Ideal Weather But Poor Performance

[Lancashire Hunter 22]

Hi guys I just got in from a quick 2 hour lamp about near me plenty about weather conditions were perfect good strong wind plenty of cloud belting. I managed to put a gud 5 bunnies in the beam and slipped me dog on them all as they were all a good 40 or so yards out and she missed them only on bunny number 6 she managed to catch.

Rather annoyed about it aswell as they were all easy takings how she missed them I do not know. But on the plus I came home with something so rabbit curry is on the menu for me tomorow night.

The other problem I had was taking the rabbit off her was very difficult as she basicly got lock jaw on it and ripped some of the back end of it it took a good 5 mins to take it off of her. What's is the best way to stop this from happening again? It is the second time she has done this and she is my first running dog so unsure on how to condition this. I got home and dragged it across the floor to get her to take it then gave her some cheap bits of ham as a reward for letting me take it. Is this correct? Forgot to ad she is 2 years old and I took her on off someone else.

[bird 9,964]

(most, not all) probs, are from other peoples dogs that go to new owner .!! And at 2years old not going to be easy to turn around. But regards the catching of rabbits, stop the long slips you been doing, get as close to the rabbit as you can.By doing this if the dog only 3-8 ft from the rabbit, what ever way the rabbit going turn and run, your dog should beable to put a strike on quick, and before the rabbit gets back to the edge. With not giving the rabbit up it does it because its worked dam hard to catch just the 1, so if it can catch lot more it will give its catch up eaiser to you. you could just train it a bit now bit of recall throw a ball now,and try the rabbits bit later on in the season when few daft rabbits are about,allways make the job eaiser for the dog.

[Lancashire Hunter 22]

Cheers mate. I have always given her maximum slip of 40 yards if I know it is a doable slip and that she can catch it and she normally does catch them. When I got home as I said in the post I dragged it around the floor for a bit letting her take it and call her back grab hold of the rabbit with 1 hand and take a piece of ham out and said dead and gave her the ham which worked. Her recall is fine as she came running straight back to me with it but just wouldn't let me take it from her mouth tryed squeezzing the back of her jaw but it was littrally locked solid. Going to start doing a lot of trainning with her now and hope for better on the up coming season. Thanks for advice mate.