Collie brains better than speed

[KittleRox 2,147]

Aye, well I'll not argue.

 

but I was looking for an argument

[poacher3161 1,766]

Are you talking about just bunnys chalky or other stuff a good slow un will take just as many bunnys as a good fast one imo

Depends on the terain not around these parts it wont.

[KittleRox 2,147]

Are you talking about just bunnys chalky or other stuff a good slow un will take just as many bunnys as a good fast one imo

Depends on the terain not around these parts it wont.

don,t know your terrain mate so you could well be right but that confuses me a little, as the only type of terrain I can think off that a slower dog would struggle on the bunnys is golf courses, playing fields etc, It would depend how slow you,re talking aboot though lol

[Sirius 1,391]

Come on, a dog needs speed to catch rabbits consistantly, especially if you work on varied terrain.

You need plenty of both in a good allround lurcher, and thats the crux of the matter.

[KittleRox 2,147]

Come on, a dog needs speed to catch rabbits consistantly, especially if you work on varied terrain.

You need plenty of both in a good allround lurcher, and thats the crux of the matter.

ayr for an allrounder but if its just bunnys you can afford to lose some speed

[Sirius 1,391]

Well I dont want an argument either, but rabbits are not easy or slow thats for sure (well not down here in the south) and without doubt a dog needs pace to be able to catch them consistantly over many seasons.

Otherwise we would be all running reverse 3/4 breds, which will not cut the mustard unless you have a freak.

Edited August 21, 2012 by Sirius

[Richard Morgan 38]

I know what you mean Charts: that's the problem with trying to discuss literally anything to do with dogs: the whole working dog thing, the huge variations in dogs, and what we humans want from our dogs, endlessly leads one discussion into another

 

However, I can say that I once had a 1/4 Collie 3/4 Grey which had more brains in one paw than most other dogs I've ever known: she was fast, but not that fast, and she'd use brains over speed if she could. I saw this on many occasions but I particularly remember one field where she put up a hare in around the same spot. It had a good escape route through a hole in a hedge about 100 yards from where she usually found it. On the third day she put up the hare, then loped off to the hole in the hedge, going in completely the opposite direction to the hare, and of course it went round in a big curve, followed its usual escape route, and met the bitch on the other side of the hedge where she was waiting: job done.

 

She did the same with rabbits: I was pest control at the time, and we did a lot of rabbit gassing, but often had to clear the dykes first, putting out rabbit after rabbit, which all went the same way, but had to cross around 50 yards of open ground before hitting a wood. After the first rabbit beat her to the wood, using the dyke all the way until it popped up at the end and went into the wood, she continued to work the dyke with us, but each time a rabbit started its run down the dyke towards the wood, she simply galloped to the end of the dyke and waited for the rabbit to jump up on to the field, where she'd nab it before it started its run to the wood.

 

Would this bitch have been as good if I'd had her now? One thing's for sure, she'd have been better conditioned, better able to take run after run, and in those days I didn't even know about muscle damage etc. For all I know she could have been carrying all sorts of injuries, and possibly even learned to use her brains better due to the fact that she couldn't run at her best. Who knows? It's all supposition now anyway, but I remember that even as a youngster she didn't have great take off speed, surprisingly, for her breeding, so maybe she just learned to work with what she had: the brain.

sounds a smart dog skycat enjoyed the read on reading the rest of the thread a slow dog isnt going to catch bunnys regularly its going to miss alot as most runs are close to the dyke and getting the rabbit under enough pressure to keep the quarry in space enough to course is the name of the game isnt it

[Richard Morgan 38]

as been said you would get fast 1xs ,and clever 1/4 as the same as 1xs. Ive been lucky that my 1x Bryn (local bred) is fast, and very agile good wind he is spot on for the rabbit job. And i think the only quarry a 1x would find hard are hares, anything else a 1x can catch + kill . But as its only rabbits now with the Ban, the 1x will do what you need. I do think a colliex whippetxgrey would make a very good lurcher, the 1s ive seen are very good dogs having that bit of whippet in does make a differnce.You still got plenty of brain but plenty of speed, i think if was looking for colliex again i would have 1 with bit of whippet in the mix.

Bryn 1x colliex grey, as said racey for this x

i own a whippet cross but i personally feel the greyhound route is the way forward for me in the future if mine proves to be a decent dog he will cover a decent colliex to give him abit of brain however looking on and back now i feel the greyhoundx is a more complete lurcher, hes a smart dog mate.

[Guest born to run1083]

Are you talking about just bunnys chalky or other stuff a good slow un will take just as many bunnys as a good fast one imo

Depends on the terain not around these parts it wont.

My bitch has been ran on moutains in wales/big arable fields in England/golf courses/cricket pitches/rugby pitches/quarry tips and she's no better at either she manages perfectly fine, where you from poacher that makes them faster ? Always looking to test the mutt further

[Mick C. 229]

End of season lamp shy rabbits are no pushover even for a quick dog

[KittleRox 2,147]

Well I dont want an argument either, but rabbits are not easy or slow thats for sure (well not down here in the south) and without doubt a dog needs pace to be able to catch them consistantly over many seasons.

Otherwise we would be all running reverse 3/4 breds, which will not cut the mustard unless you have a freak.

Well I have to disagree, not sure if I have a freak or not but my reverse 3/4 bred caught consistently last season, she infact caught as many bunnys last season as a fast decent dog round these parts could probably bag maybe only her second season but I can,t see any reason why she won,t continue to do so discounting injury, which brings me to my next point and correct me if you think I,m wrong but isn,t a more sighthoundy type more likely to be laid up in the kennel with injuries than a more robust less sighthoundy type animal

 

and I,m not sure if it was you or not which wrote a few months back words to the effect that they couldn,t see a reverse 3/4 bred being of any use in the field or words to that affect as I say not sure if it was yourself

[young man 225]

1/2 bred 1/4 bred whatever my choice would be whippet x hound with a kick of collie!

[jarv5116 57]

Well I dont want an argument either, but rabbits are not easy or slow thats for sure (well not down here in the south) and without doubt a dog needs pace to be able to catch them consistantly over many seasons.

Otherwise we would be all running reverse 3/4 breds, which will not cut the mustard unless you have a freak.

Well I have to disagree, not sure if I have a freak or not but my reverse 3/4 bred caught consistently last season, she infact caught as many bunnys last season as a fast decent dog round these parts could probably bag maybe only her second season but I can,t see any reason why she won,t continue to do so discounting injury, which brings me to my next point and correct me if you think I,m wrong but isn,t a more sighthoundy type more likely to be laid up in the kennel with injuries than a more robust less sighthoundy type animal

 

and I,m not sure if it was you or not which wrote a few months back words to the effect that they couldn,t see a reverse 3/4 bred being of any use in the field or words to that affect as I say not sure if it was yourself

 

You might have a freak, but 9/10 reverse 3/4 is going lack pace.

[mighty celt 996]

me personaly love a good fast sharp dog makes for some great exciting nites out cant beat it,

 

its nice to watch a slower dog use its brain but not as exciting as a fast dog,

[birddog 1,354]

ive got a collie x and a faster deerhound cross and if i was living rough i know which one i'd have with me to keep a varied pot fill