Few Hours with Ken

[bshadle 5]

Got out with Ken B when he stopped by on his way to Jack B's place. He brought one of his Borders, two experience and one young Jack.

 

Dug a three footer to dispatch on a young'un, bolted momma from the same hole. Followed her to the next sette and dug her at five feet to another dispatch. Walking back to the truck, worked a third in a new-mown hayfield. Located at four feet, started to dig and hit a massive limestone outcrop. Dug beside it enough to pull the dog and decided to save that one for later.

 

Ken's dogs did all the work on these, Dot participated in initially checking holes and a little underground time and got to watch. I got some good lessons/experience.

 

 

 

 

Headed off to another field, this time Ken took a young dog so Dot had a chance to get dirty. She worked a bolt single-handed and for the first time actually worked the den end-to-end to do it. The hog bolted, I missed the snare, and a minute or so later Dot came out where the 'hog just left, probably wondering how she could do her part and I mess up mine.

 

Ken has some outstanding dogs, and is a real artist with those PHDs. I might have to stop leaving mine in the truck so much and start toting them along.

 

Sorry about the few lousy pics. Keeping up with Ken digging takes some effort, coulda used a third hand or person for photos. Don't want to get a reputation as a guy with plenty of 'hogs but too lazy to dig.

[robbie g 42]

good post, do them groundhogs casue much damage to your dogs?

[bshadle 5]

They can if the dog's not smart. They have large incisors like most rodents and can deal a nasty slice. Imagine putting your dog on a rat that weighs anywhere from 2 - 10 K.

 

Most of the time if the dog knows what it's doing and isn't unlucky they might get an occasional "kiss" from them with a light scratch. Haven't had to deal with a slice yet, but they tell me it's usually a pretty clean wound that generally heals quickly with few complications.

[foxmad 0]

nice one mate would be good to have a dig to one of them just to see what the dogs think of them

[bshadle 5]

Thanks, stevo. We're learning.

 

Next time one's pulled live at the end, foxmad, instead of dispatching it I'll post it to you.

[PBurns 9]

Nice to see the old people getting out in the field

 

Groundhogs do not have deep jaws, but they have very powerful bites that can remove a kerf of flesh. The most serious-looking bit of dog damage on an anti-site in the UK is actually a picture of an American dog nailed by a groundhog. Go figure.

 

As BShadle says, most of the time the terriers come away with light damage (if any) but if you are digging on the dogs every week, 1-6 critters a day, it's just a matter of time before a dog catches a hard bite and is out of commission for a while. If you want to dig more than a few times a year, you want a dog with voice and brains.

 

P.

[bshadle 5]

If you want to dig more than a few times a year, you want a dog with voice and brains.

 

P.

As someone once told me, if the dog knows instinctively or learns quickly to, "Bay at the bitin' end and bite at the shittin' end" they can have a long career in the field.