skycat 6,173 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 One of my old coursing bitches always battered about on a poor hare. She'd dance around it and do everything bar pick it up. On a good hare you could see that she was trying all the way, but on a weak one it was as if she was trying to get it to run faster and farther as if she didn't want the course to end. Another bitch I had never took a squatter on the lamp. She had a very good fast accurate strike, but she would stand motionless about a yard from a squatter. At the time I thought it was because she was waiting for it to jump so she could see which way to lunge for it, and when they did jump the rabbits seldom went more than a few yards before she nailed them. My partner's Picardy lurcher does a dance from one foot to the other on a squatter, dodging from side to side as well, and she starts doing this about two or three yards before she gets to the rabbit, a bit like a goalie darting to and fro anticipating the ball. Fascinating how dogs develop different mannerisms. 2 Quote Link to post
Casso 1,261 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 There's a further element at play in this , which is that the prey has to act prey like (run) for the predator to chase, a bit like how a dog can be broken to sheep while they're all standing facing it static reflecting back at it but when they turn and flee the predator mind set kicks in, the dog is triggered by the movement, The dog is energised by the action of the rabbit fleeing, the energy is in the dog for the movement of the prey so when the dog gets up to the squatting rabbit it still has the history of energetic movement in it so it still has to move which is where it the moving from foot to foot actually feels like it's moving , it's not intentional it's laid down through its hunting pattern , bunny activates action, running dogs feels like it should be running, the side to side motion in the moment feels like running to the dog Quote Link to post
desertbred 5,490 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 (edited) The movement alternating from one foot to the other or movement from side to side is a naturally for a dog especially in the running down of game, an experienced coursing or rabbiting dog will spin turn or attempt to box the quarry preventing it from making cover ,hedge rows or piping/holing.. Sight hounds especially are conditioned by instinct to detect slightest movement and this flicks on the chase instinct, I believe a dog can be encouraged to pick up sitters I dont lamp but have been told by lads that do waggling the lamp on a sitter is done to get the sitter to bolt but also gives the dog the impression of movement or twitch from the quarry some of the lampers will know. A good running dog wants to dictate the run so will continually move from the quarries peripheral one eye vision to the other to get the quarry to turn one way or the other, Dogs once experienced have a full brain of movements to wrong foot quarry just as when they have caught go back to the same spot years later they remember which place the seat was , where they killed or where the quarry escaped . Edited January 23, 2016 by desertbred Quote Link to post
paulsmithy83 567 Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 the only thing i can take from it is she now wants them to run. ive calmed the coursing down with her maybe that could be linked. as the hare was always up and running so she had her release on them?????? but then she gets that with all the rabbits that dont squat. cant be no other reason as this bitch strike rate is top notch as i said her run to catch ratio is very very high or was before this as id say ot dropped a little and she was like a snipper on squatters. if it was about using her brain she would realise doing this is not helping her catch. tbh a run on a rabbit is never on to long she is electric and can turn on a blade of grass. i just didnt want it to progress. as cassio said some start messing around with the pick up for the chase. so thought id ask on here see if many other encountered this later on in a working dogs life. Quote Link to post
TOM HEAVY 140 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 I personally would rather see a course than the dog take it out its seat, just an preference however if she is catching up to em, does it matter?? ATB TOM HEAVY 3 Quote Link to post
jukel123 7,957 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 I personally would rather see a course than the dog take it out its seat, just an preference however if she is catching up to em, does it matter?? ATB TOM HEAVY Exactly, what's the problem? A course is always preferable to picking up a squatter. Quote Link to post
low plains drifter 10,279 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 I personally would rather see a course than the dog take it out its seat, just an preference however if she is catching up to em, does it matter?? ATB TOM HEAVY Exactly, what's the problem? A course is always preferable to picking up a squatter. What about when the butcher wants all the rabbits you can catch, and will pay 3 quid each for them ? Quote Link to post
fireman 10,861 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 I personally would rather see a course than the dog take it out its seat, just an preference however if she is catching up to em, does it matter?? ATB TOM HEAVY Exactly, what's the problem? A course is always preferable to picking up a squatter.What about when the butcher wants all the rabbits you can catch, and will pay 3 quid each for them ? Get a gun or ferret them,lurchers are for sport imo..... 1 Quote Link to post
low plains drifter 10,279 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 I personally would rather see a course than the dog take it out its seat, just an preference however if she is catching up to em, does it matter?? ATB TOM HEAVY Exactly, what's the problem? A course is always preferable to picking up a squatter.What about when the butcher wants all the rabbits you can catch, and will pay 3 quid each for them ? Get a gun or ferret them,lurchers are for sport imo..... One type of rabbit provides better sport than the other imo, lol 1 Quote Link to post
paulsmithy83 567 Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 I personally would rather see a course than the dog take it out its seat, just an preference however if she is catching up to em, does it matter?? ATB TOM HEAVY its not as simple as that is it. i dont mind at the moment as she isnt stalking and is still picking up the ones she thumps up. but as some have said it CAN progress thats my concern. tbh i posted the thread after a few beers when my brain was like fog. 1 Quote Link to post
Casso 1,261 Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 (edited) Do you feed the bitch in the day before lamping that night ?? Edited January 24, 2016 by Casso Quote Link to post
paulsmithy83 567 Posted January 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 if i lamped her night before she would be fed in the motor when we finish then would have something small in the day at 4pm ready for the night. if no lamp session night before she fed 8am and something small around 4pm to go out for around midnight. this has always worked for me. find this feeding routine makes sure she has enough in tank for how ever long we are out. Quote Link to post
Casso 1,261 Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 if i lamped her night before she would be fed in the motor when we finish then would have something small in the day at 4pm ready for the night. if no lamp session night before she fed 8am and something small around 4pm to go out for around midnight. this has always worked for me. find this feeding routine makes sure she has enough in tank for how ever long we are out.Run her hungry , don't feed her that day if lamping that night, fit dog like her should be able to do her fair share before calling it a night, Hunger motivates all animals to hunt, dogs are no different, I know you have your own way of feeding her but I'd be interested to see if running empty would give her an edge Best of luck Quote Link to post
paulsmithy83 567 Posted January 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 i can give it ago see how she fares i know she would last on most nights as she has a huge engine my only concern is on those nights that test the fittest of dogs i sware by that small meal at 4 doesnt half help get them through it but i see how she goes with out tomorrow and let you know if she still does it. im out tonight but without the lamp but ive fed her at 8 this morning Quote Link to post
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