Alright lads, posting this here to see if anyone has taken a few steps back with a terrier and built things up again.
what it is, I had dug to my youngest twice at the tail end of last season and he did well for his first digs also had a Reynard on top walking country. They were simple straight forward earths, and he stayed on baying until we were through to him and the Charlie - I was landed, nice to have a steady Bayer in the kennels. 
I started quite late this season due to work but this week I took him back out to a known spot for his first time out this year.
 I don't 'hiss' or 'hype' my terriers on, allow them to come on in at their own pace into the earth. He shot into this earth, after some searching I heard a few thumps and a whack followed by a few bleeps of baying. Eventually he was a meter away from the point of impact and I could make out his arse from the entrance. Very disorientated and reluctant to push forward I sat and watched on as he'd resurface look for me and head back in to bay 0.5 meter in from the earth entrance. And though some may say I did the wrong thing I pulled him out, though he was keen to go back in - I had a gut feeling.  Slight nick on the ear but no more or near the previous digs/encounters gave him. 
 For his age 3 YO, I've always said in comparison to his siblings he was slightly immature, almost hung onto his puppyish behaviour so progress had always been slow. I'm all for giving opportunities for a terrier to prove their worth but equally don't want a kennel full of half hearted dogs. 
I'd be interested to see what the more seasoned terrier men thought about the matter? Difficult to say what's what especially with dogs that have little digs under their belt, I have a few assumptions to why this may of happened in my head but thought I'd run it past you lot first, especially before making any hasty decisions. 
Thank you for reading 👍
 

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Hello lads, merry Christmas and all that. I’ve got a terrier in my kennels that starting to test my patience. 
 
Great dog, keen as mustard and all that but time and time again I’ve broken through to her steadily baying away only to find she’s sat with something mid tube on one occasion I broke though and there was nothing there however last week I said to myself if I break through I’ll clear the tubes up and pop her back in to make sure it isn’t my fault rather than blame her. Lo and behold it was sat about a meter back from the open end of the tube and eventually bolted itself - Happy says, a nice morning out (I only dig on my own and keep it private).
 
However today we popped over to seasoned place, in she went, which was an incredibly large earth with multiple holes spanning across a bracken bank. Straight away she sat at 2.4 baying away well, too many entrances to net I kept an eye out for the bolt but nothing was to be seen. For the next hour maybe two she barley surfaced and worked the entire earth sitting and baying on occasion but shortly moving on and covering a great distance. Eventually on one occasion when she popped out, nose down looking for the next way in I picked her up and sat her back in the truck as I didn’t want to be sat there for another hour trying to get a mark. 
 
my question is simple, what am I doing wrong? Or is the bitch at fault for not working her quarry to a stop end and staying. She isn’t massively experienced however for what’s she’s done I’ve found she’s intelligent and very safe often comes away without a mark. Please don’t recommend PTS or moving her on, I understand many terriermen wouldn’t tolerate this however for the times I have dug to her successfully it has been a great pleasure. I’ve had a conversation with a lad local to me and his response was “she’s not hard enough to hold them” which made me think one man’s preference may not be another’s. 
 
all the best & happy new year 

Good evening Gents,
 
Using this platform again as I find it a great way to reach out into a pool of knowledge and great experience.
 
Now I don’t work my terriers to hounds here in Ireland, but more than often will find myself having a wonder about my permission and trying the terriers in some common spots. However, I have noticed I’ve drawn more blank days than good and wanted to know what those who don’t work terriers under hounds provide consistent work for their own, how do you go about your day out to guarantee an earth will be occupied and how do you feel about drawing blank days.
I worry by doing so my terriers will go flat and maybe cause a negative impact on their careers as working terriers. 
 
Go stead, 
Oshea