Training Priorities

[Poacherspocket 189]

Iv just bought my 2nd lurcher and my 1st has made a cracking dog but I wondered if maybe I might have got my priorities muddled up. I respect the fact that everyone has different views but this could make a good debate. Il start with how I trained my 1st dog.

Basic recall, sit, stay. Introduction to as many dogs, people and live stock as possible, retrieving. But I left the jumping right untill him being about 18 months and hes too clever for his own good. He can jump but won't unless he has to and cant find a gap in the wall or fence.

This could be a good thread for a newby so I hope we get some good ideas on training going and any useful hints or tips.

[BORDERSCOT 3,816]

Recall first...if you ain't got that right you ain't going nowhere...never ceases to amaze me how many supposedly 'trained' dogs have poor recall...does my f***ing head in... Just couldn't cope with that...

[jack68 628]

Recalling is 1st thing as if the dog dose not want to come to you you can not move on to other things ...

[beast 1,884]

i just work on bonding with the pup, playing wrestling, doing this whilst out walking. recall just becomes part of its routine. get it holding stuff whilst i hold the other end, so already playing with retrieve. and as you say out to see as much of the world as possible, stock, dogs, people, motors etc etc. instructions like sit and stay are so easy for a dog to learn at any stage i dont really bother to fomally train them, just let them pick it up as they go along.

one tip i would say is always keep a toy in your pocket, so when the pup starts play biting our hands you dont have to suffer the bites but you also dont have to stop the pup or scold it, just engage it with the toy so it is even more fun for the pup to be around you

[DazAllison1 556]

Recall,stock training and jumping 1st and foremost for me, there's fences,gates etc a plentyful round here and lots of stock so pups need to be a sound jumper and steady with stock to do well round here and I think excellent recall brings retreving with it, cheers Darren

[Ideation 8,216]

I'd say stock training, recall, jumping. Mine is a wanker on two of those fronts so i'm doing well

[Poacherspocket 189]

With this pup im definatly Going to start her jumping sooner. My 1st dog can jump anything especialy dry stone walls but its fences or gates he doesnt like. Its the stuff he can see through were he runs up the edge to find a gap. I suppose hes using his brain but it does get frustrating.in another couple of months il try a bit of folded chicken wire to get her jumping that. Nothing high though and il do it on grass. I hate to see pups jumping huge obstacles.

[Poacherspocket 189]

With this pup im definatly Going to start her jumping sooner. My 1st dog can jump anything especialy dry stone walls but its fences or gates he doesnt like. Its the stuff he can see through were he runs up the edge to find a gap. I suppose hes using his brain but it does get frustrating.in another couple of months il try a bit of folded chicken wire to get her jumping that. Nothing high though and il do it on grass. I hate to see pups jumping huge obstacles.

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Bond - Maybe not considered "training" by alot of folk, but too many people rush into trying to train a pup to do all sorts of weird and wonderful things before a bond has even been established. Without this you are going nowhere.

 

Socialisation - It goes without saying that this is a massive part of a pups rearing. Socialisation with other dogs, people, sounds, situations etc.

 

Recall - Neither of my dogs recall is FANTASTIC. It's ok but I would like it better. A working dog without recall is a nightmare.

 

Retrieve - Closely following recall, there is nothing worse than walking half way across a field to take a bunny from your mutt. Get this nailed along with the above 3 and everything else could be missing and you would still have a decent companion for mooching, lamping etc.

 

The rest is down to the individual really...

 

"Quiet", "No" and "Out" - These are my 3 favourites. All my dogs understand these. Even my Russell that I've had for 2 days. With these I can live alongside any dog quite well. Inside or out.

 

Stock - I don't see stock breaking as IMPERATIVE, certainly not over recall and retrieve. The amount of lads who's dogs are stock broken but can't get them to bring them a bunny amazes me. I don't have land with stock so my dogs not being stock broken doesn't bother me. However if i was to rear a pup now then I would definitely break it to stock. I've turned down countless offers of nights out because my dogs aren't broken to stock. Also it's a nightmare when out mooching and the dogs go over that unknown brow and you think "oh shit" "what's over the hill".

 

Sit, Down, Stay - Never bothered me and never will. Comes in handy now and again and all my dogs do it. But if they didn't then its not the end of the world. I know ferreting lads that MUST have a dog that does this, along with blind stay etc. Down to the individual again I think.

