First "proper" Lurcher Pup! Opinions Wanted!

[Barralad 40]

It`s difficult to make an accurate physical assessment of an 11 week old pup, certainly too early to forecast conformity. The pup looks good and you seem to be pretty switched on with regard to training. I tend to think that in a pups early stages, it is more important to establish a bond, that way you quickly recognise what, when & how to train. Each dog is different so it`s hard to make comparisons.

 

Here`s my pup at approx. 11-weeks:

 

 

I`m at the wrong end of forty something & have recently purchased a lurcher to compliment my 6 year old Stafford bitch that started life as a show dog due to her breeding & one of the kids wanting to show her. After being bored stiff (me & the bitch) I started to spend more time walking over old grounds where "me & my mates" used to go rabbiting & coursing in the days before we had wives, families, mortgages etc.

 

 

 

(We were a right old mixture of lurchers, whippets & "borrowed from neighbours" terriers etc, as a lot of us were in those times. We ran dogs at the local "flapping track" where I served as trap lad for a time and enjoyed it all immensely).

 

 

 

As I spent more time walking these old grounds with the Stafford bitch, the more I encouraged her to search out those smells that she showed an interest in and eventually she was putting rabbits up and gave chase to a big old dog fox after a little encouraging "go on then" from me. She was soon actually bushing & hunting up as well as she can, but was obviously lacking any kind of execution whatever. Too slow. Too big. Too awkward. But willing nonetheless.

 

 

 

I have enjoyed these outings so much that I have now re-developed an old appetite & have since purchased an SMK air rifle and the lurcher in order to re-kindle those days that I remember so fondly.

 

The lurcher is now 23 weeks & is showing good signs up to now. I am however very mindful of his immaturity & will take things slowly with him. He is a Whippet X Greyhound lurcher (1/8 Bedlington). I`ll post pics if I get full membership status.

 

 

 

I don`t intend on giving him any work until winter next year, just training up until that time, so any advise relative to his age would be appreciated along the way.

 

 

 

I am currently doing some retrieving with him, small jumps in the fence-line with him will start in the next couple of weeks or so. He is very interested in smells & locations of rabbit & fox and can recognise them instantly, so all is well up to now. He is getting plenty of socialisation and is getting taken to various types of locations, open, wooded, wet, dry, sheltered, windy etc. so should be getting used to most environments.

 

 

 

The next step for me will be to get him to retrieve a dummy wrapped with a skin, (hence the air rifle). Any advice with regard to this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Are you going to give your lurcher any work at all?

[Barralad 40]

Here he is now at 23 weeks: