Ferreting

[nellie123 4]

Is there any problem to using a spaniel/ gundog for ferreting and marking, as well as beating?

Thanks

[david901 165]

I always take my Brittany out with me when ferreting, hawking, or shooting.

My old dog who is 9 now marks holes, marks where the ferret is if it has killed and if its not too deep.

 

If the dog is well trained I don't see it being a problem.

[terryd 8,411]

I pinched the wifes cocker when he was 7 or 8 and he marked fine and took to it like a duck to water eager to please.

He had zero training though but if he had been trained and used to a hunting life he would been awesome little chap

 

 

 

[terryd 8,411]

There was a fella on here who does not post much now a days but he used to put up cracking threads of his cockers with the hawks and ferrets and his dogs seemed to excel at it all

[Guest vin]

an old mate of mine has cockers and he uses them for everything.. including shooting, picking up, ferreting with guns and hawks..they work cover like little hoovers and get anywhere a terrier can get without the added worry of them going to ground. Must admit they never fail to impress me. I love terriers but would never have one over a spaniel for above ground work.

[greenshank1 407]

No problem

 

Spaniels are traditionally steadied and trained with a rabbit pen or in areas with plenty of rabbits to make sure they ignore them completely or are real steady to the stop whistle. So depending what you did with them ferreting or beating they would soon learn the difference.

 

I have never ferreted with my lab but she naturally marks holes and retrieves any young rabbits she finds when we are out.

 

Labs by their nature are generally pretty steady , quiet and patient so could be good ferreting dogs , most are pretty soft mouthed so ideal for holding one in the net.

 

Were Lab x lurchers not really popular back in the seventies and eighties ?

[Born Hunter 17,763]

Frankly the regular exposure to bolting rabbits coupled with strict steadiness would probably do a lot of good for a shooting dog! In addition to being a handy dog for marking, covering netted rabbits and working cover.

[The one 8,475]

When i went out myself i used to take my lab and spaniel with the lurcher its went okay and you didnt need to walk them when you got home

[gaza 508]

So you could get a level of obedience where a spaniel could mark, work cover but once it’s bolted from cover or from the ferret to ground it won’t chase just cover the net? 

[cantona 310]

Would you let it hold it in net as well 

[trigger2 3,143]

a few of the shooting  lads i know dont like there spaniels working rabbits as they reckon they have a tendancy to give chase to a bunny on shoot days and that can somtimes spoil a drive.