Young ones

[TheGrafter 7]

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 

 

[lurchers 2,762]

Ya might want to try and egg him on about mate as that sack in the dark might knock him for a little while.I would want my dog up close as there is nothing worse then braking through 3ft away from ya prey.If ya have to let an experienced terrier in to mix with it then dig to it and let yours have a mix behind the shovel or let him beside the other dog to get him into gear mate.But don’t give him many incase he gets to used to it,or when he’s mixing with the other terrier lift the other dog and let yours muck in on his own so he knows what to expect in the dark if you know what I mesn

[Bakerboy 4,658]

A working terrier should want to work mate more than anything, I personally wouldnt be pushing the dog into anything, I'd try him at every oppertunity if its in him it'll show the more you give him, I'm very patient with a pup/young adult but a 3 year old not wanting it would probably not be here

[WataWalloper 332]

6 minutes ago, Bakerboy said:

A working terrier should want to work mate more than anything, I personally wouldnt be pushing the dog into anything, I'd try him at every oppertunity if its in him it'll show the more you give him, I'm very patient with a pup/young adult but a 3 year old not wanting it would probably not be here

Edited October 24 by WataWalloper

[Aussie Whip 4,091]

12 hours ago, TheGrafter said:

I don't 'hiss' or 'hype' my terriers on, allow them to come on in at their own pace into the earth.

Yep, same with any hunting dog, let them do their thing, they instinctively know more than we could ever learn.