Starting your lurcher correctly

[labsnlurchers 39]

After a number of posts about puppies working in the field i feel compelled to write this in the hope that a few may read it . All the following statements are just my opinion based on 26 years of living with, breeding, working and showing different breeds of dog. It is only a general overview with very basic advice but i hjope it helps those less experienced.

 

0-8 weeks

The puppy should ideally be with its dam and will get the start of the necessary social skills expected by most dog owners. Choose the breeder you buy from carefully and ask to see both parents and see the puppies in their normal environment.

 

8 weeks - 12 months

The time spent with the puppy should be concentrating on providing the puppy with the necessary obedience and skill that it will require in the field and building a relationship where the puppy will trust you and listen to you.

Recall is an important one and if you will be lamping the puppy when it is mature then you will probably require it to return when the lamp is turned off, practice these things in your garden or in the park or even on the house once or twice a week for 5 minutes is plenty otherwise the puppy will get bored.

Heel work as in walking on a slip or off a slip at your side no matter what the distraction. Practise this with the pup while your walking it, if it pulls for a cat or a fuss off someone then give it a sharp tug and say heel till it gets it (a pocket full of treats helps!)

Stay this one is important in most aspects of working a dog. gradually increase the distance you go away. To start walk away and then walk back, do not call the dog to you because it will anticipate this and edge forward to you, you should practise the recall seperately from stay imo.

Retrieving Play with the puppy and encourage retrieving. give the puppy its toys to chew and keep a seperate on for retrieving practise, discourage chewing of this toy.(i'd use a gundog dummy wrapped in a rabbit skin). Dont over do it, 2/3 retrievals then leave it for another day.

Just a bit of extra advice here if you struggle with the retrieve; Find an alleyway type piece of land where the dog cant run round you and can just run too and from you. Start with close retrieves, dog on a longline and encourage the retrieve by gentle pressure on the line. Remember dont over do it though.

 

Reward with ONE small treat and a pat on the head, dont go overboard on the praise.

 

I take my pups out with one of the adult lurchers working from about 8/9 months old but this is different for every dog. We go ferreting and lamping etc but the pup is not allowed a slip, i allow them to dive on the netted rabbits occasionally but opther than that the pup watches and thats it at that age.

The first run comes at about 11-12 months old usually when ferreting a small easy warren. the pup will soon get the hang of predicting which hole the rabbit will bolt from this is when stay comes in handy so the pup doesnt have its nose down the hole putting the rabbit off bolting.

 

12-18months

The first slip on the lamp comes when the pup is about 12-13 months old.

Make them easy, give the pup the advantage over the quarry so that it gets its confidence up.

2/3 slips maximum 1 outing a week, if the pup catches on the first slip go home and end on a good note. if it doesnt catch at all dont be tempted to go for one or two more slips, that will just provide more knocks for its confidence.

Increase the slips given to the puppy by 1 or 2 every month by 18 months you will be slipping 10-15 slips in a night and may very well be going out more than once a week or going ferreting in the day too.

Increase the difficulty of the slips gradually and by 18 months the puppy should be well on their way to learning to predict the rabbits behaviour

By about 16/18 months old your lurcher should have reached maturity and the workload they can withstand is far greater than when they were 12months old.

 

In my opinion the dog should be at its best by about 2 years old

 

 

 

These are some quotes ive found on the internet from professional

 

"If you are starting a lurcher from a pup, and you concentrate on building its working confidence by taking it out and about, letting it follow scent, waiting when it is puzzling something out, being patient while it investigates buries and so on, you will be laying good sound foundations."

 

"Waiting until a dog is physically and mentally ready for each job is one of those common-sense things that isn’t so common"

 

"the dog might pull on the lead and seem all eagerness when it sees quarry run but being able to catch is a matter of maturity"

 

"When you start to show the dog its job, do everything in your power to give it success, and be free with your praise when the dog catches. End each session early so that the dog does not become tired, lose concentration"

 

 

I do not want to start an argument, and i understand that there are differences between every lurcher, even those of the same breed and even those from the same litter but in general, 12-13 month of age is a good age to start physically working in moderation, before this age there is much that can be done to adequately prepare your lurcher for its life of work.

 

I have edited this to say....Although i dont take my young dogs out working until 8/9 months they are exercised on the fields around my farm and are 'free range' through the day, often tearing round the fields like tazmanian devils reeking havok. Its important for a puppy to have experience of the terrain you expect them to work x

[diggerman 0]

Well I must admit I have sat here gob smacked at some of the topics on here with pups being put on rabbits at 6-7 months and people saying well done. I think pups should be allowed to mature physically and mentally before being started on quarry. People are far too keen to get their pups going before there even trained to do basic commands, then they complain when there dogs wont retrieve or do as they are told. Next thing the dogs put in the classifieds and being sold as an outstanding dog, when in reality its a bag of shite!

