special dogs

[shaun v 3]

what special dogs have you owned and why?

over the years i have owned 3 which i would say where special to me.

only one of them was for coursing,

the other two would take most game.

the first one that stands out is my old bitch which is still here aged 18yrs, she is a 3/4 grey 1/4 collie ,one of the best rabbiting dogs ive seen , she hunted all types of land, fell , moorland to small paddocks, i would take hundreds with from dry stone walls and she was a demon on the lamp on hares she took plenty her best figures being 4 out of 4, it was the latter which spoilt her she didnt quit or stop but she sustained toe damage,

i went out with a certian fellow who writes in the hunting mags, i think she was about 8 yrs at the time and she took over a dozen rabbits and he was empty handed, it dosent sound much but the this moor had been run all season by different lads, she took her last hare aged 14 from a small paddock.

number 2 was a dog called zak, i got him by chance he was a lurcher to lurcher mating,my mates bitch had 10 pups and he put a couple in the bucket because he didnt like having large litters on hhis bitch, but over night zak was born at the time i didnt have plans on owning another dog has i had my old bitch which was in her prime, but he stood out from the rest, he was the only ruff coated one in the hole litter resembling a ball of fluff,

zak turned out 25 inches rough coated and a demon, he took everything from rabbits to deer to fox to the wifes horse and ferral cats and feather .

i have him on video coursing a hare while carrying one in his mouth.

there was a few occasions when i was stopped by farmers or the old bill and they wanted to look in the moter, this dog was very particular on who went in the van and he would scare the shit out of them and they would just send me on my way.

he was retired age 5 after breaking his leg taking a pheasant on embankment .

number 3 was jade, she was bred from my old bitch to a pure saluki called cruise.

when he lined my bitch , he got pick of the litter, but when he came for his pick i had put jade upstairs as i had falling for her she was head and shoulders above the rest, he still hasnt let me forget about it 12yrs on.

she took her first hair aged 7 months by the time she was 14mths she took 5/6 in her first season she took over hares and all local non on the fens.

she loved foxes and deer,

she beat sniper the year after he won the forley cup 3/1 she went from december up until the day she was in the forley final without missing a hare, the week before we where out with GEOF OGDEN and she took 5/5 on his land at martin fen.

then on the day of the final on her first run she tore her loin muscle .

she had won our club competion 3 times the double handed twice and the fens doulble handed once,

she was retired 2 yrs back to a retired school teacher from worcester and now spends her time ragging certian things :11: .

[Guest CharlieC]

that was a brilliant read Shaun, thanks for sharing mate

Ive only had a couple of special dogs as well and they were my first 2 lurchers Charlie and Zack (both collie greyhounds) who taught me everything I needed to know about lurchers (and dog breeding) I owe them a lot as they were with me through good and bad times.

Casper is quite special as well, hes not the best dog Ive owned but he has the most character and has had some special talents over the years :ph34r: :ph34r: which have made him a priceless addition to my kennel.

My present favorite is his daughter Ollie who is a good allrounder, she takes everything and never tires, I have had her out with various other dogs over the years and she has never let me down, she often finds where other dogs pass by and she will give anything a go.

[Kane 2]

I have had 1 or 2 ,what I would call decent dogs.This one took all quarry day and night he was Bull/Collie Greyhound more than 3/4 greyhond ,he took a great deal of foxes and a lot of Roe.He was killed lamping foxes at just under 4 years old.The top of his muzzle was all scar tissue and stood out from a mile away to avoid it attracting to much attention I used to colour it in using a black marker .

[Guest CharlieC]

nice looking dog Kane

Very long in the body, I bet he had some gallop on him

Good idea with the black marker pen

[Guest LEARNER]

