6 month old pup running rabbits ?

[RossM 8,149]

i tend to let them have a run at 9mths, just one slip, then nothing for a month, then maybe 2 or 3 slips and thats all wether they catch or not, always picking the slips carefully to give them easy runs, hate to see people give their pup slip after slip even if they have no chance of a catch it will only dishearten them. GRADUALLY build up their slips till they are ready for a full night lamping

 

i took my bitch out at 6-7 mths old locally with my older bitch just to watch and i slipped her on a clamper just to see if she was taking it in, it never got 10 yrds and that was her last run till she was 9mths old, i didnt see the harm in that as it wasnt exactly a hard run.

[Guest born to run1083]

  On 21/10/2011 at 09:40, skycat said:

What comments were those? I can't be trawling through miles of posts LOL Which ones were you referring to?

being honest can't remember it word for word but it was basicly saying if you knew what your doing there is minimal risk starting young, Something that you started to have a different view, I think if your like me before thl it was not very heard of to start young as they do but I think they have a very good case. my bitch was started at 6 months and very pleased with her progress. could be a fluke could of been fate who knows know one can really truly say. it's all speculation. know one thought it was possible to run a 4 minute mile then within a week of it being done 16 people managed, shows everything evolves.

[kenny14 656]

I've always allowed my pups to walk off lead and if a Rabbit gets up it can chase if and when it wants, I think it's good for their physical development, providing it's only a few short runs. But if it's a big field where a Hare might get up, or rough ground, then it's on the lead. It's vital to remember that 'less is best' as a lot of damage can be done by over exertion at an early age.

You can also learn a lot about the Dogs nature if it's off the lead around your hunting ground, and any little faults can be worked on, leaving you (hopefully) with a better Dog when it's time to start it in earnest.

[bird 10,013]

its ok letting pups mooch about at a young are say 10 weeks onwards, it learns them all type of field craft, and its not going to hurt them just keep a eye on them with game. But ive always thought ferreting ok as long as you dont put them on bolters, let them smell the rabbit in the nets, and watch the ferret work great, but not chase a bolting rabbit. A daytime rabbit is very hard to catch for any dog never mind a young pup. A lamped rabbit is lot easier for a young pup. Ive seen( triggers2 ) jon young pup catch lots of rabbits in the lamp and its nearly 8 month old. He started when the pup buster was very young in the lamp, and its stamina is Brill, it is calm and knows the crack already. But he knows jon what to let them run and ,and keep the the pup a winner thats the trick. You do better in the lamp i think, than a daytime rabbit but each to there own

[salt fish 67]

well its al new to me and i new she sudnt be runing like that at her age i didnt want 2 tie her u as i thort she will yap cuz iv bin takein her out with my m8s dog on the lamp and when his dogs runing the rabbit she pulls my arm off and she as had a yap thelast time i went out with him.

[bird 10,013]

  On 21/10/2011 at 10:31, salt fish said:

well its al new to me and i new she sudnt be runing like that at her age i didnt want 2 tie her u as i thort she will yap cuz iv bin takein her out with my m8s dog on the lamp and when his dogs runing the rabbit she pulls my arm off and she as had a yap thelast time i went out with him.

well go on your own then, any pup will make a noise if it sees another dog getting all the action, go on your own and you will see adiffernt dog fact.!

[salt fish 67]

  On 21/10/2011 at 10:37, bird said:

  On 21/10/2011 at 10:31, salt fish said:

well its al new to me and i new she sudnt be runing like that at her age i didnt want 2 tie her u as i thort she will yap cuz iv bin takein her out with my m8s dog on the lamp and when his dogs runing the rabbit she pulls my arm off and she as had a yap thelast time i went out with him.

well go on your own then, any pup will make a noise if it sees another dog getting all the action, go on your own and you will see adiffernt dog fact.!

what do u mean go lamping on my own ?

[Country Joe 1,411]

I personally would not Lamp with a young Dog, but what do you do if Rabbits and ferreting is your game?

and you have a Pup say seven Months, do you load up the car with Ferts, nets and spade, and leave the Pup, or do you take him, I would take him, and try and make sure you net up proper. it is a difficult one, but he aint going to learn sitting in a kennel.

[skycat 6,174]

It's like this: taking a pup out ferreting very young can be good, but so much depends on the pup's temperament and type, and your experience too. I've taken pups out at 5 months old, steady pups, lurcher to lurcher, pups which have loads of instinct and focus. But I always judge by the pup's general behaviour as to whether or not it is ready for this. Some pups just want to tear about, get over excited by rabbits busting into nets, or they just can't concentrate because they have all that puppy energy and all they do is get bored, start to gallop around and they don't get any real benefit from the experience at that age.

 

It's like Lena, the red Airedale lurcher who has only now, at 14 months, been out for her first trip with the ferrets. She just wasn't ready before: she was an airhead, always tearing around, chasing feathers and leaves. Now she's ready, and she really switched on. I knew she was ready because she'd started marking rabbit holes when out on walks. She doesn't just tear around any more, she's really looking for scent, and trying to read the scent coming from the holes.

 

Her sister,Schuck, I took ferreting at 5 months old. She was intense, focused, and completely different mentally to Lena, right from an early age.