[labsnlurchers 39]

Well I must admit I have sat here gob smacked at some of the topics on here with pups being put on rabbits at 6-7 months and people saying well done. I think pups should be allowed to mature physically and mentally before being started on quarry. People are far too keen to get their pups going before there even trained to do basic commands, then they complain when there dogs wont retrieve or do as they are told. Next thing the dogs put in the classifieds and being sold as an outstanding dog, when in reality its a bag of shite!

 

The dog that turns out to be a bag of shite would actually, 9/10 times, be worth keeping if it was just given chance to be a puppy and given time to mature properly.

[wild rover 548]

After a number of posts about puppies working in the field i feel compelled to write this in the hope that a few may read it . All the following statements are just my opinion based on 26 years of living with, breeding, working and showing different breeds of dog. It is only a general overview with very basic advice but i hjope it helps those less experienced.

 

0-8 weeks

The puppy should ideally be with its dam and will get the start of the necessary social skills expected by most dog owners. Choose the breeder you buy from carefully and ask to see both parents and see the puppies in their normal environment.

 

8 weeks - 12 months

The time spent with the puppy should be concentrating on providing the puppy with the necessary obedience and skill that it will require in the field and building a relationship where the puppy will trust you and listen to you.

Recall is an important one and if you will be lamping the puppy when it is mature then you will probably require it to return when the lamp is turned off, practice these things in your garden or in the park or even on the house once or twice a week for 5 minutes is plenty otherwise the puppy will get bored.

Heel work as in walking on a slip or off a slip at your side no matter what the distraction. Practise this with the pup while your walking it, if it pulls for a cat or a fuss off someone then give it a sharp tug and say heel till it gets it (a pocket full of treats helps!)

Stay this one is important in most aspects of working a dog. gradually increase the distance you go away. To start walk away and then walk back, do not call the dog to you because it will anticipate this and edge forward to you, you should practise the recall seperately from stay imo.

Retrieving Play with the puppy and encourage retrieving. give the puppy its toys to chew and keep a seperate on for retrieving practise, discourage chewing of this toy.(i'd use a gundog dummy wrapped in a rabbit skin). Dont over do it, 2/3 retrievals then leave it for another day.

 

Reward with ONE small treat and a pat on the head, dont go overboard on the praise.

 

I take my pups out with one of the adult lurchers working from about 8/9 months old but this is different for every dog. We go ferreting and lamping etc but the pup is not allowed a slip, i allow them to dive on the netted rabbits occasionally but opther than that the pup watches and thats it at that age.

The first run comes at about 11-12 months old usually when ferreting a small easy warren. the pup will soon get the hang of predicting which hole the rabbit will bolt from this is when stay comes in handy so the pup doesnt have its nose down the hole putting the rabbit off bolting.

 

12-18months

The first slip on the lamp comes when the pup is about 12-13 months old.

Make them easy, give the pup the advantage over the quarry so that it gets its confidence up.

2/3 slips maximum 1 outing a week, if the pup catches on the first slip go home and end on a good note. if it doesnt catch at all dont be tempted to go for one or two more slips, that will just provide more knocks for its confidence.

Increase the slips given to the puppy by 1 or 2 every month by 18 months you will be slipping 10-15 slips in a night and may very well be going out more than once a week or going ferreting in the day too.

Increase the difficulty of the slips gradually and by 18 months the puppy should be well on their way to learning to predict the rabbits behaviour

By about 16/18 months old your lurcher should have reached maturity and the workload they can withstand is far greater than when they were 12months old.

 

In my opinion the dog should be at its best by about 2 years old

 

 

 

These are some quotes ive found on the internet from professional

 

"If you are starting a lurcher from a pup, and you concentrate on building its working confidence by taking it out and about, letting it follow scent, waiting when it is puzzling something out, being patient while it investigates buries and so on, you will be laying good sound foundations."

 

"Waiting until a dog is physically and mentally ready for each job is one of those common-sense things that isn’t so common"

 

"the dog might pull on the lead and seem all eagerness when it sees quarry run but being able to catch is a matter of maturity"

 

"When you start to show the dog its job, do everything in your power to give it success, and be free with your praise when the dog catches. End each session early so that the dog does not become tired, lose concentration"

 

 

I do not want to start an argument, and i understand that there are differences between every lurcher, even those of the same breed and even those from the same litter but in general, 12-13 month of age is a good age to start physically working in moderation, before this age there is much that can be done to adequately prepare your lurcher for its life of work.

sound advice mate

[diggerman 0]

The dog that turns out to be a bag of shite would actually, 9/10 times, be worth keeping if it was just given chance to be a puppy and given time to mature properly.

