When to Start Training

[BenjaminCadd 109]

Hi i have had Spaniels and all my life and Trained them, But i have always wanted a lurcher to Lamp and ferret with, so i have got a 8 week old lurcher Bitch but this is all new to me, do they need much training and what age is best to start? I mean a Springer knows how to flush out naturaly, will a lurcher chase naturaly? Any help would be great! Also i have noticed she is very quiet and not bombing it around like a pup but this may be me just being used to spaniels?

Any help would be great!

Many Thanks Ben.

[keepitcovert 842]

Start with the basics as soon as poss mate and get it used to the ferrets now it will save you any grief in the future and dont rush to get it working too many dogs are ruined by being too hasty youll know when the time is right for it, and if youve got the chance to work it with an experienced dog so much the better, they can come on in leaps and bounds working with a good experienced dog ATB .

[BenjaminCadd 109]

Great Thanks yeah i have put it with the ferrets and manged to get a few rabbits at weekend so skinned one and used the fur to give it the scent, but as you said i dont want to rush things and thats what im worried about, i mean im not worried if its not ready for this ferreting season but i do want a good dog ready for next season, and it seems there is far more training involved compared to a Springer! Are they quick learners or is there a lot of paticence involved? Yeah it would be great for it to learn of another Lurcher, Any one in the Buckinghamshire area with a Lurcher? I have got land we are alowed on!

Thanks Again Ben.

[bryson 562]

patience is the key mate the pup will be ready for next season just let it be a pup make all of its training fun what cross is the dog

[skycat 6,173]

Training starts with building a good bond with the pup: little things: sit for food, recall for treats, lead training. Don't forget that most lurchers are much more sensitive than most Spaniels. What a gun dog will bowl through totally unconcerned, a lurcher will freak out at. Early socialisation, and lots of it, will form the basis for a well rounded adult. Take the pup as many places as you can, and also be aware that depending on the breeding, some lurchers don't appear to develop mentally as quickly as other types of dogs. The more sighthound there is in a lurcher, the slower it will develop mentally, which doesn't mean to say that they are stupid, just that they develop differently. The prey drive can be seen very early in some lurchers, in others not until later. All dogs have the instinct to chase: you can help to develop that instinct by playing very gentle games of chase the furry rag or toy on the end of a bit of string: but allow the pup to catch the toy often, and learn how sound sensitive your pup is: many are put off by loud voices, and stern tone of voice: some might even shy away from chasing a bit of fur if you encourage them too much. Learning how to read your pup is the single most important tool you have at the moment.

 

If you've only just got the pup and she is quiet, she is probably overwhelmed by the new situation, a bit scared and unsure of herself. Take everything slowly and steadily, and use only quiet, encouraging tones of voice: if you are naturally a loud sort of person you may have to learn to change your style of being with the dog.

 

Could put loads more on, but I'm sure other people have plenty to contribute, and I need to get my dogs out now!

[bryson 562]

another informative post by the kat keep them up

[B.P.R 2,798]

skycat- any chance you can come and live me for a while? id have the best trained dog there is haha

[Twitch 13]

good stuff, finding a lot of these types of threads very helpul myself so thanks

[BenjaminCadd 109]

Thanks for that skycat your completley right about her and her behaviour right now, there is such a large difference between her and my spaniel when she was a pup, do you think i should keep some distance between them at the moment i dont want the spaniel being too much for her?

Im glad everyone has said take your time and theres no rush and also that she needs alot of Bonding, unlike a spaniel who needs to kept on top of from day 1!

Her Sire was Whippet x Greyhound and the Dam was Wheaten Terrier x Greyhound, would upload a pic but not sure how!

Thanks.

[3 Turns 326]

shoot it.

no good /rubbish

[DottyDoo 500]

shoot it.

no good /rubbish

 

 

watch yer feet

[skycat 6,173]

Dogs follow a lot of cues from other dogs. If the Spaniel is confident, and likes the pup, there is no reason why the pup can't be around the Spaniel, but not all the time. She needs to gain her own confidence as well. A lot of people make the mistake of rearing a pup with an older dog, which is great in some respects, but can also lead to the pup becoming over dependent on the adult dog. Pup needs to get out and about with you alone: it should look to you as its pack leader, and for security and fun and games. Even tiny pups need to spend time one-on-one with you to build that bond, and learn to be more self reliant.........or you could end up with a dog which is totally dog orientated, seeing you just as a source of food, but not really the all important leader, protector.

