How are the newcomer lurchers getting on?

[rob190364 2,594]

Mine is 14 months and has been doing quite well so far. Main issues are just due to inexperience but the two biggest ones are not seeing sitters and not quite getting the strike right but it should all click into place.

 

But last night we took 10 steps backwards! Really wierd, the training etc. has been progressing steadily and then all of a sudden a leap backwards. She was hunting up, dragging my arm off on the slip, overshot a runner that then went into a patch of grass, she followed it in and it bolted and ran the whole length of the field at a steady pace while she was still dicking about in the grass (seriously frustrating!), then on the way back to the car I left her off her lead and instead of checking hedges, long grass etc. like she does 99% of the time she started running round in circles and being a knob. I know it's just one of them things with young dogs that they test your patience every now and again but that's the first time she's done it....trust her to pick a day when conditions were good!

 

That thing about not seeing sitters is just f'ckin wierd though! She even did it to one in the daytime, it was sat 10ft from a hedge and we were walking along the hedge, she was looking in the right direction with ears pricked so I sent her after it and she just ran straight past it, it didn't even move til she'd gone past and then just trotted into the hedge! and on the lamp (especially on stubble), you can get within 3ft of a sitter and she still doesn't see! I know it's her age, I just didn't expect it to be that bad!

[dymented 2,220]

it will all drop it to place at some point rob mine dose it sometimes depends on the ground im on

[chrisbullx 2,541]

Like you said rob its inexperience mate she's still young & I wouldn't worry to much once the penny drops she'll be fine atb cbx

[rob190364 2,594]

cheers lads.

[suffolkpoacher 219]

my dog done the same around 15 months hunted up and recall was out the window,its took a while and i nearly had enough but stuck at it and its all come together now.atb

[jf1970 328]

my pup used to hunt up the odd time during the night, she only done it when the moon was up and could see alot better, any other time she comes back when lamp is flicked off. Give her time rob she will get the hang of it, mine is now 19mths and she will run down the beam and picks up the odd squatter when she can. I would stop taking her out when the moon is up, just to see if it makes a difference, atb......john

[bird 9,984]

my pup Tod 3/8 bull 5/8 grey 14 1/2 month old, is doing Great, doing great in the lamp its all starting to click now.He will tackle any quarry you put him on, very full on for a young dog hope he keeps it up .

[skycat 6,174]

A dog's vision is triggered by movement: it can take quite a while for a young, enthusiastic dog to identify a rabbit by shape alone when it is squatting. Even experienced dogs can be fooled if the rabbit's outline is altered by vegetation or clods of earth around it. Stubble is particularly hard for dogs as the rabbit's shape is broken up by the stalks: plus its at night when the sharp contrast of light and shadows change everything. Try getting down to the dog's level and see what it sees.

 

I remember teaching Starlight to spot squatters many years ago: walked her right up to them, put the beam right on top of them, and still had to push her head down so she could smell them :laugh: It worked though and she became a very good lamp dog indeed.

[fazza123 517]

Good read skycat as always !!!!!

[richie1000 13]

another point is you are looking down on the rabbit while a dog does not have the same view as yourself i myself with a young dog wait till the rabbit makes a move till i slip the dog