Working Bedlingtons 2005

[swanseajack 227]

On the subject of size (height) - a question for Bedlington fanciers - what size are your Dogs topping out at?

My opinion is anything under 16" (as long as it has a narrow chest) can do a job down a hole.

My old Lakie/Bed dog Solo (15 1/2 ") saw a lot of foxes at ground and always seemed to reach his quarry.

But I am a realist and would concede that a male dog with as much Bedlington in as my dog can never reach as many Foxes as say a smaller Fell/Patt/JRT etc.

But I am looking for more of an all round mooching dog i.e Rats, rabbits Fox and the odd bird .

 

So I ask the question to the good people of this forum - how tall is too tall?

 

Dave

16 + is too tall, suppose there are some narrow ones that might get the odd fox.. saying that I've seen some big Russells, fells and Black types that look to big and barrel chested to make any impact on normal sized fox holes..

[Guest oneredtrim]

.

Edited January 16, 2008 by oneredtrim

[david2363 42]

Hello David,

I managed to fall for the same trick with a terrier of the same proportions and age to your own. HE was well trained but hid his real intentions very well and managed to convince me to unclip his lead in a large country park ...whereupon he immediately attacked the nearest/biggest deer he had seen (flying Bruce Lee move to the head) got knocked through the air a good distance and picked himself up determined to repay the compliment and legged the deer into the distance ("Australia")....trying his hardest to refrain his target from re-joining the pack, left me stood there like Billy the dickhead with an approaching Land Rover (Rangers) bombing towards me. A bit of quick thinking rescued the situation and i managed to eventually collar the deer hunter and scarper, though i returned the next 14 days with him attached to a 30ft line and conquered his thirst for deer meat. No doubt he would do the same move again on command if i was nutty enough but through the fornights worth of schooling on a line he is now managable enough to be unclipped around deer. Personally because the dog is now 2 years older and i am much more versed in how to read him then it's easy to see from his expression that chasing deer means no rat/rabbit foraging and the prolonged intensity of my chastizing means that he must reflect on the merits of fecking the day up cause the next day will involve a return visit etc...etc. What i am saying is it is possible to blackmail (with the aid of a physical restraint/the line) them out of thier actions by ensuring that they are well pleased with the rest of the mooch (no deer/sheep chasing) and being stubborn enough to shut up shop instantly if the terrier does bolt after a deer on any return visits. My way of doing things wont suit everyone but for me keeping my mutt alive trumps any hunting prowess in the field (evertime).

 

 

Oneredtrim.

 

Cheers Oneredtrim

 

Went back down there this morning, dog on a lenth of washing line (degree of control) but the Deer were nowhere to be seen today.

I'll keep him on the long lead for at least the next few visits, means to an end and all that.

I felt sorry for the little fecker in the end and let him off the lead on the way back - bad move - he disgraced himself by attacking a couple of Swans in full view of a load of Sunday morning strollers, kids and all.

Highly illegal I imagine, although the Swans looked more than capable of looking after themselves.

 

I'm caught between being chuffed with his natural exuberance and hunting instinct (i.e wanting to kill stuff) and being slightly concerned that he'll always have that uncontrollable streak.

Its a battle of wills between me and him at the moment, and he doesnt know it yet but he aint gonna win

[Guest oneredtrim]

.

Edited January 16, 2008 by oneredtrim

[TOPPER 1,809]

Dave get your hand s on an electric collar put the collar on the dog and forget it for a few days then turn it on and go for a wander around let the dog do as he usally does then when you are ready call him back if he come s all well and good if not call him twice or three time s then zap him with the full charge he will be back to you at 90 mph then praise him up repeat this afew times around hazards {stock swans etc ] then when hes got the idea just leave the collar on him and call him back as usual if you need to zap him turn the voltage down after 2-3 zaps they normally get message and start behaving. all kids should be fitted with them save alot of todays problems.

[swanseajack 227]

I found some old pics, so I thought I'd share them with you....

 

Right, the first one, you've all seen Barney further back in these pages, here is a pic of his litter brother and sister.... honest!!!

 

 

 

Sorry their facing the wrong way but it's the only pic I can find of the two together...

 

Here's the dog pup in the ground...

 

 

 

 

and Barney

 

Also found a pic of Tango, she was out of action for quite a while when this was taken...

 

 

 

And one of me out on a bushing exercise... Killing lamb killing foxes because it wasn't illegal then...

 

[david2363 42]

Great pics jack!

That Barney is a handsome fvcker - genetically modified Bedlington.

 

Has anyone ever told you that you look a littltle bit like a Border Lakeland ? :whistle:

[david2363 42]

Finished for Christmas hols on Friday so out and about with the pup every day.

As I only have permission for one bit of land at the moment, thats where we've been.

Had a laugh today chasing rabbits all over the place (they were never in much danger though )

 

On the way back to the car I decided to walk along a strip of woods on a steep banking. Funny thing was that we never saw a single bunny on the whole strip but the pup semed to be following a good scent anyway and the crows were making a terrible racket all the way.

Just as we were coming to within 100 yards of the end of the wood a fox broke cover and shot across the marsh

towards another small wood behind a factory (tried to take a pic but missed it )

 

I shot over to the second wood and straight away Spike marked? a two holer in amongst a load of debris (a couple of baths and a load of tyres)

He's there digging at the entrance, growling and getting agitated - the hole reeked of Charlie - Anyway I put the little fella back on the lead and dragged him back to the car.

If I had had an experienced terrier with me, or my dog was older, we could have had the bugger. (I,ve never even seen anything round here resembling a working terrier).

 

Onwards and upwards, I've got a second permission on farm for rats so might take a look after Crimbo.

 

Dave

[TOPPER 1,809]

Fare play to the pup dave he s got a nose on him then, well you now know for an earth when the pups right go and dig if it s shallow get in quick and let the dog see it before the dispatch don tlet him get knocked about though might put him off if he gets mauled on his first one , just get his confidence up. well done

[david2363 42]

Cheers Topper but thats one for the future. I'm gonna try and concentrate on rats between now and the summer. I,ve got two landfill sites within 5 miles of me plus a few other places I know where we are sure to get a result.

The last thing I need is for this pup to be tackling a fox at this age and getting a kicking, so I'm just going to play it safe, so the local rat population is gonna get it. (I can hear them collectively squeek with laughter) .

[matulkoh 66]

been out today, akela got on huge fox dog and drive him out, unfortunately my friend missed him with shot gun, that fox was bigger than my dog, great day with happy ending for fox. akela has just few bites on his face so it s better like in april.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mery christmas

 

mato

Edited December 24, 2006 by matulkoh

[Guest oldskool]

brilliant post mate

 

happy xmas

[bobby 3]

took the dogs out for an hour before getting tucked into my turkey, wish i had taken a ferret had a few solid marks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

bobby.

[matulkoh 66]

nice dogs mate, how they work?

[david2363 42]

All the very best for 2007 to all fans of Real Bedlingtons.