Brimmer 220 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Been feeling awful guilty of late, my 11 yr old russel named 'Rock' has seen very little action. i'll start from the beginning, I got him from a local farm in June 2000. I had watched him grow up with the other puppies, think there were 7 in all. His mother was a hard bitch, not too leggy,but a dog bred for naughty things. He was the dominant pup, week after week i would watch the pups fighting, sometimes 3 or 4 of the other would try to bully him, but he came out on top every time, picking them off one at a time, and nailing them. He was the boss. Thats what i thought i wanted at the time, We had the main running dog at the time 'Roy' Laid up due to a broken leg, (RIP legend) A marking dog was required, and I had ideas about doing a little foxing as well, have done a little but never owned my own terrier, so at 10 weeks old along came 'Rock'. At the time I rented a cottage at the side of my mates farm, so he came from a farm, and was then brought up on a farm with a livery yard, That ment rats, so he soon got started at a young age sorting them out. He was stupid but brutal, never that sharp like some terriers are, but made up for it in sheer determination, i've watched him pulling scrap iron out of the way with his teeth. He soon grew, and grew way too big for one of his intended jobs, he tried but there was no way he could get up tight to the fox. He stands at 17" tts and in the past has been more than a match for most dogs that have shown any aggression towards him, in fact for half of his life he was a nightmare. But a dogs for life, not just for xmas. The only thing he was any good for really was a guard dog, taking him out with the runners was trouble. Around 5 yrs old and i finally started getting some sense out of the dog, it took a lot of hard knocks, but what do you do, just give up on the dog? I found a window for him workwise, and he became a marking dog for me, working the areas of our land that we could not work with the runners. Over the years i have got to the stage when i look forward to the days when my old feller is showing his canaries at weekend, and i get to go out with the terrier. Dont get me wrong its still hard work, you have to keep at him all the time, but you work with what you got, and determination he has, and a nose to go with it. 'Rock' is getting on a bit now, next April he will be 12 yrs old, and is starting to slow down, dont know how long i have left with 'My best pal' but a decision was taken 2 weeks ago (after maybee 2 yrs planning) to bring on another russell. Say hello to 'Brick' the apprentice! Its a bitch, and everything i'd been looking for in maybee a future mate for the old boy if he still manage it when she is of age. Right ramble over, thats why i have been feeling guilty of late, the old dog needed a day out, and today it was. Planned to hit the rocky slopes on our land with 'Rock' two of the ferrets from my last breeding in 2008 (pictured here when i got home.) The black assassin, a good strong fast poley hob, and his sister who still has no name to this day. Started out on a warren that i've watched all of my 20 years on this land, its at the side of the track, looks deep, and has been avoided forever, due to wanting to get at em, then wanting to get home. Theres been a bit of life over it lately, and due to the rabbit recession, it was time to give it a go on my own. It took all 24 of the 25 nets i had to quietly cover all the holes, no noise, at all. It did look deep, so when sorted, i slipped in the albino jill. 4 weeks ago the jill was useless, overweight and underworked, she had been good in the past, and now slimmed down to a reasonable size, she put the hurt on. Only one rabbit bolted, over the space of 2 hrs i dug down to her 4 times on 2 seperate tubes, a kill at each all around 3-4 foot in shale and gravel, and an extra kicker on one. She was lethal, and she's the softer jill i have. Six rabbits out of a warren has to be a record for me for maybee 5 years! I took them back to the motor, had a minute, a drink and a butty and then off me and the dog went again. Got a mark on a 3 holer thank god, within 5 mins another bunny was out this time. Then moved onto a warren i have only skirted over in the past, knew it was deepish, but a month ago we had seen life sat on top of it. As we approached, a mixi was sat on top, tried to scare it off but it dropped in. the dog marked and i thought what the hell, there may be some good uns in there still. Whilst setting the nets, i started seeing a whole load of flies around the tunnels entrances, like newly hatched bluebottles, there must have been some death down there, perhaps i should have moved on, but i still thought it may be worth it. Over the course of the next 2 hrs,the albino jill bolted 5 rabbits, all showing the signs they had mixi in the past, but had recovered, each one of these i let go, had two digs also one at 3ft and one at 4ft, one reasonable rabbit and another mixi horrobag that the jill had sorted. Time to move away. A short while later the dog marked a good 7 holer. in the past i knew it was shallow, so sent in the assassin, he nailed the first, bolted the second into a net which had the russell pull the spade he was tethered to out of the ground, and through another net which saw another rabbit get away. These were all clean, Watched a pair of the hawking lads on the other side of the valley for a while after that. Had to rate one of the spaniels, it was on fire flushing probs 7 rabbits out of the rocks and catching one of them! They flew a few times, and even ended up the harris flying across the valley and landing just behind me looking at my rabbits, Lucky Rock was tethered again, he looked a little develish at that point in time! Anyhow, time to make my way back, i'd had enough, got the odd easy mark and bolt on the way back, and finally got back up the hill. Ended up with only 11 rabbits, but its good to be out with the old dog, and feeling a bit involved, something you dont get with the running dogs. Heres my old pal with them. Hope theres a few years left in him yet! 3 Quote Link to post
long dogs 580 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 good long write up mate ,with looks of hit its got plenty of years left in it Quote Link to post
darbo 4,776 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 cracking write up enjoyed a great deal. i use a terrier when ferrreting (no lurchers allowed on the land).nice to hear the old dog is still getting out. good luck with the new pup Quote Link to post
ferret110 27 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Good read that mate sounds like a good day ATB Quote Link to post
simonrocco 175 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 good write up pal atb for the rest of the season Quote Link to post
andy s410c 61 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Nice to see my mate Rock back on here B....he's a LEGEND :toast: Well done with the jill aswell.... Quote Link to post
Tyla 3,179 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 I enjoyed that, nice one Brimmer Quote Link to post
JRTMAD2k10 11 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 nice write up enjoyed it he still looks like hes got a while yet in him Quote Link to post
spartan_ferret 6 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 nice read Quote Link to post
stealthy1 3,964 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 The new pup has that look about it mate, a star of future posts Quote Link to post
mattydski 560 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Both good looking dogs Brim.... Good when the old ones still have a bit of enthusiasm. Weve got an old Collie grey that comes out occasionally to mark for us, and she still runs a few,,,,,, Aches the next day though,.... Quote Link to post
NEWKID 27,733 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Nice write up mate, would struggle to go without my jack she loves it. Hope you got a load of time left with yours, Quote Link to post
The one 8,530 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Nice to see your back mate a good read and cracking picts Quote Link to post
max abell 196 Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 Great read and pics brimmer Quote Link to post
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