working dogs over ferrets

[loulove1 0]

Hi guys & girls,

 

I have posted something in the earthdog section about a new dog I am planning on getting and wondered what people use to work alongside there ferrets and to see what you think of the Lakeland x Patterdale as a potential marking, holding and bush dog alongside ferrets?

 

I have worked all sorts with the ferrets in the past and find most dogs can be trained to work in this way but obviously some breeds are better than others, however the guys in the earthdog section give me the impression that this breed of terrier can only be used to go to ground and to dig too. Is this fact and will I be wasting my time even attempting such a task and end up with dead ferrets?

 

A pic of the pups for those not familar with the breed.

 

 

thanks

 

Darren.

[jocky 198]

got two patterdals mate, both good at working the hedges/bushing. would trust the smaller one that is crossed with jack russle but not the patterdale, if it moves she thinks kill it.

[events co-ordinator 353]

What you end up with depends entirely on your ability to train the dog to do what you want I saw your other post as well its still the same answer.

[ryno 11]

why not use a whippet or small lurcher;they will mark and chase escapees more bunnies in the bag

[Rake aboot 4,936]

Aye

Agree that almost any dog could be worked with ferrets BUT the only time I lost one to a dog ,it was to a Patterdale X terrier !!

Be vigilant but I would not tell you not to try it,,,the dog might be fine with them.

Good luck ! ATB

[diggermad 154]

hi mate i have a patty x lakey she will kill a ferret before it left the cage but i havent brought her up with ferrets best thing bring her up with an albino ferret drinking out of the same bowl as young both of them when she wants to play with it just say no she will get the idea reason i say albino ferrets the dog wont get mixed up taking it for a rabbit or rat bolting out fast got to start them young or would be hard work cheers DM

[bobcullen79 1,495]

hi mate i have a patty x lakey she will kill a ferret before it left the cage but i havent brought her up with ferrets best thing bring her up with an albino ferret drinking out of the same bowl as young both of them when she wants to play with it just say no she will get the idea reason i say albino ferrets the dog wont get mixed up taking it for a rabbit or rat bolting out fast got to start them young or would be hard work cheers DM

 

 

Thats the exact reason I got albino`s. When I 1st got them my 11month Patt bitch chewed the front off the cages trying to get at them,but now after 4-5 months,shes eased right up. Im now at the stage were I have all 3 running round the front room,I still have to keep an eye on her though,because if they start nipping or jumping up at her face,she starts licking her lips and shaking. Not bad seeing as it only the 3rd time. As its been said,associate them young and it should be fine.

[michael flatters 2]

i had a border/patterdale who worked his whole life with ferrets,even used to go into the run and play with the young.Start him early introducing him to the ferrets,sharing a bowl of milk etc and you should be fine.I now have a Bedlington and he has no problems either,he was playing rabbit tug of war with my jill this afternoon.

[loulove1 0]

Well got my new Bitch a couple of weeks ago now and she doing well, I did get it a little wrong as she is full Lakeland terrier out of good lines. To be honest im a lot happier with this as wasn’t keen on the Patterdale in it for what I wanted.

The fella I bought her off had Lakeland and patterdale pups not x's and he talked me through it when I went to have a look.

 

 

I was keen on getting a Bedlington but I am very happy with the choice of dog I have made and looking forward to the challenges ahead, I wanted a dog that could work the hard hilly ground I work, mark sets and be able to get stuck into the bush's. I didn’t want a dog that was going to run on across big ground after rabbits that had slipped the net.

 

I have already had her out with the ferrets and i will add some pics to a new posts soon, heres a couple of pics of her.

 

 

 

 

[baldockbanks courser 598]

Well got my new Bitch a couple of weeks ago now and she doing well, I did get it a little wrong as she is full Lakeland terrier out of good lines. To be honest im a lot happier with this as wasn’t keen on the Patterdale in it for what I wanted.

