Best terrier?

[Skinny Whip 4]

I've got a Beddy whippet Grey (throwback to Saluki). He's more of a coursing dog than anything. I'm in central Wiltshire on the Salisbury Plain. A lot of what he hunts hides in brambles/Gorse. He won't go into it cos he gets cut to bits. So I reckon I need a terrier to flush it out. Thick thorn proof jacket and long legged enough to chase with the lurcher. I reckon a Bedlington or Patterdale or some sort of long legged Jack Russell. Never had a terrier so don't know much about them. Opinions of those with terrier experience would be much appreciated. Cheers.

[Aussie Whip 4,112]

Parson Russell I use with the whippet lurchers.

[white van man 3,329]

You just want a general bushing terrier if you want something to hunt fairly close. Get it out with some other bushers from the off if you can. If it’s working with the Lurcher and is being encouraged to chase out of cover it might choose to stay on the outside more that in the cover. Once it knows it’s job you won’t look back. It will keep the Lurcher plenty busy. Had one busher to four Lurchers yesterday and they all had a good run. If you are up on the Plain then I would try get something that doesn’t go to ground. 

Edited December 21, 2020 by white van man

[Gypsydog94 4,607]

1 hour ago, white van man said:

A spaniel or spaniel cross might be the better option. But need deep pockets like every dog and the minute 

[moonlighter 1,164]

I’ve not seen a terrier yet that hunts as well as a spaniel, plus there’s less chance of a spaniel going to ground. 

[white van man 3,329]

I didn’t mention spaniel or spaniel terrier as the guy was asking about  terriers. The ground up there would suit cocker, spaniel or spaniel terrier. As long as it get in the cover then win win 

Edited December 21, 2020 by white van man

[SheepChaser 8,089]

In not very far from you and have a bushing Pat, bushing Russel and bushing x bred springer / terrier type thing

I would happily leave my runners at home and bring the bushers and push some stuff out to your dog and you can see what you like the style of.

[Black neck 16,018]

1 minute ago, SheepChaser said:

In not very far from you and have a bushing Pat, bushing Russel and bushing x bred springer / terrier type thing

I would happily leave my runners at home and bring the bushers and push some stuff out to your dog and you can see what you like the style of.

Good offer that

[lurchers 2,855]

2 hours ago, moonlighter said:

I’ve not seen a terrier yet that hunts as well as a spaniel, plus there’s less chance of a spaniel going to ground. 

You mustn’t of seen many terriers flush on shoots and find better than a lot of spaniels mate,I remember years ago a old boy down my street all he ever did was shooting and always had spaniels.Anyway while I was walking my borders out the back fields he was telling me about a dog his mate had for shooting and said it was the best dog he had ever seen for flushing to the gun but the spaniel was sometimes quicker on the retrieve and guess what,it was a border terrier mine were twats for finding deer and could flush them from over 2 fields away from scenting them also pheasants but I done a lot of digging with them so goes to show you.When a shooting man says that to you 

[Skinny Whip 4]

5 hours ago, SheepChaser said:

In not very far from you and have a bushing Pat, bushing Russel and bushing x bred springer / terrier type thing

I would happily leave my runners at home and bring the bushers and push some stuff out to your dog and you can see what you like the style of.

Sounds a great offer mate. I'm based in Chirton but mooch around between Westbury/Warminster and Tidworth. Fish Trout  too down the Avon towards Salisbury. Would be good to meet up with a terrier man. 

[Skinny Whip 4]

I thought about a spaniel. But my worry is - correct me if I'm wrong here - the spaniels lack of killer instinct. I'd want a dog that can flush prey out of bramble/hawthorn/gorse AND give the lurcher a hand doing the business when the prey is caught. Is a spaniel up to that?

 

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Skinny Whip

[Skinny Whip 4]

13 hours ago, Aussie Whip said:

Parson Russell I use with the whippet lurchers.

Great looking little dog mate. I met a woman out walking her little JR a while ago. The dogs quickly made friends then found a Muntjack in the brambles. The JR went straight in there, flushed out the Munty and mine chased it and brought it down. Pretty effective pairing. That was the only time mine's ever worked with another dog. Just happened by chance. 

[SheepChaser 8,089]

16 minutes ago, Skinny Whip said:

Sounds a great offer mate. I'm based in Chirton but mooch around between Westbury/Warminster and Tidworth. Fish Trout  too down the Avon towards Salisbury. Would be good to meet up with a terrier man. 

I wouldn’t call myself a terrier man but they can get stuff shifted from a bush, and help deal with the other end! I’m about an hour from you mate and always happy to have a mooch about. 

[moonlighter 1,164]

4 hours ago, lurchers said:

You mustn’t of seen many terriers flush on shoots and find better than a lot of spaniels mate,I remember years ago a old boy down my street all he ever did was shooting and always had spaniels.Anyway while I was walking my borders out the back fields he was telling me about a dog his mate had for shooting and said it was the best dog he had ever seen for flushing to the gun but the spaniel was sometimes quicker on the retrieve and guess what,it was a border terrier mine were twats for finding deer and could flush them from over 2 fields away from scenting them also pheasants but I done a lot of digging with them so goes to show you.When a shooting man says that to you 

I’ve not seen a terrier on a shoot your right... but I’ve been out with a few digging and bushing., I’m not saying terriers arnt better, but I’m saying  of the ones I’ve seen, spaniels and labs work cover better. 

[SheepChaser 8,089]

Just now, moonlighter said:

I’ve not seen a terrier on a shoot your right... but I’ve been out with a few digging and bushing., I’m not saying terriers arnt better, but I’m saying  of the ones I’ve seen, spaniels and labs work cover better. 

Its horses for courses id say. Mate of mine keeps a mixed team of springers, cockers and terrier for bushing, I grew up around some very good spaniels and I mainly keep terriers now. If I'm honest, for finding and hunting quarry in cover I prefer a terrier, simply because they are small, quick and want to kill what they are after, rather than often working cover on semi auto pilot at times. I also find that a spaniels continuous motion often leads to the runners getting bored and stopping being so in tune with them, usually they can read the terrier well and when it starts to heat up they know whats coming. But in reality I've seen both do the job bang on, not all spaniels like the sharp end, some terriers drop to ground too much. You'd struggle to kill much in thick cover with a lab, when you out it against a good little bushing terrier.