jack russells and rabbits?

[foxwarren 0]

So what is the deal with terriers and rabbits? Im getting mixed messages from reading this forum. I have two russels and I like to let them go when exercising them. The best place near me is a massive burrows network where they run nuts and have a great time tire themselves out and love it. There obviously down rabbit holes doing presumably what they like doing.(Killing rabbits?) Sometimes I have to wait a while ( sometimes an hour ) for the small bitch as she is tiny and must go down deep. she makes a lot of noise down there

The dog is much bigger and while he sniffs around for ages he always come to me fairly well.

Is this right or wrong to let them behave like this. What is normal jack russel behavior? and should it be encouraged or not.

Foxwarren

[Guest FOXDOG]

If you want a digging dog keep them away from rabbits, and a terrier for rabbits e.g. bushing shouldnt try get down rabbit holes just hunt them from cover

[trappsy 0]

I have 2 jackie bitches, wire haired is the biggest, and she comes shooting with me , the little smooth hair is tiny and I dont take her anywhere where theres sets for that reason, she will go to ground and dig down there, Ive dug terriers out in the past succesfully, and Ive also been in digs where the dogs have been taken out dead, f****n heartbreaking, my advice mate is keep them awayfrom holes of any description

[Guest FOXDOG]

I have 2 jackie bitches, wire haired is the biggest, and she comes shooting with me , the little smooth hair is tiny and I dont take her anywhere where theres sets for that reason, she will go to ground and dig down there, Ive dug terriers out in the past succesfully, and Ive also been in digs where the dogs have been taken out dead, f****n heartbreaking, my advice mate is keep them awayfrom holes of any description

Now why would you stop a dog doing what it was bred for? It shouldnt be allowed to try get to ground on a rabbit but that statement is complete bollocks

[foxwarren 0]

I have 2 jackie bitches, wire haired is the biggest, and she comes shooting with me , the little smooth hair is tiny and I dont take her anywhere where theres sets for that reason, she will go to ground and dig down there, Ive dug terriers out in the past succesfully, and Ive also been in digs where the dogs have been taken out dead, f****n heartbreaking, my advice mate is keep them awayfrom holes of any description

Now why would you stop a dog doing what it was bred for? It shouldnt be allowed to try get to ground on a rabbit but that statement is complete bollocks

 

 

not quite sure what you mean the shouldnt be allowed........ bit . cheers for the reply

[donnyc 1,203]

Doom and gloom

[Guest FOXDOG]

I have 2 jackie bitches, wire haired is the biggest, and she comes shooting with me , the little smooth hair is tiny and I dont take her anywhere where theres sets for that reason, she will go to ground and dig down there, Ive dug terriers out in the past succesfully, and Ive also been in digs where the dogs have been taken out dead, f****n heartbreaking, my advice mate is keep them awayfrom holes of any description

Now why would you stop a dog doing what it was bred for? It shouldnt be allowed to try get to ground on a rabbit but that statement is complete bollocks

 

 

not quite sure what you mean the shouldnt be allowed........ bit . cheers for the reply

Sorry Foxwarren what I mean is you dont want your dog to try get to ground for a rabbit, you dont want to have to dig down to your dog stuck in a rabbit burrow every timme you go out do you? Believe me its a nuisance if your not interested in the bigger things then just train the dogs to leave rabbit holes alone and to hunt them above ground, Afterall they are dogs not ferrets

[redmoor 0]

My PRT only hunts rabbits above ground, the second they shoot down a hole and she has missed them she will move onto the next one above ground. My old boy was the same, never ever went to ground after rabbits.

[foxwarren 0]

My PRT only hunts rabbits above ground, the second they shoot down a hole and she has missed them she will move onto the next one above ground. My old boy was the same, never ever went to ground after rabbits.

 

 

Thats exactly what my dog does but the bitch as she is much smaller she goes down. To retun to the original point of this topic, what do people think about terriers whilst out walking, come back back covered in blood from presumably rabbits. Dont want to bang on about it, just like to get opinions from people who know there subject . They are family pets that I would like to start ratting with once Ive been shown the ropes.

[trappsy 0]

My PRT only hunts rabbits above ground, the second they shoot down a hole and she has missed them she will move onto the next one above ground. My old boy was the same, never ever went to ground after rabbits.

 

 

Thats exactly what my dog does but the bitch as she is much smaller she goes down. To retun to the original point of this topic, what do people think about terriers whilst out walking, come back back covered in blood from presumably rabbits. Dont want to bang on about it, just like to get opinions from people who know there subject . They are family pets that I would like to start ratting with once Ive been shown the ropes.

Like to give you some advice about rattin with terriers mate but ide get accused of talkin bollocks

[dogrun 2]

"They are family pets that I would like to start ratting with once Ive been shown the ropes"

 

Just get the dog around some farms instinct will kick in when he/she finds mr ratty

 

But beleive me its not nice digging 5ft to a cur baying on a rabbit it cant get too or 7ft to a cat for that matter

 

im glad it wasnt one of mine

[Guest MOLLY]

Do you take a spade and locator every time you take your dogs out after rabbits?

