Stalking lurcher

[Bobo 135]

My 15 month old beddy/whippetxbeddy/greyhound bitch has started an annoying habit when lamping rabbits,she has taken to stalking squatters,when slipped she'll run in then stop halfway there and start to creep forward she also half heartedly runs rabbits aswell not putting her all in pulling up short long before the rabbit reaches cover.She has had about 130 rabbits now and used to take sitters.Any ideas why she's doing this and how to stop her carrying on this way?

[dobby 1]

My 15 month old beddy/whippetxbeddy/greyhound bitch has started an annoying habit when lamping rabbits,she has taken to stalking squatters,when slipped she'll run in then stop halfway there and start to creep forward she also half heartedly runs rabbits aswell not putting her all in pulling up short long before the rabbit reaches cover.She has had about 130 rabbits now and used to take sitters.Any ideas why she's doing this and how to stop her carrying on this way?

youve been taking her out to much she needs a week or two off to get her keen i know its hard on you only other thing you could try is take another dog and keep her on the lead until shes bouncing all over after a couple times watching the other she should fly if not keep her off hope this helps if not tell me

all the best

 

dobby

[DiStuRBeD 0]

did she hurt herself chasing a rabbit previously, eg hitting fence/bush etc

[Guest oldskool]

i was going to come on here and start the same thread mate,,, you beat me to it ..

 

my bitch has started the same thing... stalking and sometimes she will stand and stare for ages... her worst habit though is pulling up at the hedge... i blame some of the fields i lamp, some of the hedges are very thin and the rabbits go straight in through the wire with out having to slow down at all and after a few misses she begins to lose confidence... when i started out tonight i went to a field where the hedges were thin and after a few runs she began to pull up!! i took her to a different field where the rabbits had to look harder for theyre exit and it made the world of difference to the dogs keeness... when i went back to the same field i started in, she ran them with alot more gusto, regardless of the thin hedgerow... all in all those sort of fields should be avoided... i would leave them for another night with the air rifle or rimmy ...

 

as for the stalking, i think its just an annoying habit, i am completely stumped as to what its cure would be.... the other dog i have entered was entered in the same fashion and she has never stalked a rabbit ever!!!

[Guest Frank]

From past experince, lurchers that are bedlington/collie cross ect, seem to think too much when chasing rabbit or hare.

 

But, as the method you discribed oldskool seems to work, then prehaps thats the way to go farward.

 

When a young dog has started, i use to find, building his confidance, was very important, once he or she has taken the first bunny, go home, no matter how many bunnys about.

 

Frank.

[Paid 935]

Have you tried geeing the dog up more, even running towards the sqatter yourself, when the dog starts stalking. Try to get some urgancy back into the chase.

[juckler123 707]

Like paid says if the dog thinks your gonna get the sitter first its more likely of trying if you can go the other side of bunny so that your directly opposite then go in to pick it up encouraging the dog as you do ive had quiet a few collie bred dogs that went through this stage and they all ended up striking sitters at distance all the best

Juckler

[leec 132]

a way to solve the stalking buiseness is to walk her up till it moves. as for the hedge stuff working with the terreirs helps and linger the light a little might encourage her to follow on abit more good luck mate