Seeking advice

[wyeman 997]

For the past 40 years I have been a shooting man, training a number of both Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spaniels to Field Trial standard. I have also flown Hawks and trained a GSP to work. I still have a great interest in dog work but I don't know whether it is an age thing, but the actual shooting does not excite me, as it once did.

 

I would like advice on whether a Lurcher type dog could fit in with my way of life and maintain my interest in and love of dogs. The dog would be expected to accompany me and my Spaniels, joining in, in the collection of any ground game, during our daily walks. Accompany me and my dogs on the local rivers and whilst I was fishing, patiently wait until I moved on and finally accompany me on a few shoot days.

 

I realise that another Spaniel or Labrador would seem more suitable but I am looking for a challenge and possibly an opportunity to experience other aspects of dogwork. I would require the following from the dog:- steadiness, biddability and trainability.

 

I would be grateful for any advice you may wish to give.

[morton 5,368]

I would have thought a lurcher of the right type would suit your lifestyle,id personally look no further than a 1st cross Collie/Greyhound.With your training capability a dog of this type would flourish in your hands,the dog will excell at all you put in front of it.The only down side i can see is,you will wonder why you waited so long to discover the benefits this type of dog will offer you.

[paulus 26]

For the past 40 years I have been a shooting man, training a number of both Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spaniels to Field Trial standard. I have also flown Hawks and trained a GSP to work. I still have a great interest in dog work but I don't know whether it is an age thing, but the actual shooting does not excite me, as it once did.

 

I would like advice on whether a Lurcher type dog could fit in with my way of life and maintain my interest in and love of dogs. The dog would be expected to accompany me and my Spaniels, joining in, in the collection of any ground game, during our daily walks. Accompany me and my dogs on the local rivers and whilst I was fishing, patiently wait until I moved on and finally accompany me on a few shoot days.

 

I realise that another Spaniel or Labrador would seem more suitable but I am looking for a challenge and possibly an opportunity to experience other aspects of dogwork. I would require the following from the dog:- steadiness, biddability and trainability.

 

I would be grateful for any advice you may wish to give.

i have a couple here that will do all you ask and more, all it takes is the time and the trouble to train them.

[rob284 1,682]

like said before a 1st cross collie grey, or even a lab x grey.

[paulus 26]

my best allround dog is a bullgrey/colliegrey

[wyeman 997]

Thanks very much for that information.

[beast 1,884]

can't add much more than to say yes a colliexgrey would seem to be what you are looking for, will do all you ask and much more.......basic training is pretty much what you would expect of a gun dog, but remember this is a type which is actually hunting and catching its own prey, not stuff already killed by you, so the dog will be operating at a higher level of excitement (if that makes sense to you). but with experience and common sense i'm sure you will have no problems, keep us posted!

[arsene 3]

For the past 40 years I have been a shooting man, training a number of both Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spaniels to Field Trial standard. I have also flown Hawks and trained a GSP to work. I still have a great interest in dog work but I don't know whether it is an age thing, but the actual shooting does not excite me, as it once did.

 

I would like advice on whether a Lurcher type dog could fit in with my way of life and maintain my interest in and love of dogs. The dog would be expected to accompany me and my Spaniels, joining in, in the collection of any ground game, during our daily walks. Accompany me and my dogs on the local rivers and whilst I was fishing, patiently wait until I moved on and finally accompany me on a few shoot days.

 

I realise that another Spaniel or Labrador would seem more suitable but I am looking for a challenge and possibly an opportunity to experience other aspects of dogwork. I would require the following from the dog:- steadiness, biddability and trainability.

 

I would be grateful for any advice you may wish to give.

YOURE ON THE WRONG SITE LOOKIN ADVICE

[BLACKWATER... 157]

some of the best daytime hunting rashes was with spaneil and lurcher my mates cockers springers got a hunt mines got a bolt , goodsport , at first we had to hold lurcher back but once they realisedthe wee dogs were there to work with them it flourished cant beat that type of hunting ,

[baw 4,360]

Had the same fun with a mongrel come terrier and lurcher whin. The lurcher always had one eye or ear on it, if you get the right partnership it can be deadly in places with lots of cover.

