Deerhound pup

[jacob 28]

doxhope i know you know youre stuff on this breed but im always keen to learn,what method do you use to get youre pups a kill before 12 months without cringing while youre doing it,taking into consideration all the things that could go wrong at such an early age,and this is by no means a pop at you,but it just goes against everything i was ever taught.but i will tap knowledge where i can.

 

 

Hi jacob, I have sent you a PM matie

thankyou doxhope ,you are without doubt thee authority on this breed have a happy new year mate.

[DeanD 3]

I've got a stag (deerhound) cross, she's just over 7 months now. I only let her run in the yard which is good enough size for her to get up a little speed but a couple of times she's yelped while playing with the others. Nothing hurt her, it was I believe as many are saying in this thread... that their bones and joints are still soft. I won't let her out on any long runs. I had her on the fairgrounds a couple of times and let her run one time, luckily nothing happened but she's getting keen on small animals now so she'll be on a long leash.

 

Good thread this, glad to read it.

[Guest furryferter]

My 3/4 deerhound grey is out of Doxhope stuff she killed her first roe buck at 9 months (preban) and was killing every thing reguarly by 12 months

[Guest Nightwalker]

My 3/4 deerhound grey is out of Doxhope stuff she killed her first roe buck at 9 months (preban) and was killing every thing reguarly by 12 months

 

 

Interesting isn't it, the majority opinion from those of us who actually own these dogs and run them regularly and in some cases have done for several decades is that we all have them taking large game by twelve months old. This experience is in contrast to those who dont have deerhound blooded dogs or who dont have much experience with them who caution wait, wait, wait. As a final word here, anyone reading Kenneth Cassels book will see an account of him running his pure-bred deerhound bitch Kirsty on roe at 10 months old.

Edited January 2, 2007 by Nightwalker

[lampinglurcher 36]

nice to see some very educated posts well done lads i think light mooching with pups is ok but much more can do more harm than good. of the larger breeds deerhounds are often quicker to mature than, for example, a mastiff(bad example i know) but untill 10 months ish are too mentally immature to do the job without getting hurt. my dad (an ex-royal marine) was telling me how any physically fit man can carry a gun and laden bergen over 30miles or so in the pitch black on dartmoor, or how most fit men can run 9 miles in 90 minutes(laden with over 100lbs). but this sort of men, he has seen come under sustained enemy fire, or see a man die and completely lose it, crying and shaking all over, not being able to move and being a complete liability to the rest of the squadron. but after marine selection, no man is like this because he has been trained to be mentally fit and carry on no matter what. see the point? any dog can run, but being bitten open or injured takes much more than most pups can handle. end of ramble!

[allrounder 47]

the only thing your doin to your dog is disheartening it by agging it on after rabbits it cant catch

[Guest Nightwalker]

the only thing your doin to your dog is disheartening it by agging it on after rabbits it cant catch

 

All my dogs have been reared the way I have described and not a single one of them could be described as disheartened at any stage - get out and watch some fox cubs in the spring - they chase scores of rabbits before making a kill and its just the same with lurcher pups given a bit of freedom in the countryside. They will chase and chase and learn and learn as they are doing so, becoming harder, fitter and more skilled as they grow. I think it's much more difficult to rear a longdog well if you dont have daily access to the countryside and to game and have to rely on limited trips out from a town or city and can't do it the way that Whin and Furryferter and I have described. Dogs all develop at their own rate, but contarry to some myths pedalled on here, deerhounds and their hybrids are not slow to enter at all.

Edited January 2, 2007 by Nightwalker

[mccloud 0]

This has all been very interesting to me. Having only had gundogs before, my 9 month Deerhound is my first running dog so I haven't done hunting with him at all. The breeder I got him from said not to walk/run him hard until he was 12months. He is out all day in a field with our other dogs, he chases and grabs my wife's 2 collies and pins then down in puppy play. They all regularly run up and down another field about 60 or 70 yds long and he catches and over takes all the other dogs quite easily now.

 

I have been wanting to take him out, but have been hanging back for fear of doing him damage. I know most dogs of whatever breed, don't stop growing the bones until atleast 9months. Also am not sure the best way to go about it. Should take him out during the day to chase the odd stray bunny before a take him out lamping. And how do they learn to take foxes ? Isn't it like attacking another dog to them ? My wife is always giving me grief about him pinning her pup to the floor ! Don't want him trying to finish him off!

 

Can someone give me some advice on where to start with him.

 

http://www.sliver.photosite.com

Steve

[Guest Nightwalker]

This has all been very interesting to me. Having only had gundogs before, my 9 month Deerhound is my first running dog so I haven't done hunting with him at all. The breeder I got him from said not to walk/run him hard until he was 12months. He is out all day in a field with our other dogs, he chases and grabs my wife's 2 collies and pins then down in puppy play. They all regularly run up and down another field about 60 or 70 yds long and he catches and over takes all the other dogs quite easily now.

 

I have been wanting to take him out, but have been hanging back for fear of doing him damage. I know most dogs of whatever breed, don't stop growing the bones until atleast 9 months. Also am not sure the best way to go about it. Should take him out during the day to chase the odd stray bunny before a take him out lamping. And how do they learn to take foxes ? Isn't it like attacking another dog to them ? My wife is always giving me grief about him pinning her pup to the floor ! Don't want him trying to finish him off!

 

Can someone give me some advice on where to start with him.

 

http://www.sliver.photosite.com

Steve

 

If your dog is out in a field all day, believe me he will be running hard and will be giving himself plenty of exercise! You wont harm him by taking him out and about for a few miles walk and letting him have a run about. He needs to meet other dogs and people right now. My dogs start coming out as soon as they have had their jabs and by five months old are doing at least 2- 3 miles walking each day with a fair bit of tearing about thrown in, learning about the countryside and what they are and are not allowed to chase. Once he gets in to a regular pattern of going out and doing a bit of hunting, however amateurish at first, he may be a bit easier to manage with your other dogs, but he will naturally dominate the collies - his size, power and sheer physical strength will soon make him top dog. Deerhounds are very powerful dogs and potentially capable of killing other dogs very, very quickly, fortunately they are generally very good with other dogs and its good that he is used to playing with the collies, but meeting different dogs will help him socialse into becoming a dog you can trust with other dogs rather than a fighter who will bring you endless grief.

 

There has already been a lot of advice given in this thread. Get him out and about in the day, let him chase the odd rabbit or two, but leave it until the autumn before you do any serious lamping with him. Pre-ban I would have told you that in my experience all deerhounds hate foxes. Believe me, you wont need to teach him what to do, he knows what he has teeth for and is practicing and perfecting his catching skills on your wife's collies. He's young for foxes now, so leave it until the autumn when there will be cubs about to get him started. The dog may have other ideas about waiting though, once he is out and about he will use his nose and eyes to find game and may quickly start to find his own sport and begin to show you what a big powerful dog can do.

 

Dogs aren't stupid, they know the difference between your family and strangers, and between dogs and foxes, they quickly learn other distinctions you will teach, like that they can chase deer but never sheep, they can chase pheasants but not chickens etc. I have a very powerful bitch now, that in pre-ban days used to kill foxes effortlessly but which will play with anything from the tiniest yorkie upwards.