Dog picking runs

[history 70]

Probably been discussed before, but I notice a lot of people seem to knock a dog that picks runs, 

Have always thought this is not a bad trait, surely this shows a bit of brain, isnt this what the Lurcher was all about.?

Same as dogs that pull up and dont go crashing into fences is this really a problem

After all dont think the odd miss due to either of the above leaves anyone hungry these days.

Certainly can save a lot of heavy vet bills.

 

 

 

[Allan P 1,150]

IMO most Lurchers that have been worked regularly on rabbit will in time pick and choose their runs, and just like stalking their rabbits it’s no problem for me.  

[Black neck 15,950]

18 minutes ago, history said:

Probably been discussed before, but I notice a lot of people seem to knock a dog that picks runs, 

Have always thought this is not a bad trait, surely this shows a bit of brain, isnt this what the Lurcher was all about.?

Same as dogs that pull up and dont go crashing into fences is this really a problem

After all dont think the odd miss due to either of the above leaves anyone hungry these days.

Certainly can save a lot of heavy vet bills.

 

 

 

Does your dog pick it's runs

[dogmandont 9,822]

I like to be the one picking the runs not the dog. 

[poxon 5,734]

i Like a dog that gives it’s all to run an make a catch if I had a dog that picked it’s own runs it would be retired as it’s of no use to me it’s harts no longer in it 

[dogmandont 9,822]

I have a dog here that will barely tighten the lead when he sees a rabbit but show him a fox and he’s a completely different animal, I suppose that could be called picking his runs. Lol. But it suits me just fine as he’s only for fox.

[nothernlite 18,085]

Nothing worse than a dog picking it's runs

Edited February 26, 2018 by nothernlite

[delswal 3,819]

A good lurcher will have high prey drive imprinted in it, lurchers I have had in the past without that prey drive also tend to be without heart.

To cap it off, I want my dog to run what I tell it to, not what it fancies when it fancies. But I suppose everybody has their own opinions of what they want in a dog

[keeganrees 196]

Old girl I got here stalks .. will pick a run from time to time and if goes over a brow will come off if it’s out the lamp only rabbits we talking  . Fry’s my brain 9/10 

same dog this year at 6 done 64 in a night she’s defo a marmite dog but she’s never ever failed to put something in the freezer. She’s a very intelligent dog and a canny runner in full flight .. but she’s never had a trip to vet and will probably do big bags till the age of 10. Most would of got rid years ago but how can you when she’s put so much to bed in front of dogs that will run through brick walls so to speak and come up less.

i do though think may have over run her when I was younger and maybe through injury not knowing with hindsight would have changed things but she’s here for life ?

[white van man 3,310]

Think there’s a difference between picking runs and not bothering at all. If there’s a rabbit sat a couple of feet from cover and my dog is way off then I wouldn’t expect him or even want him to go full throttle. He will always stalk though. If you think there is a slight chance the dog could catch and he doesn’t run, then this is normally where dog and owner fall out! 

I would always want a dog to run any rabbit I choose on the lamp and I get most mine from either rabbit errors at the hedge or my dog going in and grabbing them just inside the hedge. 

Daytime he will watch some rabbits hop a short distance into cover and that doesn’t bother me one bit. To me this isn’t picking runs. He just knows there’s no chance.  Stalk up and see if any others are sat out. 

 

[bird 9,898]

4 hours ago, dogmandont said:

I like to be the one picking the runs not the dog. 

spot on  , ok if the dog give 100% with every run, and it fooked , and need to get its tongue back in , thats ok  , a good  honest dog  would still try to run again next breath . there nothing worse when a dog picks its runs or its quarry , a dog that does that doing just what it wants it not working with you simple  as that .  ive had both types , and i know which one i respect   the most, loose the respect for a dog , and it over really  you and the dog will go separate  ways in the end 

[nothernlite 18,085]

Only ever had one dog do it and it was a collie type dog 

[Blackdog92 2,047]

11 hours ago, dogmandont said:

I have a dog here that will barely tighten the lead when he sees a rabbit but show him a fox and he’s a completely different animal, I suppose that could be called picking his runs. Lol. But it suits me just fine as he’s only for fox.

See my big dog never has pulled on a lead since I had him as a pup all you feel when he sees something is a slight tremor on the slip but soon as he’s slipped he’s off. 

[blackmaggie 3,376]

11 hours ago, white van man said:

Think there’s a difference between picking runs and not bothering at all. If there’s a rabbit sat a couple of feet from cover and my dog is way off then I wouldn’t expect him or even want him to go full throttle. He will always stalk though. If you think there is a slight chance the dog could catch and he doesn’t run, then this is normally where dog and owner fall out! 

I would always want a dog to run any rabbit I choose on the lamp and I get most mine from either rabbit errors at the hedge or my dog going in and grabbing them just inside the hedge. 

Daytime he will watch some rabbits hop a short distance into cover and that doesn’t bother me one bit. To me this isn’t picking runs. He just knows there’s no chance.  Stalk up and see if any others are sat out. 

 

There's a lot of truth in that as I have never seen any dog refuse a bunny bolted by a ferret but some of the same dogs do pick there runs at night when there sat tight or are already near home maybe they know its pointless but I want a dog to run and be fully commited when I want not when they decide 

Edited February 27, 2018 by blackmaggie

[dog man 176]

I have seen this a few times with collie crosses 1/2 and 3/4 crosses use there brain too much too smart but not all all of them I have seen some real good ones.