[baw 4,360]

Just to add, one of the most productive places was a golf course. It had a lot of small patches of trees, the mongrel would go in with the lurcher waiting on the breakaways. Amazing how many patches of these trees held rabbits without a Warren in them.

[Moll. 1,770]

Accompany me and my dogs on the local rivers and whilst I was fishing, patiently wait until I moved on and finally accompany me on a few shoot days.

 

I realise that another Spaniel or Labrador would seem more suitable but I am looking for a challenge and possibly an opportunity to experience other aspects of dogwork. I would require the following from the dog:- steadiness, biddability and trainability.

 

I would be grateful for any advice you may wish to give.

 

My only concern for you would be prey drive in certain types of lurcher. Will you want the dog to wait for a command before chasing and/or the ability to stop it if it did chase.

I have no doubt with correct training it can be done with some lurchers, but i also have no doubt it cannot with others.

[wyeman 997]

 

My only concern for you would be prey drive in certain types of lurcher. Will you want the dog to wait for a command before chasing and/or the ability to stop it if it did chase.

I have no doubt with correct training it can be done with some lurchers, but i also have no doubt it cannot with others.

 

A good point made, I would require the dog to stop and return on command. What would be the overall contributing factor to obtain this level of control, choice of breed, trainability etc or would prey drive in some dogs completely negate any training ?

[Moll. 1,770]

That is an almost impossible question to answer Wyeman. There are just so many variables, even from the human element in that all humans have different ways of training/levels of understanding dogs, and the huge variances of dogs, how do you get a right match between the two...

 

Certain breeds of dogs used to create a lurcher have certain traits, but you cannot forget there will always be a sighthound in that mix. And not all dogs will adhere to the specific traits.

On the whole, most lurchers are bred for drive rather than bidibility.

Some dogs can be controlled better with some types of prey, but will fail (obedience wise) on a 'favourite' type....and so on.

 

I do believe that any dog, trained in exactly the correct way, by exactly the right person for that dog, can be made to do just about anything. But getting the combination right...that would be the challenge. And as i said earlier, because of the variables in even a certain lurcher breed, i don't think that a scientific study would even work, if you used the same trainer to train all lurchers in the same way....the trainer would not live long enough to be able to encompass all the different types and the different types within the different types

 

Collies are intelligent dogs, but you have to remember that even with the working collie their chase/kill instinct is always encouraged, just it has been fine tuned in that the kill bit has been altered.

 

The best you can do is to find pups from biddable parents and work from that.

[paulus 26]

That is an almost impossible question to answer Wyeman. There are just so many variables, even from the human element in that all humans have different ways of training/levels of understanding dogs, and the huge variances of dogs, how do you get a right match between the two...

 

Certain breeds of dogs used to create a lurcher have certain traits, but you cannot forget there will always be a sighthound in that mix. And not all dogs will adhere to the specific traits.

On the whole, most lurchers are bred for drive rather than bidibility.

Some dogs can be controlled better with some types of prey, but will fail (obedience wise) on a 'favourite' type....and so on.

 

I do believe that any dog, trained in exactly the correct way, by exactly the right person for that dog, can be made to do just about anything. But getting the combination right...that would be the challenge. And as i said earlier, because of the variables in even a certain lurcher breed, i don't think that a scientific study would even work, if you used the same trainer to train all lurchers in the same way....the trainer would not live long enough to be able to encompass all the different types and the different types within the different types

 

Collies are intelligent dogs, but you have to remember that even with the working collie their chase/kill instinct is always encouraged, just it has been fine tuned in that the kill bit has been altered.

 

The best you can do is to find pups from biddable parents and work from that.