 

Another thing: boisterous older dogs can seriously damage a pup physically in rough games. Lurchers are very delicate when they are growing: all those bony joints and long legs just ask to be injured! Been there, done it! Don't let pup play rough games with Spaniel until it is pretty much full grown. Controlled games, gentle wrestling on the ground under supervision: but crashing, chasing etc all run the risk of joint damage when the pup is hopelessly outmatched by a bigger, tougher dog.

 

Also, (as if this wasn't enough ) if you have to be loud and stern around the Spaniel, this could affect the pup if it is sensitive. Gradually desensitise an unconfident pup. If the pup hasn't been well socialised and isn't used to all sorts of loud voices, noisy environment, this is all scary stuff. I get really hands on with pups: lots of cuddles, (I don't pick pups up unless necessary: dogs don't like being picked up as it makes them feel out of control of their environment) Get on the floor and get close to the pup. If you have a good close physical trust between you and the pup it will help a lot when training, and in general. I can sit on the floor with any of my dogs and they want to come and sit on me, next to me, grab me with their paws and mouths (once taught you don't bite humans as hard as you can play bite other dogs!) and generally roll around and have a good time. The closer you are with your dog the more it trusts you never to hurt it, and playing physically teaches the pup that you are the boss, as you only play games which you control. Obviously, everything with a tiny pup must be scaled down and done very gently. Some people like to roll pups on their back and tickle their bellies: I don't do this to submissive pups as it teaches them to be even more submissive. Neither do I do it to tough pups as it can teach them to fight back harder. Establish the ground rules early, and work within that framework.

 

If your pup will come and play with you: chasing your hand, climbing on your legs, licking at your face, jumping at you: that is all good. Try never to be negative in any way, even to the extent of not pushing the pup down if it jumps up at your legs. Working dogs need to have a close bond with the owner, and whilst you don't want a full grown dog leaping all over you, a pup needs to feel confident enough to get close. You can manage the behaviour as the pup gets older and more confident, and gradually teach it that jumping up is not what you want, but you do that in such a way that the pup is rewarded for not jumping up, rather than being corrected for jumping up. Hope that makes sense.

[BenjaminCadd 109]

Well i think there is a bond forming already i mean she greets me in the morning and follows me around feeding the ferrets and will come and jump about and play, i also tried the rag on the string this morning and she did chase it well and was snapping at it when she came close and caught it a few times which was great to see, but she was a bit ressiliant about letting go off it, which i can understand from her point of veiw, shes just caught it so why should she give it up!, I tried trading it for some treats but she still kept hold of it, i mean she didnt run off wich is a good thing i suppose but will she grow out of this or is there a better way than swapping it for treats?

I guess i am just worring alot, shes a great dog and i dont want to let her down due to lack of experiance.

Thanks Ben.

[skycat 6,173]

I've sent you a pm.

[Casso 1,261]

Well i think there is a bond forming already i mean she greets me in the morning and follows me around feeding the ferrets and will come and jump about and play, i also tried the rag on the string this morning and she did chase it well and was snapping at it when she came close and caught it a few times which was great to see, but she was a bit ressiliant about letting go off it, which i can understand from her point of veiw, shes just caught it so why should she give it up!, I tried trading it for some treats but she still kept hold of it, i mean she didnt run off wich is a good thing i suppose but will she grow out of this or is there a better way than swapping it for treats?

I guess i am just worring alot, shes a great dog and i dont want to let her down due to lack of experiance.

Thanks Ben.

dont worry about taking the item off her for the time being, you must ask yourself what you hope to achieve with the rag on a string, is it to stimulate the chase in her,is it to promote the retrieve, or just to have some interaction with the pup,

i wouldn't be too bothered what any pup does at that age, its irrelevant to what will come in the future,

but trying to take the her prize off her every time will go against her instincts,

let her catch her item , which will make her feel good, and if she doesn't bring it or holds on to it, ignore her ,let her carry it around with her, if shes comes over to you after a while ,produce another as if her bringing the first has given rise to a second , get her excited about the second ,because it really the excitement in you that stimulates the interest in her,

hopefully she'll drop the first and concentrate on the one you have,,and so it goes on, letting her make the decision to come into your space and drop one

this way she stays in the same frame of mind throughout the exercise ,

giving up the prize to you at that stage, grates on her frame of mind and causes a bad feeling for her ,you need to avoid that because you will be associated with it,,

 

i dont do to much with pups of that age i'll admit, learn to read its behavior, getting to know her limits and dont over stretch them, basically all positive associations ,it builds confidence and confidence builds a " can do" attitude in a dog,,which more importantly is the attitude which goes hand in hand with all the best dogs and their handlers,,