What age?

[Guest FOXDOG]

Just wondering what age would you let a pup tag along hunting a few rabbits from the ditches? The bitch is bred for digging but I like to get my dogs hunting a few rabbits during the summer months where I am 110 % certain there are no earths around

[marko 30]

if the pup is just watching and on the lead then i would say take the pup at 5mths however if you want it to work the cover for bolting work with other dogs then 7-8 mths its only bunnies wont do the pup any harm its learning the trade with the other dogs my little border was out walking with the other dogs and started to mooch and work the cover on her own at 6-7 mths however i didnt send her to do that she just started herself this is just messing about and everyone has opinions on ages to work whatever works for you. however her mate the lurcher works all the cover and she follows her buddy everywhere and yes she has bolted a few to the dogs but i dont intend working her on fox so it aint going to be a problem and in two mths the real work starts the ratting season what i bought her for.

Edited August 10, 2007 by marko

[alimac 882]

Just wondering what age would you let a pup tag along hunting a few rabbits from the ditches? The bitch is bred for digging but I like to get my dogs hunting a few rabbits during the summer months where I am 110 % certain there are no earths around

 

personally if the dog was going to be used to dig with, i wouldnt let it near rabbits , if it chased one id give it a shake... you will see why i think like this if you do let it chase rabbits and you end up digging a 6ft hole with your mates to a sodding bunnie.... i must add that NO its not happened to me... touch wood

[Hob&Jill 258]

Just wondering here, so might be a silly question....

 

Does anyone who uses there terriers on 100% earth work go as far as actaully breaking there dogs to rabbits? wouldnt be easy but anyone ever done it

 

Again, If its a silly question then

[Guest nitevision]

but what if you want a terrier who is an allrounder,bit of bushing,bit of ratting,earthwork

[huntinggirl 0]

i havea bitch that does both, rabbits and earth you will find that once the dog has picked up the sent they will follow that sent, when my bitch is doing earth there isnt much i can do, she falls deaf ears so i have to let her carry on, until she is happy to stop, sometime's this can be a right pain...

 

i dont think there are many that do earth as well as rabbits.

i cant see there being a prob just make sure you take the pup out with a good worker that will teach the right things, but leave the earth work until its older, i think that when we get a pup as a worker, we all want to get it out as sson as we can.

Edited August 10, 2007 by huntinggirl

[alimac 882]

n.v imo if you intend to dig fox with your terrier then only let it work fox weather its above or below ground, letting it chace rabbits willy nilly will only ruin your earth dog..... and when i say earth work i mean proper earth work , not a dog going to ground after its chaced a bunnie down a hole, like the previous post said....

 

hob and jill my fell might take a quickened step if it puts up a bunnie but wont chace it as it knows what it will get, and has learned it aint worth it... when we have all the terriers out bushing for fox, its VERY rare you see one of the dogs after a bunnie, they are all used for earth work, with hunt, bushing, and ratting BUT NEVER bunnies..... each to there own i guess but some seam to have a diff opinion of what earth work is for a terrier... happy hunting

[huntinggirl 0]

what im trying to say is, if my bitch come's across a hole either fox or rabbit that is being used and there is something there, then in her way she will let me know thats there is something there, it doesnt matter fox or rabbit she will work it, where my other terrier's wont.

Edited August 10, 2007 by huntinggirl

[alimac 882]

what im trying to say is, if my bitch come's across a hole either fox or rabbit that is being used and there is something there, then in her way she will let me know thats there is something there, it doesnt matter fox or rabbit she will work it, where my other terrier's wont.

 

 

as i said if your wanting a earth dog to work fox then letting it on rabbits is going to put you in the position were you dig some holes for a poxy bunnie.... would look really good if out with a keeper for the first time

[huntinggirl 0]

what im trying to say is, if my bitch come's across a hole either fox or rabbit that is being used and there is something there, then in her way she will let me know thats there is something there, it doesnt matter fox or rabbit she will work it, where my other terrier's wont.

 

 

as i said if your wanting a earth dog to work fox then letting it on rabbits is going to put you in the position were you dig some holes for a poxy bunnie.... would look really good if out with a keeper for the first time

 

arrrrr, i see your point now. sorry

[Guest pikey]

Just wondering here, so might be a silly question....

 

Does anyone who uses there terriers on 100% earth work go as far as actaully breaking there dogs to rabbits? wouldnt be easy but anyone ever done it

 

Again, If its a silly question then

 

99% OF THE DIGGING I DO THE DOGS ARE WALKED ON LEADS TO THE EARTHS, IF THEY SHOW ANY INTEREST IN RABBIT BURROWS A SHARP PULL ON THE LEAD THEY GET . DIG RABBITS WITH FERRETS, TERRIERS FOR THE BIG GAME ! I HAVE SEEN TERRIERS THAT WERE DUG TO AND AT THE END OF A 5 FT DIG A RABBIT !!!!! ITS NO JOKE ! MOST TIMES IF YOU DIG A TERRIER TO A RABBIT HE WILL BE A GOOD FEW FEET AWAY FROM HIM, I NEVER DUG ANY OF MY DOGS TO A RABBIT

[Guest FOXDOG]

Alimac this dog will be a digging dog first and foremost but in places where there are no earths I will allow it to hunt a few rabbits BUT the dog will be stopped trying to get in rabbit holes as a dog that fecks about after rabbits while out digging is abit embarrasing I do think a dog can be used for abit of bushing aswell as digging but if it does start to feck about then the bushing stops

[alimac 882]

foxdog, i cant say any more to change your mind, but in a year or so time when you have one of these embarrasing times(as it will happen) remember my advice..... as long as your happy with you dog that is ALL that counts, if you can smile in the face of embarasement then fair play, happy hunting mate, all the best alimac

[Moby 0]

what im trying to say is, if my bitch come's across a hole either fox or rabbit that is being used and there is something there, then in her way she will let me know thats there is something there, it doesnt matter fox or rabbit she will work it, where my other terrier's wont.

 

 

as i said if your wanting a earth dog to work fox then letting it on rabbits is going to put you in the position were you dig some holes for a poxy bunnie.... would look really good if out with a keeper for the first time

i dont think there is any problem with letting a pup hunt rabbits.first and formost it will get your pup hunting using its nose,running cover and most of all get it wanting and when the pup starts it digging career if it has it init it will forget all about the rabbits.

[Guest FOXDOG]

foxdog, i cant say any more to change your mind, but in a year or so time when you have one of these embarrasing times(as it will happen) remember my advice..... as long as your happy with you dog that is ALL that counts, if you can smile in the face of embarasement then fair play, happy hunting mate, all the best alimac

I dont think you understand what I mean mate, the dog can hunt rabbits for a few months then start its digging career but during the months hes hunting the bunnies its above ground only he wont be allowed to show any interest in going down bunny holes My dogs wouldnt fit anyway