If it wants to it will

[owl1 13]

definatly little game well bred terriers win hands down no need for staffie to be even considerd i like a strong terrier but theres strong an to big depends who you are hunt terrierman gamekeeper smaller dogs will be more of use atb

[Attack Fell Terrier 864]

i think its down to what kind of earth being worked,in some situations big strong terriers are just too big and can be very limited to where they can be worked..on the other hand i sometimes feel my terriers which are small and narrow are abit on the light side in some situations. i think its down to different tools for different jobs..good topic donny c.. i would be interested to hear your opinion on this. thanks steven

My opinion is its a load of shite ..I hear it all the while only from people who only keep lumps..I keep a varied kennell from 11inch to 14 inch..My little ones struggle in places .We dug stuff last season you would hardly get your fist in ..Stick them in tight rock places or chalk watch them dig on in that ..As said sick of hearing it..Different tools for different jobs ..JMHO.

 

I agree

[Cleanspade 3,322]

it is only fair to define (to big] how big is to big). and to small. can you get to small. i have owned a few very small terriers. and allthough they worked to a degree. and a clever man could get results. they where in truth to small to dictate what was happening under feet. if a fox pushed em they had to move or they whwhere in serious trouble. a handy size is what you need not to big and not to small. just right for the job spannable and with a little substance and bone about em around 12 to fourteen inch

[J Darcy 5,871]

Maybe things depend alot on the size of the tubes.

I have seen some dogs that looked like pure staffs, and a wheaten cross that must have been 30lb. Where these guys would have fit is anyones guess...

But we each keep a dog for a certain reason, so its all down to the dogs owner.

[Terryorr 27]

Surely after doing the same bury a few times we would soon familiarise ourselves with what it consists off ie big tubes, small tubes. I.M.O. putting a large dog in a place you know is tight is just asking for trouble. If the large dog has to squeeze all the way up to the quarry, (and if he makes it there without suffocating) surely the quarry has an immediate advantage and will severly punish the dog until the dog has made room to deal with it or backs off. We have big dogs and small dogs but they are used where they are suited.

IF ITS WANTS TO IT WILL Dosn,t always apply I.M.O.

[hue jeers 6]

If it wants to get there it will try to get there and show determination to get there would be a better way of describing larger game dogs that are of the right sort in my opinion.

 

However, the laws of physics apply, unless your an Octopus, them mothers can get anywhere

[madgerboy 11]

I'm only a young lad but the lads I get to hunt with occassionnaly have 1 bitch 25ib another bitch 20ib and a dog pup 28ib and a 3 season dog 18ib.all with the exception of the 3rd season dog aren't spannable.The small holes are good for the small dog but we have never had to trench to any of the 2 grown females.just the type of ground we hunt is mostly peat and the tubes run wide.They ve dogs for jobs and even the wee 18ib dog can hold quarry no probs.

My friends where saying they believe the spannable rule is applicable to russels but not black dogs as they have only had one in 15 years that could be spanned.

I'm only young so don't eat me if ye disagree.

[CarraghsGem 92]

personally i like a spannable dog, my black lad is very leggy but spannable, he is also a dog that doesnt have a reverse, but then he is still young. ive a as yet untried black+tan bitch leggy but heavier in the leg, she is barely spannable, ive also a half patt half russel dog pup coming to me in a few weeks, be a little lighter but ideal for those tight corners when going after the red lad for the 2011 season

[steveS.Yorks 161]

I'm only a young lad but the lads I get to hunt with occassionnaly have 1 bitch 25ib another bitch 20ib and a dog pup 28ib and a 3 season dog 18ib.all with the exception of the 3rd season dog aren't spannable.The small holes are good for the small dog but we have never had to trench to any of the 2 grown females.just the type of ground we hunt is mostly peat and the tubes run wide.They ve dogs for jobs and even the wee 18ib dog can hold quarry no probs.

My friends where saying they believe the spannable rule is applicable to russels but not black dogs as they have only had one in 15 years that could be spanned.

I'm only young so don't eat me if ye disagree.

 

That sounds fair enough if you have that type of ground to work and the bigger dogs can get there no problem,i wouldnt call an 18lb dog "wee" though,lol, an 18lb terrier on most of the land we hunted would be a strong dog.

 

Ive entered a 14" terrier medium build,dug to it to find its nowhere near and entered a small bitch for her to go another 5 or 6 yds down to the fox,we got a lot from scraped out rabbit earths,hardly much bigger than a rabbit warren as Donny said.

[donnyc 1,203]

I think it depends on the earth in question, if its soil with no roots and you left the dog to dig on, most terriers would get there. but in a rooty earth, or a rubbish tip etc, if there's a gap too small the dog isnt going to get there at all, no matter how much it wants in.

 

just my inexperienced oppinion!

 

ATB

 

Molie

hi sorry if ime butting in but i dont no were to put my question ime after a working earth dog to lead my patterdale to quarry as he is very keen dose any one no of any one selling 1 i am in manchester and dont mind traveling tanks very much tomas

Wanted section

[dogs79 0]

go onto the plummer terrier thread un ask their tomas...

[turnerboi 27]

i prefer a medium sized terrier as i have seen big dogs fail to get up to a fox where a slightly smaller dog succeeds but i wouldnt go to small as they usually lack the bottle to do the job when there their, or if they do have the bottle they take a fair punishing for there size and retire early due to their head not holding up. but in small tight rooty or stony spots even a small terrier might not be able to get there so then were do u go a ferret? one dog imo cant do every job in the field e.g a hard dog cant be used in very deep places where as you wouldnt put a dog that dosent put pressure on the fox in a large rambling earth (unless you wanta run around all day) so its always best to keep a mixed kennel so you know no matter what the job you hopefully have a terrier to complete it, some lads arnt lucky enough to own large amounts of dogs but others are and threw friendships hopfully one of your friends will have the right dog for the job if you dont

yis Matt

[donnyc 1,203]

And knowing which dog to drop is the art

[MISTY 11]

Maybe things depend alot on the size of the tubes.

I have seen some dogs that looked like pure staffs, and a wheaten cross that must have been 30lb. Where these guys would have fit is anyones guess...

But we each keep a dog for a certain reason, so its all down to the dogs owner.

Some of those dogs would struggle to get to ground for sure ,and as you say its all down to the owner ,i believe some with such dogs suffer from a condition known as Hamsterous willious ,o otherwise known as hung like a hamster ,and the big dog is only an extension of there penis .

[Mustard. 83]

Maybe things depend alot on the size of the tubes.

I have seen some dogs that looked like pure staffs, and a wheaten cross that must have been 30lb. Where these guys would have fit is anyones guess...

But we each keep a dog for a certain reason, so its all down to the dogs owner.

Some of those dogs would struggle to get to ground for sure ,and as you say its all down to the owner ,i believe some with such dogs suffer from a condition known as Hamsterous willious ,o otherwise known as hung like a hamster ,and the big dog is only an extension of there penis .

What a load of rubbish!

Maybe its the land you hunt but small dogs/bitches dont work here.