 

Just my take on it.

 

Gaz.

[Whiskey 28]

Recall first...if you ain't got that right you ain't going nowhere...never ceases to amaze me how many supposedly 'trained' dogs have poor recall...does my f*****g head in... Just couldn't cope with that...

spot on recall first no what ya meen pal seen load out coursing with dogs that just run off in to the sun set stock breaking and socialising with uther dogs

[Carraghs Gem 1,675]

Recall, walking to heel on the lead, stockbreaking, jumping, bed, back off, out are top of my training agenda and have been since he was a pup

Unfortunately my lad has about as much brains as a cabbage and the only habits hes quick to pick up are bad ones

His recall is slow, he does walk well on the lead and as for his stockbreaking... Well he thinks hes a sheepdog... For example

He chases the goats but stops chasing them 9/10 once they are back in their field and out of the garden. He knows fhey donrt belong... My sheepdog has taught him a few bad habits and as with everything the only things hes quick to learn are thr things i dont want him to learn, he jumps like a kangaroo so thats not an issue, he gets in his bed when told but wont sit...

He is perpetually stubborn

[BORDERSCOT 3,816]

Bond - Maybe not considered "training" by alot of folk, but too many people rush into trying to train a pup to do all sorts of weird and wonderful things before a bond has even been established. Without this you are going nowhere.

 

Socialisation - It goes without saying that this is a massive part of a pups rearing. Socialisation with other dogs, people, sounds, situations etc.

 

Recall - Neither of my dogs recall is FANTASTIC. It's ok but I would like it better. A working dog without recall is a nightmare.

 

Retrieve - Closely following recall, there is nothing worse than walking half way across a field to take a bunny from your mutt. Get this nailed along with the above 3 and everything else could be missing and you would still have a decent companion for mooching, lamping etc.

 

The rest is down to the individual really...

 

"Quiet", "No" and "Out" - These are my 3 favourites. All my dogs understand these. Even my Russell that I've had for 2 days. With these I can live alongside any dog quite well. Inside or out.

 

Stock - I don't see stock breaking as IMPERATIVE, certainly not over recall and retrieve. The amount of lads who's dogs are stock broken but can't get them to bring them a bunny amazes me. I don't have land with stock so my dogs not being stock broken doesn't bother me. However if i was to rear a pup now then I would definitely break it to stock. I've turned down countless offers of nights out because my dogs aren't broken to stock. Also it's a nightmare when out mooching and the dogs go over that unknown brow and you think "oh shit" "what's over the hill".

 

Sit, Down, Stay - Never bothered me and never will. Comes in handy now and again and all my dogs do it. But if they didn't then its not the end of the world. I know ferreting lads that MUST have a dog that does this, along with blind stay etc. Down to the individual again I think.

 

Just my take on it.

 

Gaz.

 

Can't understand why you'd put a retrieve before stock breaking...I'd far sooner walk half a field to pick up a rabbit than spend half the night chasing a mutton muncher up hill and down dale...luckily I have no worries on either score...

 

A dog that ain't sound with stock won't last half an hour here...wall to wall sheep and cattle...wool as far as the eye can see...

 

I've had that 'over the brow' sinking stomach feeling too many times with other folks dogs...fair play to you though for turning down offers of nights out...I've had folk turn up with dogs that are shit with stock and invariably it causes problems...mainly in human terms...

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Borderscot - It's all down to the individual really isn't it. If I plan where I'm going then I can do plenty and go plenty of places and never come across stock.

 

As I said above though, if I was bringing a pup on now then I WOULD stock break it just for that peace of mind.

[C Hall 552]

The kevin and perry stage can be the most testing time even for the most experienced dog handler

 

PP I would learn a pup to jump way before 18 months other than that your on the right track

[Poacherspocket 189]

To be honest I knew id f****d up with leaving the jumping too late. One thing I can honestly say is untill my dog reached about 14-16 month hed not been let loose on a rabbit iv took him ever so steady and believe me for young lad with his 1st lurcher its a hard thing to do when your mates are out most nights but I regret listening so much to a lot if the older guys saying that they shouldnt jump till there 18 month cos given you taken it steady and choose your obstacles I could have started him a lot sooner. But never mind its all fun and games now.

Edited June 10, 2013 by Poacherspocket