Labrador

[ryaldinhio 4,603]

When I have been wandering with my lab I have let her chase a few bunnies. tonight I have walked her past some warrens I know are used and she had her head straight down em. Im considering starting to introduce her to the ferrerts and takin her out with me for marking. Anyone else tried this with a lab? Obviously she has the nose for it but Im not sure she is steady enough to sit and wait for a long period yet.

[jocky 198]

have a word with gaz6br. he brings is lab ferreting and she is great.

[terryd 8,466]

I thought labs were quite laid back and easy going ? Never had one so don't know though. Give it a whirl

[ryaldinhio 4,603]

I think the old ones or the fat ones are laid back! Mine would go all day if I had time, doesnt have an off switch. Im hoping once she see's one come out she will sit waiting for the next one.

[random 659]

A mate of mine has a lab and she is a joy to have out,only seen her work once in and around a long net,not a single problem all morning jumping the net and pinning them and every mark was spot on,worth a look surely?

[terryd 8,466]

lol yea I am sure it will soon catch on

[The one 8,481]

I mostly work the lurcher while ferreting but if I've no time to exercise them I take the lab and spaniel there no bother when ferreting

[tsteve9999 456]

I've been adopted at one of my permissions by the landowners standard poodle that thinks it's a lurcher, she's only got to see my car and I can't get rid of her.

I'll be over there a few times in the near future to make sure she's not going to crack the ferrets and then she'll be ferreting with me. This thing is nothing like the ones you see on the telly, she's had the run of the riding stables from the off and is a fit thing with a surprising burst of speed, she should make a good backstop when I'm out on my own.

[Jamie m 668]

There's a lab on the estate where I go beating it's so athletic fast agile leggy will retrieve game from anywhere, does five bar gates for fun how labs were ment to be I thinks ,

[ryaldinhio 4,603]

all sounds good fellas, introduced the lab to the stinkers this morning. she was a bit excited/unsure but it seemed to go ok. guna start takin her up to the hutches daily when im cleaning feeding etc.

[andy s410c 61]

Wish I still had my lab cross that I had as a teenager.100% marking dog,good all rounder fur & feather & graft all day.When I think back to how good he was i'd love to have him now, being older & a bit wiser

[terryd 8,466]

Wish I still had my lab cross that I had as a teenager.100% marking dog,good all rounder fur & feather & graft all day.When I think back to how good he was i'd love to have him now, being older & a bit wiser

 

I think exactly the same about my jack russell you don't realise how good they are until there gone

[comanche 3,025]

I've been adopted at one of my permissions by the landowners standard poodle that thinks it's a lurcher, she's only got to see my car and I can't get rid of her.

I'll be over there a few times in the near future to make sure she's not going to crack the ferrets and then she'll be ferreting with me. This thing is nothing like the ones you see on the telly, she's had the run of the riding stables from the off and is a fit thing with a surprising burst of speed, she should make a good backstop when I'm out on my own.

I've often wondered if a poodle greyhound cross might trump the Bedlington cross . Poodles are scored as the most intelligent of dogs.They are trainable and athletic-witness the number used in circus acts-, have a weatherproof coat , can be quite fiery and were originally bred as gun and service dogs. Whether the cross would gel in the way Bedlingtons do with a whippets or a collies with greyhounds would be interesting to know.

I also think the idea that a lurcher is the essential dog for ferreting is a fairly recent one. I bet many site members will have tales of all sorts of mongrels and unlikely family pets being seconded into the ferreting team before we all became affluent enough to have a choice about the matter.

Bolting to dogs obviously requires a breed or cross quick enough to make the exercise worthwhile. One the other hand if you are using nets the main qualities required in a dog are a good nose , obedience and just enough agility to pin a bunny that looks like a "slipper". If a lot of rabbits are slipping the nets or finding unmeshed holes a change of technique rather than a faster dog might be more appropriate.

[ryaldinhio 4,603]

just taken the lab for a late night wander and when we got home I took her to ferret hutch and got them out one at a time, I have four, none of them reacted to her and she didnt really react to them. she sat, because I told her to, but her tail was going like I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW! but she behaved with each one of them in turn......guna take her with me when I start.

[ryaldinhio 4,603]

just waitin for my mk3 finder from 1888andybhoy to arrive amd Im away one ferret at a time and lab wi me. Im only just gettin back into ferretin so no strong worker to send pup OR kit in with so guna be a suck it and see type of season!