marker but just to keen to keep working and hyper. the lurcher tends to put it full head down the hole and keep it there for a few seconds and stay at the hole. my spaniel has a good sniff then just stares down the hole. some dogs turn there head to the side and some will lift there paw. some scratch at the hole, my dads cocker trys to jump down the hole. all ye can see is its half its body and back legs up in the air haha, mad as a brush. just keep taken it out ferreting mate and let it have a good sniff round the holes, after a while it will start marking them

 

atb poacherman

Edited by poacherman
Link to post

The dog will learn you about marking up its one thing that you cannot teach a dog to do just learn by the dogs reactions around a shallow set preferabley were rabbits have been seen dropping in.Some giddy type dogs will start digging at the holes and some i have seen will just give their tale a wag and whine a bit were as my spaniels stick their head down the holes and start snorting like pigs.atb dell

Link to post

ok so i don't have a clue when it comes to using a dog as a ferreting companion but on reading up on it,lads often do warrens that their dogs have positively marked,so my question is ,what am i looking for in my dog when it comes to marking, don't want to be praising her for just showing a bit of interest,false marking as it were,so how do i go about it the bitch is only 9 month at the moment but will be heading out for her first trip in a few months.

no im not expecting her to mark occupied warrens from the start but how will it progress,does it come naturally is it something she will learn with experience,basically need all the info i can get,prob could have worded it a bit better but you get my drift all help much appreciated cheers

rob :thumbs:

were abouts are you from mate

Link to post

im in the same boat mate so thanks for starting the thread? saves my fingers punching at the keyboard :thumbs:

ATB with the bitch mate

JW

well you rarely see a good ferreting dog advertised mate so want try do right by the bitch,want her to be a pleasure to take not end up a hindrance,so good luck to both of us lol :thumbs:

Link to post
Guest stewie

walk round and find some warrens with rabbits sat outside that you can see but she cant, scare them back in the warrens and then let her mark them inside she wont no you cheated and you will no see aint false marking :thumbs:

excellent idea,thanks for that mate appreciate it :thumbs:

what if she doent show interest should i encourage her or just move on,bearing in mind i know its occupied could this lead to her false marking,thinking i just want her to acknowledge the warren,hope that makes sense

no probs mate :thumbs: if she dont mark it then there aint alot you can do really but ive followed your posts on this bitch (i no c/g well!!!) and dont think you will have that problem but if you do you can ferret it if right time of year or just keep doing it untill she clicks

Link to post

you cant train a dog to mark holes, it just comes naturally. had my lurcher out for its first season there and done a lot of ferreting. she just started marking holes after 5months of ferreting with her. my spaniel was marking the holes for me but a would let the lurcher pup have a good sniff about before i put the ferret down and just kept doing that at every warren i done and she finally stared marking them. some i was going to and she would mark them and the spaniel wouldnt. i would say the spaniel was a staedy marker but just to keen to keep working and hyper. the lurcher tends to put it full head down the hole and keep it there for a few seconds and stay at the hole. my spaniel has a good sniff then just stares down the hole. some dogs turn there head to the side and some will lift there paw. some scratch at the hole, my dads cocker trys to jump down the hole. all ye can see is its half its body and back legs up in the air haha, mad as a brush. just keep taken it out ferreting mate and let it have a good sniff round the holes, after a while it will start marking them

 

atb poacherman

so basically just get out there and start,hopefully should just all fall into place , didn't mean that to sound flippant,obviously bit more to it than that lol cheers :thumbs:

Link to post

The dog will learn you about marking up its one thing that you cannot teach a dog to do just learn by the dogs reactions around a shallow set preferabley were rabbits have been seen dropping in.Some giddy type dogs will start digging at the holes and some i have seen will just give their tale a wag and whine a bit were as my spaniels stick their head down the holes and start snorting like pigs.atb dell

never thought of that thanks i do know a few shallow ones as well so good starting point :thumbs:

Link to post

walk round and find some warrens with rabbits sat outside that you can see but she cant, scare them back in the warrens and then let her mark them inside she wont no you cheated and you will no see aint false marking :thumbs:

excellent idea,thanks for that mate appreciate it :thumbs:

what if she doent show interest should i encourage her or just move on,bearing in mind i know its occupied could this lead to her false marking,thinking i just want her to acknowledge the warren,hope that makes sense

no probs mate :thumbs: if she dont mark it then there aint alot you can do really but ive followed your posts on this bitch (i no c/g well!!!) and dont think you will have that problem but if you do you can ferret it if right time of year or just keep doing it untill she clicks

:clapper: reading that mate,i felt like i had a stalker lol, thanks again for your help :thumbs:

Link to post

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.


×
×
  • Create New...