I agree with you. In most cases its the owners fault that the dog doesnt make the grade.

[scouse moocher 0]

Very good advice mate and anyone with a young lurcher or has just picked up their first dog would do well to take note.

No doubt theres dogs out there who were entered at an early age and are still working effectively, but the bad'uns far outweigh the good'uns in my experience.

Im a youngun' myself and i know how it feels to be itching to get out and work a pup - perseverance pays off and your dog at 2-3 years old will be a true reflection of the work and time you have put into him. Do right by your dog and he'll do right by you.

 

 

Ant

[labsnlurchers 39]

Very good advice mate and anyone with a young lurcher or has just picked up their first dog would do well to take note.

No doubt theres dogs out there who were entered at an early age and are still working effectively, but the bad'uns far outweigh the good'uns in my experience.

Im a youngun' myself and i know how it feels to be itching to get out and work a pup - perseverance pays off and your dog at 2-3 years old will be a true reflection of the work and time you have put into him. Do right by your dog and he'll do right by you.

 

 

Ant

A bit off topic but....

is that far from the madding crowd in your signature? i got ill do the talking son, great fan of mick cawston

[Malt 379]

Great advise there LnL

 

The most I'll with my Beddy X pup this season, is taking him out on a lead ferreting, and then not until towards the end of the season.

Edited November 16, 2008 by maltenby

[scouse moocher 0]

labsnlurchers It is mate ...

I knew very little of Micks work .. was doing an essay on Far from the madding crowd the novel and it brought up that pic on a Google search ...

Ill be investing in some of his prints when i get my own gaff .. theres only so much wall space in me mam's box room haha

Edited November 16, 2008 by scouse moocher

[labsnlurchers 39]

It is mate ...

I knew very little of Micks work .. was doing an essay on Far from the madding crow the novel and it brought up that pic on a Google search ...

Ill be investing in some of his prints when i get my own gaff .. theres only so much wall space in me mar's box room haha

 

mick cawston and nigel hemming on my walls

[Sighthound 49]

Obviously the owner of these dogs did not follow this advice.

see posts 31 -32 and 33.

 

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/index...30&start=30

 

IMHO a dog learns nothing in the kennel and mine are out as soon as they are jagged, it's seemed to have worked for me over the years or perhaps I've just been lucky

[Guest WILF]

Excellent thread.........be nice to think that folk will read it and take notice

[labsnlurchers 39]

Obviously the owner of these dogs did not follow this advice.

see posts 31 -32 and 33.

 

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/index...30&start=30

 

IMHO a dog learns nothing in the kennel and mine are out as soon as they are jagged, it's seemed to have worked for me over the years or perhaps I've just been lucky

 

You are right, they dont learn anything in a kennel, i didnt say that. I'm not saying you should pamper your dogs merely give them time to grow and develop to their full potential and allow them to be mentally ready for work aswell as physically. Theres no point teaching them to run before they can walk imo. In all my years i have only ever sold one adult dog and that was through no fault of his own and i happen to have him back now my situation has changed so i suppose you could say i have never sold an adult dog and my dogs are never laid up with muscle or joint problems, they do get laid up from flesh wounds occasionally but thats it. all my friends have lurchers still working at 9 and 10 years old with no problems, imo starting them early shortens their working life significantly and doesnt allow them to reach their full potential in the field.

[scouse moocher 0]

Obviously the owner of these dogs did not follow this advice.

see posts 31 -32 and 33.

 

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/index...30&start=30

 

IMHO a dog learns nothing in the kennel and mine are out as soon as they are jagged, it's seemed to have worked for me over the years or perhaps I've just been lucky

 

The advice given is just that .. Advice. I'm sure there are plenty of people who's dogs have started work and proved themselves at a young age and i'm not knocking them. But a young dog is at a higher risk of being damaged.

 

The above is just a summary of one mans method of bringing on a lurcher pup, of which there are many - tried,tested,productive,good,bad and indifferent.

 

Ant

[thurso jack 3]

cant say i agree wholeheartidly

 

if the owner has an ounce of sense about them then starting to take a young lurcher out to run an easy rabbit or watch the beam imo does no harm at all, mine caught its first at 6 months old, and then one a month or so up until about a year and its done her no harm whatsoever.

 

the problem rises when young dogs are slipped over and over again and not winning, as long as a young dog is winning its the making of them imo!!

 

a lamped rabbit is easier for a young dog than a ferreted one imo.