I need some guidance!!

[Paul in North Lincs 15]

Need some guidence; quick!!

 

I took my bull greyhound pup (6.5 month) for half an hours lamping with my cousin and his experienced dog last night to show her how what is all about..

 

Previously I took a 2 weeks ago also and let her have a couple of slips, which I was pleased about as she ran to the beam well....and recalled prefectly on 3 runs...the rest of the time she was on the lead observing.

 

Last night I slipped on a 'green' squatter which she nailed after a 20yard sprint......first ever rabbit on the lamp.....and a dam good catch.....

 

She then procceded to legg it and devoured it, she wouldnt give it up for love nor money...eventually she retrieved the remains (one back leg) to my cousin who took it from her.

 

After giving it some though, I guessed that this could be partially due to the fact that shes kennelled up with my ESS pup, who is a greedy dog, however I need to get this this sorted asap, as I am concious that it could ruin her...

 

Alot of folk will say they I have to do more work on retrieving which admittidly has been very poor......the problem is she is not very playfull at all.......and while training she will not chase a ball, toy or anything, just lollops about in a dream world.....so If I cant get her motivated to chase anything other than rabbits.................then what can I do???......out walking she recalls sits and walks to heel perfectly.

 

I am starting to feed her seperately to the ESS so that she knows not going to have her food whipped from under her nose........

 

Other than that.......I dont really know how to overcome this.....

 

Could it have been through excitement as its the first proper catch shes had?

 

Is this common in pups?

 

is it likely she could grow out of it?

 

Would it help if I split her and the spaniel up completely?

 

 

My cousin was suprised with how she ravaged nearly the whole thing, and she has been knwon scavanged in the past, picking up dead birds an eating them ect...............He wondered is might have some form of dificiency in her diet.............................Any ideas views..........or suggestions welcome

 

Shes looking very promising on the lamp...but no good if she wont yeild up :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks

[Guest MOLLY]

Mine both did it at first, but they soon stopped. The chase and kill become more important. You also have to remember you are working a 26wk pup, who is still developing physically and mentally and are constantly hungry at that age...Personally i'd wait a couple of month before working her.

MOLL.

[kreet 0]

i wouldnt say at 6,5 months it is bright having her on the lamp she's still a pup but to what your saying my whippet i used to have would pick up anything birds or whatever and eat them but once she was 9/10 months and had her first kill she just pinned it and returned it into me . alot of people like with ferrets dont feed there dogs before they take them out but i feed mine in the morning so dont change my routine , with a pup at 6.5 months if its realy hungry i can see why it would eat the rabbit . apart from that only thing i can see that can be done is correct the pup every time she starts eating something like a bird rabbit thats been dead or when she kills correct her for eating but at the same time if she kills and you correct her for eating it this also might put her of working but correct her for picking up birds etc thats what i done if she returns it give her a treat or the liver the liver might encourage the eating tho .

[Bosun11 537]

Paul, at her age don't worry..... The first bull x I owned did exactley the same thing with his first catch, end of night, I was gutted!! Next night out, I stopped him eating it but retrieve...not a chance!

All changed with age, thank god. Ended up a very good catch and retrieve dog. Seen it a few times since with other young 'un's i've owned. Your running a very young pup with a very young pup mentality, no harm in that but even though the catches seem like she's grown up, her all round mentality just ain't.

I'd keep everything to a minimum, basic training still..... as Molly says in a few months, she'll be ready to take on more......good luck

[Paul in North Lincs 15]

thanks, thats put my mind at ease.....................for an awefull moment I'd thought I'd completely fecked it...........

 

 

stilll not sure how to get her retrieving though!!?????

 

any ideas???..............like I say, the problem she is so solem....and does not ...and will not play.......theres alot of grey in her so this understandble..........but ..........................????????

[Guest MOLLY]

You have to make the 'toy' or whatever you use the most desirable thing in the world, wind her up completely, somewhere there are no other distractions, with all the silly voices and jumping about like a loon . And dont let her have it untill she is completely desperate for it, then take it off her again. Once you have her so she wants the object then you can then move onto retrieve etc.

Im told a flirt pole can help.

MOLL.

[inan 841]

You have to make the 'toy' or whatever you use the most desirable thing in the world, wind her up completely, somewhere there are no other distractions, with all the silly voices and jumping about like a loon . And dont let her have it untill she is completely desperate for it, then take it off her again. Once you have her so she wants the object then you can then move onto retrieve etc.

Im told a flirt pole can help.

MOLL.

Bitches have never seemed very interested in my flirt pole,but now that Im 58 ,Im more relaxed about it. Inan.

[Simoman 110]

Paul,

 

Getting her screaming with excitement for a toy will help, just do a couple of highly motivated retreives and then put her away, don't worry about clinical retrieves to hand, just get her wildly excited about the "game". Having the dog on a lead and throwing a toy for a older dog will make her jealous and increase her drive If she still shows nodesire to play you could always make it a compulsive retrieve?

 

I have a shepherd here who used to eat the rabbits he caught, just stopped it one day My terrier is the same, the first few rats on a trip may be eaten before they settle down :sick:

[Guest wex]

6 1/2 mths old out running