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Maximus Ferret

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Posts posted by Maximus Ferret

  1. I do "seek backs" with mine. When he goes abit ahead I throw the dummy or an old wallet to one side then walk on a couple of hundred metres before sending him back to look for it. I do this in forestry on the side of a small mountain so he's well used to sloping ground and dangerous brash etc. I'm at it for one and a half to two hours every morning and he's now pretty good at it. I vary the distances so ti's not predictable but he's caught on to it and if I'm not careful he gets ti before i've sent him.

    If you try this you need to start with short distances and start by leashing him and throwing the dummy where he can see it and walk him only a short distance 'til he knows the command means there's something back there, then you can start dropping when he's not looking and start increasing/varying the distance but go slow so he doesn't fail too often.

    Mines at the stage where I can throw the dummy downwind of the track as if he doesn't get it he runs back downwind of the track.

    We've been doing this all summer and he's fit as a lop.

    Just to add, the place I do this doesn't often have deer - I've only seen one there twice. Could be important if you have work after. Also I use treats as a reward but only after he sticks it in my hand. 

    Keeps us both occupied during the off season.

    • Like 1
  2. Ask the vet to take off the toenail at the base. It'll grow back during the 3 months rest and help to keep pressure off the toe during that time. Keep the dog strictly on the lead for the toilet and if it jumps about a lot in the house you might need to crate it for a month or so then on the lead after that.                                                When you start bringing it back to fitness start with lead walking and take it slow and gradual. I've had two whippets in my life and both were inclined to damage toes when working.

    • Like 1
  3. On 03/05/2024 at 12:55, low plains drifter said:

    One of the old boys at work mentioned him the other day, said he was a fecker for stopping them and hitting their pockets hoping to break any birds eggs, cliquey place produces one or two curmudgeons

    Took my catty when I was a kid. Said I could get it back from PC Scott at Newsham. I thought he said Peachey Scott so I said "who's he then?". He didn't half shout at me.😂

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1
  4. 19 minutes ago, comanche said:

    Before getting into quick fixes or witchcraft  the obvious things to try are  practicing recall and retrieving  with fur .

    Don't  settle for scrappy retrieves  where the dog drops the item at your feet or does the circling or hanging-back "play with me" thing    A dog that gets away with junky retrieves in the sitting room or garden  is likely to be even worse in a field. 

    Once you have the dog retrieving inedible objects move onto a fur dummy . Then try  a dead squirrel as a dummy. They  are the perfect size and balance . 

    Then the big day when you bring out the dead bunny dummy. 

    Teach the the dog to hold a dummy or game  while walking at heel.  

    The carry combined with recall are the basic elements of a retrieve.

    Of course a previous owner might've  fed your dog by lazily chucking it rabbit corpses. 

    If as you say the dog is responsive to you  there is a good chance you can  re educate it  with  time and patience .  And you'll  feel rightly proud for taking someone's  cast off and putting a polish on it.

    Good luck.

    out of interest, how do you propose that he should stop the dog getting away with scrappy retrieves? I know the type of thing you mean but in 50 years of lurchers one thing I've learned for sure is how easy it is to stop a dog retrieving altogether. I do like the sound of cassos' reply though. I don't know if it'd work but I'd certainly try it.

    • Like 1
  5. 10 hours ago, leegreen said:

    I don't know what Mali you used, but the half crosses I bred are pretty hyper. If they are not worked regularly then they are a nuisance. I get nipped/bitten by my bitch constantly when i let her out of the kennel, as she gets so excited. She isn't aggressive, nor should most well bred, well reared Mali's, they are just really excitable. Maybe a lesser percentage would be better suited to most.

    At 9 years old she is calming down a bit, but you couldn't/shouldn't gee her up when you let her out, because you would get bitten. Not properly, but enough to leave you with a love bite and that is even through your clothes. She is not a bitch you could get heavy handed with, you would get properly bitten. You'd soon learn mutual respect.

    As a youngster she was a nightmare for fecking off hunting, especially when she knew we were on the way home. Quite a few times during her younger years I thought it was time for her to meet her maker. Now I'm so glad she didn't. She has turned out to be a great bitch that would protect the family and catch anything you needed her to catch.

    Saying all the above, I wouldn't have it any other way. Great bitch, totally obedient unless in action. Never dog aggressive, unless pushed hard.

    When I had the pups, I put one up on here and I was reluctant to let it go to anybody because of the above. They have all been full on hunting dogs and that hasn't always been good for everyone 😬

     

    I have one that's only 1/4 mali with the rest bull/grey and the above sounds familiar☺️. As soon as I open the tailgate it seems like he can tell if game is about. His nose is unreal for a lurcher.

    Does yours butt you with his front teeth to say "Lets go boss?". They are certainly characters but I'd say they wouldn't suit most lurcher folk. They need a good bit of early obedience and stockbreaking.

    Mine's always got a stiff back the day after running ATM. I can think of at least 3 reasons why that might be but seems I'm stuck with it. If it weren't for the soundness issues he'd be my favourite lurcher ever. He's easily the most intelligent I've had in 50 years and most of those have been collie bred. As you say, very exciteable though. If you're bothered about being nipped you don't want one of these.

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    • Like 7
  6. 26 minutes ago, Gilbey said:

    He put a non ped whip over his first X Speckle, got a good catch dog but the cross undid what he was trying to achieve, apologies if I've worded that wrong O P

    I'm guessing feet? My own top flight non ped (80's to early 90's) was game and ultra fast but unfortunately, could injure herself walking through an open gate.

    • Like 2
  7. 49 minutes ago, fireman said:

    He put a ACD dog over a greyhound bitch, Dillys and the dam to NL's bitch  are a grey dog over a acd bitch..:thumbs:..

    Then was it Country Music over Speckle? Was wondering how that turned out.

    • Like 2
  8. 3 hours ago, bird said:

    Was thinking that me self, say nice grew to a acd bitch, a  not quite a 1x as such with  2 sighthounds as such in the mix but poss better, as whippet gives speed/agility, and plenty of guts for most quarry, the none ped racing whippets down the track hit 22-23in 34lb, would pile into foxes no prob if you let them, so drop greyhound as well good as well. The acd side clever tough dogs great stamina, good coat, I really think make good mooching dog, and good lamp dog, feck me if big old Buck could catch  38 in a night and couple Charlie's if need be, they do it no prob. If was younger /fitter it be a type x I deff find room for in my kennel ?

    Didn't Old Phil breed a litter that way back in the 80's or am I wrong again???

    • Like 1
  9. 11 hours ago, thefensarefarbutistillgo said:

    I thought exactly the same as you, at first I thought it was a joke but when you think about it taking rabbits in the daytime without  bolting them with ferrets takes some doing mainly because there is little chance for good course on a rabbit  in the day 

    I agree with you and Charts on this. Unless you have the right land to work it's nearly impossible to get a daytime rabbit dog going well. The right land (IMHO) is land with loads of rabbits and loads of light cover,rushes etc. If the dog doesn't get some success most start running half heartedly sooner or later. Running it with a daytime bushing pack can work but in some cases makes the dog a bit hard mouthed.

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