will my lurcher learn without other dogs?

[derbylad 1]

hi all im new to the site ive worked ferrets for a couple of years now and realy enjoy it ive always wanted a lurcher dog since i started ferreting but having 2 big dogs at home has never been possible last year i lost my oldest gel of 10yrs so i brought my new lurcher pup just a few weeks ago hes 3 months old now his mum was greyhound/deerhound dad was greyhound collie/whippet or so i was told i dont expect him to be the best but for those hard to get at holes or for the rabbit that slips the net he can chase those cut a very long story short will he learn to chase and maybe even catch the rabbit without seeing another dog do it or am i expecting to much i dont no of anyone else in my area that uses dogs any info and help would be great just one more thing his dads ears stuck up any info on that aswell

 

 

thanks leighton

[Guest Dale]

spend time with your pup , get it solid matey , recall been a biggy , when you think the time is right and you have * bonded* with your dog , take it out a wet , drizzly , cold windy night , get a nice sitter in the middle of the field and let the dog slip , let nature take its course , at the end of the day your dog will either do as intended or not , but either way you will know

 

Dale

 

got to edit as didnt read propely you said ferreting , my statement was for lamping , but same as the above i would say apart from just ferret and brake your pup to them asap .

Edited March 16, 2007 by Dale

[Guest MOLLY]

He will probably learn better alone...wont aquire bad habits. Its in a lurchers blood to chase, he wont need another dog to show him that

MOLL.

[Irish Lurcher 1,013]

derbylad

 

I too have just taken on my first lurcher, the training bit is the key, get the commands right and you are half way there. Recall is the big one as Dale says.

 

For my retrieve I used a lure made up of a rabbit skin stuffed with straw, this training took place in my back garden, I started throwing the lure and making a game out of it, she loved it and was being trained at the same time.

 

My recall was done in the side garden, I would let her off the lead and give her the command to come, it took awhile but the penny dropped when she recieved a small treat upon her return, the reason I used the side garden was because it was narrow and she had nowhere else to go but back to me, it seened to work fine.

 

As the man says, fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Hope this helps you and look forward to hearing how the training is going.

[NIGHTSHADOW 3]

What part of the country are you

[Guest Frank]

Was discussing retreiving ect with some lurcher folk today.

Sometimes, no matter what how much you put into it, they wont allways retreive their first few catches, just walk away when they do and the rest will follow.

 

Frank.