I SUPPOSE THE YEARS I,VE HAD IN THE GAME, I,VE HAD ONE OR TWO GOOD UNS, I DO BELIEVE CERTAIN GROUND THATS WORKED, CAN MAKE A DECENT DOG LOOK A WORLD BEATER, ALL I KNOW IS THAT WHERE I LIVE ,I,VE NEVER IN MY LIFE SEEN ANY DOG CATCH A LOT OFF GAME ,LETS SAY JUST WALKING THE FIELDS, THERE NEVER BEEN A LOT OFF GAME HERE ANYWAY, BUT I,VE BEEN IN SOME AREA,S WERE I KNOW IT MAY SOUND STUPID, THAT I BELIEVE I COULD HAVE FILLED DUMPER , IF I HAD CARRIED ON ALL DAY, I ONCE SAT ON A STONE ,IN INVERNESSSHIRE, THIS WAS IN A MIDDLE OFF A FIELD, MY LURCHER SALUKI X , JUST KEPT RUNNING OUT AND COMING BACK WITH RABBITS, IT WAS SO EASY, I KEPT PUTTING THEM DOWN A WARREN, I COUNTED 27 ,BEFORE I GOT THE ITCH TO MOVE ON, I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED , OR WISHED SOME ONE HAD COME AFTER WITH A FERRET ,AND DONE IT, I BET THEY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT ,THEY WAS IN UTOPIA, THE BEST LURCHER I WOULD SAY I,VE OWNED ,I WOULD HAVE PUT MY LIFE ON HER ,THAT SHE WOULD NEVER LET ME DOWN, I,VE SEEN FELLOW HUNTERS ,COME OUT WITH ME ,AND AFTER SEEING HER TAKE HARES, ONE AFTER THE OTHER ,WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT ,JUST WALK OF THE GROUND IN A DAZE, THIS IS A GROUND WERE IF A DOG COULD TAKE ONE OUT OF 5 RUNS ,IS CLASSED AS A GOOD UN, THE LADS WHO DID THE FENS REGULER EACH SEASON, WOULD ASKED ME TO TAKE THIER DOGS ,UP SCOTLAND WITH ME ,TO KEEP THEM FIT FOR THE WINTER COURSING ,I USE TO SAY WITH TOUNGE IN CHEEK ,WHY DONT YOU RUN THEM ON SO AND SO ,THEY JUST NEVER REPLIED , THIS BITCH WAS IN ALL SENSE AND PURPOSES A FREAK ,I HARDLY SEEN IT EVER MISS,SHE NEVER PANTED , NEVER SEEMED TO BE THIRSTY, AND NEVER TIRED, I LOST HER AT 3 YEARS OF AGE, A BRAIN VIRUS , I KNEW I HAD LOST THE BEST LURCHER ,IVE EVER SEEN, MY MATES SAID ,I WOULD NEVER SEE THE LIKES AGAIN, I KNEW THAT, BUT WHAT MAKES ME REALLY IRKED UP ,IS I CANNOT SAY HOW GOOD SHE REALLY WAS, NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE ME.

[Kane 2]

, BUT WHAT MAKES ME REALLY IRKED UP ,IS I CANNOT SAY HOW GOOD SHE REALLY WAS, NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE ME.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I used to keep a diary [bANNED TEXT],numbers caught,quarry types that kind of thing.If it was some one elses diary or I didnt know the dog I would find it hard to believe.I find it still amazing the ammount of game or vermin caught by even just average lurchers,just the stuff caught out while exercising the dogs would shock some people

[lucky 578]

well if i had to pick a special dog from all the dogs i've had over the years it would be Tyke a collie/bull/greyhound which i still have and use now.

he never fails to impress me,takes all quarry with ease,rarely missing anything,a dog i can always rely on to do the buisness day or night.

in his first season he caught and killed 21 foxes before he missed one,he's taken loads of roe daytime,with 3 being his personal best in a day which he's done plenty of times,and 4 roe,3 foxes (amongst other things :ph34r: )being his best lamping tally single handed.

hopefully i'll still have a good few seasons with him with a bit of luck,and one day i'll have a pup out of him when i find the right bitch

[J Darcy 5,871]

Great post guys...now i have never owned a world beater, but i have seen some very good dogs out in the field...peggy was a deer/grey X whip/grey...very good, LEARNERS rosie was afine animal and a very obediant all rounder, a dog called GOS was also an eye opener, even at the age of 8!!!..but what is a good dog?..a dog that surprises you and a dog that can be taken anywhere and it will not show you up, a good dog will catch on any terrain... IMHO.....JD

[Guest LEARNER]

