bushing dogs

[ferreterni 29]

I have a terrier springer cross that does a bit of bushing, mooching etc she has caught a few young rabbits from the long grass. This dog is smart enough, will retreve well any dummies set out for her, sit stay heel. I am just looking for advice or opinions here, this dog when on her own with me will spend most of her time at heel,I have to keep sending her on. She is selective at best when she enters cover, if she thinks there's nothing there then she won't bother. But will tear on if there's any scent.

 

Now, if there is another dog in the field, she will hunt everywhere, it seems she works better as a pair or more of dogs. Would this be due to 1, competing 2, pack instinct 3, that I got two pups at the same time and normally they did all together,or anything else?

 

Also, I have watched a few times when something has risen in front of her and dog hasn't seen it, that she will get onto the scent trail and spend ages just going over one patch, or trailing to where the rabbit had been, not where it went to. Is this normal? As I can lay a trail with a rabbit skin dummy and she will follow it directly.

 

Probably stupid questions, just things I have noticed over time, bitch is 4 in summer, and probably hasn't helped that there isn't a lot of quarry in my area. Am thinking she may be more suited to a shooting/retrieving role. Though she is stepping into ferreting dog post this year, marks well, and is steady.

[ferreterni 29]

Not on this laptop, but if you look on pg18 of the lurcher section, springer for lurcher theres a few snaps on there.

[ferreterni 29]

Has anyone else had any similar type of experiences like this? Dogs not working fully unless with another dog or pack?

[poacher3161 1,766]

The fault lies with bringing 2 on at the same time but in time she will adjust to working on her own the same happend to me [bANNED TEXT] i brought 2 springers on from the same litter and [bANNED TEXT] i lost the most dominant one through poisining the other one seemed to change dramaticaly but after i must say [bANNED TEXT] she had a litter of pups she was her old self again.Good luck atvb dell

[ferreterni 29]

Just in again, had the wifes collie out with her, spot on, pair worked great. Which I was surprised as the collie not done much, but chased a few bunnies. Impressed enough that she earned a spot on team haha. Only reason the terrier cross been on her own is my wee russell started to go to ground and I was advised to keep her off rabbits, so she's only been getting excersise on the school field and where there is no game. Until I know what she wants to work anyway.

 

Happy enough to work the dogs in pairs, as there will be a lurcher added soon to lift whatevers flushed.

[ferreterni 29]

Think the problem may have been th eheat, ditch has a very thick coat and weather has been warm. She was clipped weeks ago and now the weather is getting colder and windier she has woken up. On her own now scenting, flushing and hunting brilliantly. Almost a different dog, and flushed her first fox couple of weeks back. Very pleased with change in her and will remember to take the weather into consideration, was just to warm even at the very end of the daylight.