The fella I bought her off had Lakeland and patterdale pups not x's and he talked me through it when I went to have a look.

 

 

I was keen on getting a Bedlington but I am very happy with the choice of dog I have made and looking forward to the challenges ahead, I wanted a dog that could work the hard hilly ground I work, mark sets and be able to get stuck into the bush's. I didn’t want a dog that was going to run on across big ground after rabbits that had slipped the net.

 

I have already had her out with the ferrets and i will add some pics to a new posts soon, heres a couple of pics of her.

 

 

 

 

i cant see the point in taking a terreir ferreting at all !

1. the cant catch a rabbit in a strait line.

2. by the time a terreir reaches a netted rabbit you may as well do it yourself.

3. the rabbits will only be fit for a stue pot.

4. You can use a lurcher to better effect in almost every situation.

[stubby 175]

i cant see the point in taking a terreir ferreting at all !

 

 

I've always used our jack russel terrier, so opinions will vary, she's great with the ferts, but also a great ratter, yes she will get to them before me when they are in the longnet, yes she has caught a free runner before now, granted a lurcher, or even a beddy whippet will work differently, but then, if everyone had the same, life would be boring would'ent it

[jam1 8]

beddi whippet all day, mine marks,works cover and runs em [bANNED TEXT] more do you want atb jamie

[loulove1 0]

I can not see the point in why some people bother righting on this forum but they do anyway!!!!LOL

 

I work some hard hilly ground with big, big sets with lots of hard undergrowth, I want a dog that’s going to stick by me and work the set not fU** off over the hill after a single rabbit that got away. I before anyone has a rant at this, yes I have had a beddy whippet and he was a blinding dog, he is retired and lives with my Nan. He would do all the above but as said above he would also chase on in a straight line and turning believe it or not lol if a rabbit bolted to an un-netted hole or slipped a net and made a run for it. He was good for the land we had then but to be honest as good as he was (and he was very good) he would not suit the land I now work. The question I was asking was if people in this section have worked the Lakelands (x Patterdales originally) with ferrets and comment on there experience, giving some advice on how they have performed and training advice. The reasons for me choosing a terrier (fell type) are for the following;

 

1. To mark the areas that the rabbits are holding up in.

2. Work the dense sections of undergrowth where I can not get to with nets or long nets (bushing).

3. As I go alone on many occasions and the rabbits can bolt 2, 3, 4, some times 5 at a time I would be happy for her to hold rabbits in the nets or even help dispatch them as they are known to bounce round until they get out, especially if I am busy on another part of the set dealing with other rabbits. I will train this dog to drop or leave, a very simple command that will allow me to deal with any single rabbit that bolts.

4. I feed the majority of the rabbits to my ferrets and keep a few for pies and curry’s etc. The dog given them a quick shake isn’t going to be a problem as I am out there controlling the rabbits for the land owner, not for self gain by selling rabbis. I have a job that pays the bills and I do this for the love and because it’s in my blood.

 

It was the Patterdale side I had concerns about but as I have said that was my error and on visiting the pups it was clear that they were full Lakelands, this helped me make the decision to go ahead with taking the pup on. I feel the Lakeland is intelligent enough to be trained in this way and hopefully she will come good, if she don’t then lesson learnt and change of plan but Fu** me am I going to get the same dog every time? NO and even if I did, every one would be different from the other. I have seen guys with beddy whippets that can’t do sh** all and weren’t worth a wan*.

 

I was more concerned about the comments in the terrier section about these dogs going to ground but having done a bit of research I believe this isn’t going to be a problem with the right training.

 

Oh and when I said I have had her out with the ferrets I only meant out in the garden getting them use to each other as obviously she is too young for the field. (ill get some pics up soon)

Rant over and thanks to all comments as I have taken on board what all of you have said.

 

Many thanks.

 

Darren

[The one 8,487]

If you dont have a lurcher a terriers just as good at marking mate and look at the time thats going to save