WHAT MR DARCY AS JUST SAID ,HAS MADE ME THINK, AND THE MAIN REASONING NOW SPINNING FROM MY THOUGHTS, WHY DO WE APPRAISE A GOOD UN, ITS LIKE WATCHING A GREAT ATHLETE, BOXER, READING A GOOD BOOK, YOU GET THAT SATISFACTION, YOU GET A GOOD FEELING, AND SEEING A GOOD DOG PERFORM, IS PART OFF THE BUZZ, BUT MOST OF US WOULD BE SATISFIED WITH A COMMITED DOG ,IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BEAT THE WORLD ,JUST PLEASE YOU, A DOG THAT TRIES ITS BEST ,AND KEEPS THE POT FILLED, WHAT MORE DO WE WANT, I,VE SEEN MR DARCY AND HIS DOG WORKING TOGETHER, AND LUCKY TO BE IN THE COMPANY ,OFF OTHER LADS ON THIS SITE, WHAT STICKS OUT THE MOST, WAS THE PRIDE THEY HAVE IN THIER LURCHERS ENERGY AND HONESTY IN THE FIELD, THAT MAKES US ALL EQUAL, DOGS AND HUNTERS, THE BEST SPORT IN THE WORLD.

[shaun v 3]

over the last couple of days since writing this post ive been thinking of good times and bad times with the dogs i mentioned from my old bitch knocking me out when she jumped on top of an old stone wall and dislodging a stone :11: and the sad times with injuries , dogs never stop amazing me . i used to love taking a seat on a moor and watch my old bitch working bracken i could have sat there all day she never tired of this and she never let me down and i now see her aged 18yrs lazing around the garden probbily dreaming of past times.

she suffered several broken toes one amputated, dislocated hip, most of her front teeth got knocked out ive lost count of stiches she has had if that had been a human they would have giving up, but dogs are warriors and deserve all the praise they get from us. :friends:

[Kye 77]

All i ask of my dogs, is that they try there best...i just wont to go out and watch dogs do what there supposed to do...if they can do that, then thats all i want!...I can remember a few times, walking out with lads that i am now mates with...we might not of gotten anything, but i never seemed to mind...just being in the company of like minded people, watching dogs...the only better feeling, is when you have a young dog, and have put loads of time into it...you have a day in the field, ferreting, mooching, coursing..whatever...you kill some game, and then on the way back to the car, you relise you havent hardly said a word to that dog all day...imo, thats when you know you have become a team, and not just a bloke walking about with a dog trying to kill summat...JMO.

Kye,..

[Stabs 3]

I've had a few dogs in the past but I've never really had that special one (not a lurcher anyway) but I can't help feeling that that might be more down to my limitations than the dogs themselves. Maybe in someone elses hands, someone more experienced, they would have shone? I live in hope that one day I'll have a bond and working relationship similar to that which I have with my black bitch.

[Guest HAWKEYE]

Ive never had a special dog yet in my kennels so i cant really make comment but ive seen plenty , A big red first cross sal grey called fly who killed hares for fun but was killed on the road before he was 2. And I mean strong hares in the dead of winter. A legendary dog round here called shane who is still ripping stuff to bits at 8 year old oh and maybe the best lamping dog ever in cumbria but thats a page on its own.

shaunv very suprised no flint!!!!!

[shaun v 3]

of the coursing dogs ive owned flint would be a distance 3rd, jade was alot better and another bitch i owned called sophie which was out of one of the first litters bred out of jack before everyone started using him, she was one of the best ive seen run, she only missed one hare out of 30 winter hares before she died when she ran a hare on sunk island hull for over 6mins on bottomless ground and killed it but she damage her diaphram and died 30mins later outsided the vets in hull, lucky was out with us that day and he struggled on the ground, she was in the semi's of the fens cup and she qualifyed as club champion for the forley and she was only 2 1/2yrs old

[Guest daz halford]

for me its my first dog,a saluki whippet greyhound bitch by the name of betty,

had my first fox with her on the lamp at a time when i wasnt all that interested in this game so she switched me on been bang into my lamping ever since thanks to her.

wasnt a great dog but the keenest ive ever had, a bit too clever at times but years later theres still hardly a month go,s by in are house she doesnt get a mention.