My two Patts have started to run away to look for rabbits

[Tracy36 0]

know where you're coming from pignut. My patts the same. he will return on command, BUT ONLY WHEN HE WANTS TO AND IF HE HASN'T GOT ANYTHING BETTER TO DO. The focus and determination the dog has is amazing. I am now out of the 'pet closet' and admitted that my 'dog' needs to exercise his natural instincts and hunt. preferably with me in tow!

[jim tait 0]

I'll sort them so they won't run away from you ever again

Mind you, they won't run anywhere after again!!

 

Or I could come and shoot some rabbits for you?

 

Jimxx

Edited May 30, 2008 by jim tait

[Pignut 4]

Or I could come and shoot some rabbits for you?

 

Bring yer gun and I'll make the sandwiches - egg all right?

[jim tait 0]

Egg's fine - still got lots?

OK if I bring FI and 2 kids as well?

 

see you tomorrow!!!!!???????

[Guest WILF]

Batter the feck............Errr, I mean give him little tit bits and walk everywhere like a one man band with a variety of little janngly toys, lay on your back with your arms and legs in the air shouting "cum on diddums, come to daddy"..........make sure you have a rattle to scold him and a leg of lamb to let him know when he has been a gooooodddd booooyyyyy.

 

Dont forget your water cannon............

Edited May 30, 2008 by WILF

[Pignut 4]

[Pignut 4]

Batter the feck............Errr, I mean give him little tit bits and walk everywhere like a one man band with a variety of little janngly toys, lay on your back with your arms and legs in the air shouting "cum on diddums, come to daddy"..........make sure you have a rattle to scold him and a leg of lamb to let him know when he has been a gooooodddd booooyyyyy.

 

Dont forget your water cannon............

 

 

Nah... they are tethered outdoors while I work and when I take 'em out, I either separate them (one goes with someone else) or they go to a specific place that is enclosed for a good hunt and I am only concentrating on them and nothing else.

 

Yes, they still piss off occasionally if we do not stick to the same rules, ie shut the fecking front door, you idiots! but things are better.

 

I realise I can't stop them hunting - they are hard-wired to do that - but I can take responsibility for them and think ahead and not put them in situations that mean we all fail.

 

Thanks for all your advice, even your's Mr Tait. Appreciated.

 

Pignut

[alimac 882]

i find in general that people have the most problems recalling a terrier compared to most other dogs. in my opinion its mostly down to the early stages of training or should i say lack of it ( im not saying its the case with you pig nut, just a general observation )

 

a terriers drive is no stronger than any other working dog and is no less able to be taught to stay at heal or return on command, i think alot more time is spent on the recall with other breeds like , lurchers, spanials, labs etc etc..

[Pignut 4]

i find in general that people have the most problems recalling a terrier compared to most other dogs. in my opinion its mostly down to the early stages of training or should i say lack of it ( im not saying its the case with you pig nut, just a general observation )

 

a terriers drive is no stronger than any other working dog and is no less able to be taught to stay at heal or return on command, i think alot more time is spent on the recall with other breeds like , lurchers, spanials, labs etc etc..

 

Then I think I am failing dismally and I should be blamed for bad training.

 

The trouble is, for me, that when you open the front door, there in front of you are about 50 bunnies hopping about in the field running about. Not just one or two, lots and lots. The front door looks straight into a small valley heaving with rabbits.

 

Up here, in Shetland, rabbits have no predators and there is a real problem with them. We do not have mixamytosis very much - only seen one mixy rabbit ever. So the ground can quite literally just move with rabbits. There are also no other pray such as rats or anything else here in the country to occupy a terrier. The odd polecat and that is it.

 

Mostly I can call the dogs off and they come back. They do try and it is only if my attention slips for a second.

 

Could anyone honestly tell me their terrier would just sit by their side whilst in front of them were 50 bunny rabbits? Probably!

[alimac 882]

beleieve me it can be done, but if there only doing it when they can tell your occupied with something else then your not far away from being able to do it... try putting it away until you know you can give it your 100% attention, and keep on to of them when you let them out, as has been said, give them a inch and they WILL take a mile.... and remember a dog needs treated like a dog to get it to respect the pack leader.. please dont take what iv said personally as its just my opinion

[Guest oneredtrim]

.

Edited June 1, 2008 by oneredtrim

[Pignut 4]

If me terrier could'nt sit steady infront of me whilst fifty rabbits/squirrells/rats bounced about infront of him shouting "come and have a go if you think your hard enough" then he not a working terrier...simply by dint of i may need him to sit steady for the situation to work...so there's the word WORK and there's the terrier at my feet...add the two together...a simple enough sum.

 

Change your hunting style Pignut, a terrier will soon learn to stalk (it matters not a jot if the handler is stalking whilst 50 rabbits are in view....the game is to hold the suspense for the terrier) and if it's getting a go (a chase) then it will tipple that it's appeasment started from your feet and a recall back to your feet prolongs the caper. Train each terrier on it's own.....in conjuction with a line if need be, enforce the recall and the moment the terrier reaches base (your feet) then signal instantly that he/she can carry on (the real rub of the training his to whip up the giddyness in the terrier by instantly re-sending them out INSTANTLY/this Instant feature will fix the recall....once it's fixed you can delay the re-send for longer and longer periods=steady terrier). With enough exposure they'll stalk naturally (collie fashion) and recall like they're playing rounders. Better cementing a concrete heel command first, from walking,running and cycling....the terrier will/should soon be watching your feet constantly. Watching the rabbits will not get it a go (it's on a line) but watching your feet will .

 

That makes sense - I will give it my best shot.

 

Thanks.