First time on the Lamp

[minion 29]

It's been nearly six years since I have had to start a pup lamping and was looking for a wee bit of advice because I've never had this before.

 

Basically I have a pup who is about 8 months old and reasonably well trained. She will sit, lie stay and her recall is good if there are no distractions.

 

So, I decided to take her out for a wee shine with the lamp last night and after giving her a wee warm up behind my house I put her on the lead and headed for our local golf course. I selected a rabbit to try her on and she saw it and was slipped. Came very close to it but it made for cover. I whistled her back but she completely ignored me and continued running around looking for rabbits. Eventually she came back so I tried her again on another rabbit about 10 - 15 minutes later and she missed it but again wouldn't come back. She looked at me but continued looking for rabbits. She did come back quicker than the first time but it was still no where near quick enough.

 

Now I praised her when she cam back but was thinking - as she was told she was a good dog for comming back will she associate it with the fact she ignored me and think she can do as she pleases?

 

My last lurcher was trained and started exactly the same but fortunatly she clicked straight away and returned to hand as soon as called.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Garn 0]

Try doing recalls with her (in the daylight) and if she doesn't come back straight away hide from her so she gets into a panic as you've disappeared. or just hide and give her a whistle, this should work or at least help I've always worked like this and my hound 9 times out of 10 comes back to hand as soon as the lamp goes off. Saying that though, she's still just a pup!

[Paul in North Lincs 15]

still very much a pup like mine...and easily get into bad habbits.....

 

I would recon that continually praising her for returning back late would have an adverse effect but not the once....as difficult as it may seem at time one has to be very concise about where and when the 'love' & 'correction' is dealt out as pups do get confused with mixed messages..........

 

I would advise slipping her on rabbit she'll catch for definate...better still mixy ridden ones.......otherwise she may get fustrated and start yipping.

 

hopes she comes good....................maybe she was a bit overwhelmed with her first night out...... and got abit side tracked

[Guest Chancer]

the key to entering of any type is early sucess,you need to load the odds of a catch in the pups favour,so stay away from golf courses.

you say recall is good with no distractions,sorry to say it but then it isn't good enough,forget about quarry for a while and go back to the basic training.

as paul above says she may just have been overwhelmed but you'd be best trying to improve the recall before heading out again.

 

all the best.

Edited September 24, 2007 by Chancer

[Tyla 3,179]

My pup is the same, great recall in the daytime but less so in the dark! Im going to walk her in the dark without putting her on anything for a bit and see if she get the idea without the distraction. Shes yet to take on her own but to build her confidence I slipped her on a bunny shot in the lamp with the airgun, wasnt the best shot and it was heading for the hedge, she took it at top speed with no hesitation - I was made up!!! She was no interested in retreiving but she didnt run off with it. I'll try her again when her night recall is sorted.

 

Good luck and good hunting!

[minion 29]

Thanks for the replys guys.

 

I actually got a good reply frmo Pennymeadow whi;ppets on the whippet forum. He advised to go somewhere were there are no rabbits and lamp a dummy. Get her running down the beam and retrieving the dummy straight away for a month or so them try her on rabbits.

 

Sounds good to me.

Edited September 26, 2007 by minion