If not and im presuming you dont by your posts, your dogs should not be going to ground.

A rabbit has the right to as much respect as a fox or any other animal, prey should be killed quickly and cleanly not having its back end ripped open by an untrained terrier.

Then there is the problem of losing your terrier underground. Some rabbit warrens are huge, can collapse very easily. And what about if your dog met something it should not down a set....would you know the tell tale signs regarding what is living there?

If your dogs are only to be used for rats and rabbits...get them trained to prevent any heartache, or as Trappsy said, keep them away from sets. And learn some respect for your local wildlife.

MOLL.

[trappsy 0]

Do you take a spade and locator every time you take your dogs out after rabbits?

If not and im presuming you dont by your posts, your dogs should not be going to ground.

A rabbit has the right to as much respect as a fox or any other animal, prey should be killed quickly and cleanly not having its back end ripped open by an untrained terrier.

Then there is the problem of losing your terrier underground. Some rabbit warrens are huge, can collapse very easily. And what about if your dog met something it should not down a set....would you know the tell tale signs regarding what is living there?

If your dogs are only to be used for rats and rabbits...get them trained to prevent any heartache, or as Trappsy said, keep them away from sets. And learn some respect for your local wildlife.

MOLL.

 

 

My dogs are my companions, I spend a lot of time with em, their welfare and well being is paramount, too many young guys these days use their dogs as tools and put em back in the shed when theyre not in use, nothing wrong showing your dogs a little love and affection, they give plenty to you, unconditionally, it doesnt make em better workers by treating them unkindly, I hear down the club guys boasting about, how I kicked shit off it when it didnt come back strait away! fools, I would like to kick shit off the clowns that mistreat their animals, and I call mistreating sending them into unknown terrortory where theres a likleyhood they will be injured or maimed, Im a voluntary forestry warden, and ive seen guys bring terriers into the forest digging for badgers, and sending the dogs down the set, have you ever seen a terrier with its bottom jaw ripped off by a terrified cornered badger? not nice, these people are thank god in the minority, anyway I hearby endeth the sermon.

[foxwarren 0]

Do you take a spade and locator every time you take your dogs out after rabbits?

If not and im presuming you dont by your posts, your dogs should not be going to ground.

A rabbit has the right to as much respect as a fox or any other animal, prey should be killed quickly and cleanly not having its back end ripped open by an untrained terrier.

Then there is the problem of losing your terrier underground. Some rabbit warrens are huge, can collapse very easily. And what about if your dog met something it should not down a set....would you know the tell tale signs regarding what is living there?

If your dogs are only to be used for rats and rabbits...get them trained to prevent any heartache, or as Trappsy said, keep them away from sets. And learn some respect for your local wildlife.

MOLL.

 

What moral high ground you do take ! Judging by the tone of your post you imply that Im some kind of crazed hunter wanting his dogs to kill things. I suggest you re read the original post and youll see what im trying to do is find out about terrier behaviour. Im not the first person to own a terrier that likes to go down holes if you exercise your dogs well its odds on it will find a hole to go down.

The are thousands of owners of what you call "untrained" terriers out there blissfully unaware of the carnage they are creating in our countryside. So I suggest you offer up information on this forum and not lectures.

[Stabs 3]

Do you take a spade and locator every time you take your dogs out after rabbits?

If not and im presuming you dont by your posts, your dogs should not be going to ground.

A rabbit has the right to as much respect as a fox or any other animal, prey should be killed quickly and cleanly not having its back end ripped open by an untrained terrier.

Then there is the problem of losing your terrier underground. Some rabbit warrens are huge, can collapse very easily. And what about if your dog met something it should not down a set....would you know the tell tale signs regarding what is living there?

If your dogs are only to be used for rats and rabbits...get them trained to prevent any heartache, or as Trappsy said, keep them away from sets. And learn some respect for your local wildlife.

MOLL.

 

What moral high ground you do take ! Judging by the tone of your post you imply that Im some kind of crazed hunter wanting his dogs to kill things. I suggest you re read the original post and youll see what im trying to do is find out about terrier behaviour. Im not the first person to own a terrier that likes to go down holes if you exercise your dogs well its odds on it will find a hole to go down.

The are thousands of owners of what you call "untrained" terriers out there blissfully unaware of the carnage they are creating in our countryside. So I suggest you offer up information on this forum and not lectures.

 

Good post Moll

 

If your dogs are going to ground then you have to prepared to dig to them should that occasion arise. If you aren't prepared, or haven't a clue what you are doing, then don't let them go to ground.

 

Nowt wrong with terriers bushing rabbits but going to ground on them is a pain in the arse!