 

The blonde bimbo in my avatar was like Lena too: just scatty and silly when young. She never went ferreting until she was 12 months old: I tried her at 6 months, but all she wanted to do was play. They are all different.

 

I saw Benjamin's pup at the Peterborough Show: she's going to be a bit special IMO, and like he says, he's already had her out ferreting. She can probably cope with it, she's a watchful little pup. But I wouldn't be telling her to 'leave it' at such a young age. With a pup like that there is a real danger of 'squashing' it mentally if too many orders and restrictions are placed on it. I like a pup to develop its drive and enthusiasm, and filling a pup with orders when it should be moving forward mentally can be damaging. I'd be letting her move over the warrens freely so she learns to read the movements of the ferrets and rabbits underground: many a pup has been stifled with not being allowed to learn from its own mistakes over warrens. Of course it does depend on the pup's temperament, and you don't want it crunching rabbits in the nets but I've always allowed mine to hold a netted rabbit as you might be dealing with another one at the same time and the pup's rabbit might slip the net and be gone.

 

Everyone has their own way of training pups, but IMO the clever bit is knowing what to do with what pup at what age, knowing when a pup is ready for a certain activity or type of hunting.

 

Like Kenny said, he does the same as me: pups need to get out and about to learn about their quarry. The thing they don't need is running desperately over and over again with no hope of catching, so a lot again depends on the type of lurcher and what you want from it as an adult.

[BULLDOUG 199]

Theres a good thread regarding growth plates, read that because IMO this is one of the biggest factors in running young pups.

 

For me its a NO NO.

 

ATB D

[skycat 6,174]

You beat me to it:! http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/196019-growth-plates/page__fromsearch__1

[Country Joe 1,411]

The subject what age to start was on the Working Whippet forum, and it appeared most start them Ferreting at six Months.

but as Skycat has said the larger running Dogs, possibly need more time.

[BenjaminCadd 109]

  On 21/10/2011 at 11:22, skycat said:

It's like this: taking a pup out ferreting very young can be good, but so much depends on the pup's temperament and type, and your experience too. I've taken pups out at 5 months old, steady pups, lurcher to lurcher, pups which have loads of instinct and focus. But I always judge by the pup's general behaviour as to whether or not it is ready for this. Some pups just want to tear about, get over excited by rabbits busting into nets, or they just can't concentrate because they have all that puppy energy and all they do is get bored, start to gallop around and they don't get any real benefit from the experience at that age.

 

It's like Lena, the red Airedale lurcher who has only now, at 14 months, been out for her first trip with the ferrets. She just wasn't ready before: she was an airhead, always tearing around, chasing feathers and leaves. Now she's ready, and she really switched on. I knew she was ready because she'd started marking rabbit holes when out on walks. She doesn't just tear around any more, she's really looking for scent, and trying to read the scent coming from the holes.

 

Her sister,Schuck, I took ferreting at 5 months old. She was intense, focused, and completely different mentally to Lena, right from an early age.

 

The blonde bimbo in my avatar was like Lena too: just scatty and silly when young. She never went ferreting until she was 12 months old: I tried her at 6 months, but all she wanted to do was play. They are all different.

 

I saw Benjamin's pup at the Peterborough Show: she's going to be a bit special IMO, and like he says, he's already had her out ferreting. She can probably cope with it, she's a watchful little pup. But I wouldn't be telling her to 'leave it' at such a young age. With a pup like that there is a real danger of 'squashing' it mentally if too many orders and restrictions are placed on it. I like a pup to develop its drive and enthusiasm, and filling a pup with orders when it should be moving forward mentally can be damaging. I'd be letting her move over the warrens freely so she learns to read the movements of the ferrets and rabbits underground: many a pup has been stifled with not being allowed to learn from its own mistakes over warrens. Of course it does depend on the pup's temperament, and you don't want it crunching rabbits in the nets but I've always allowed mine to hold a netted rabbit as you might be dealing with another one at the same time and the pup's rabbit might slip the net and be gone.

 

Everyone has their own way of training pups, but IMO the clever bit is knowing what to do with what pup at what age, knowing when a pup is ready for a certain activity or type of hunting.

 

Like Kenny said, he does the same as me: pups need to get out and about to learn about their quarry. The thing they don't need is running desperately over and over again with no hope of catching, so a lot again depends on the type of lurcher and what you want from it as an adult.

Yes, i suppose what i ment to try and say when the first one was kulled she would not leave it alone so i just said "leave it" too her and then took her back to the nets then luckly another one bolted and she Mouthed it in the net, so i think she learnt that ones laying dead on the ground are not as much fun and there will be another one along soon, but towards the end she began marking a few holes and you could here her ears twitching to the thumping under the ground and she did grab a few from the nets before me!.

Ben.

[skycat 6,174]

That all sounds good Ben: I told you she had something about her.

[BenjaminCadd 109]

  On 21/10/2011 at 14:04, skycat said:

That all sounds good Ben: I told you she had something about her.

Yes and you were right, i have taken alot of stuff you told me and put it in to practicse and its great just to see her now and how she is compared to when i picked her up! Thanks For all your help!

Ben