Running dog expert Penny Taylor (Skycat)

[Guest bezza]

To be respected in a traditionally man's field a woman has not only to be as good as the next man, but better.

In the world of running dogs, Penny Taylor is just such a woman. I've learned a lot from her posts and from personal advice she has given me. I've owned running dogs for forty years but you are never too old to learn. Thanks a lot Penny, you are a top man!

Edited September 2, 2011 by bezza

[alan626 305]

well thats lovely way of saying thanks but she doesent like being called a man

[Country Joe 1,411]

I am exactly in the same boar, had my first Lurcher 43 years ago, and have contacted Penny a few times, regarding feeding, Retrieving ect, all her pms to me have been spot on, given excellent advice, and always quickly,

I use her book a lot, diving in and out, a book that does not gather dust on your book-shelve, certainly appears to know her stuff, regarding injuries, and feeding. and as the first post states, you are never too old to learn.

[pot hunter 24]

agreed i also recomend her book - Running Dog Maintenance - covers injuries and ailments if you could only have 1 lurcher book make it this one.

[windyhill 30]

I NEVER KNEW SKYCAT WAS PT,

WELL OVER THE YRS IVE ENJOYED HER WRITE UPS MORE THEN ANYONE AND FOUND THEM TO BE THE MOST KNOWLEDGABLE IN THE MAGAZINE BY FAR

[Guest hunterside]

the skycat is out the bag lol, her book is brilliant a must have .

Edited September 2, 2011 by hunterside

[skycat 6,172]

:icon_redface: Stop it you guys! I'm very touched by your nice comments, but seriously, there's plenty of other people like me out there: they just don't write books or go on forums. I just seem to have made it my mission to try and help other people with lurchers. I never had anyone to help me when I started out, and I know how hard it is to try and get information sometimes. Plus there's no substitute for experience and an open mind: it just takes a lot of years to gain both! I'm learning new stuff every day: no one ever knows it all or they'd be God, and I just happen to be very interested in not only the medical and behavioural side of things with dogs, but how to get the best from them in the field: it all goes together IMO: fit, healthy dog in tune with its handler lasts longer in the field, is more rewarding to work with, and is more fun to have around when not working.

 

I know a lot of people similar to me, but they don't put their hands up and shout about it. The down side is that there will always be someone who wants to drag you down, try and diss you or undermine you if you do! And I guess that's why more people don't share their knowledge: it is a double edged sword.

[Guest hunterside]

:laugh:

[scent 509]

in fairness penny respect where respect is due ,you have given me endless amounts of help when it came to my lurchers

[dytkos 17,536]

I have recently finished reading my copy of RDM completely as opposed to searching for relevant subjects in it previously.

Firstly, it scared the shit out of me about some things I never knew could go wrong with my dogs LOL

 

Secondly, IMO it is THE #1 book any lurcher (or in fact any dog) owner should have as regards the care and health of their animals.

 

Cheers, D.

[Blue one 89]

Totally agree with all that has been said above.

Very help full and accurate answers.

Thanks very much Penny, keep up the good work.

[WILF 44,379]

I admire the way Skycat always takes time to write well thought out and sometimes very long replies when asked questions or contributing to a thread.........thats all time and material for an author given completely free of charge so fair play to her for that.

 

I also like the way she can discuss different ideas in an adult and informative way, her thinking on some subjects differ from mine but she is always happy to explain her though process which can only be an education for all concerned.

 

Anyway, I dont want folk thinking I am getting less hardcore in my old age, so now she can get back in the kitchen where all women should be

[Carlowhunter 27]

Always top articles in CMW and her book is a must have for all working dog owners !

[Kay 3,709]

skycats posts regarding feeding an all raw diet have been very helpful to me & my dogs benefit from the diet greatly

[skycat 6,172]

Wilf: I hate being in the kitchen: :laugh: when I could be on here spouting off about something Though to be fair, being in the kitchen is a lot more satisfying when your'e cooking what the dogs have caught and what the OH has grown in the veg garden. 21century Good Life: that's us: if only we could keep a pig or two at the bottom of the garden as well!

 

The other reason I like coming on here is that there is always something to learn: like you said, different people do things different ways, and sometimes you can have your eyes opened to things by someone else, something you've never tried before, like in medical treatment, training or whatever. This place is a gold mine for anyone who wants to learn about working dogs of all sorts. You just have to keep an open mind.

 

And I must admit, some of what is going into the next book on training lurchers has come from ways, training processes, dog behaviour etc etc that I have found on the internet: take Casso for example. Now there's a guy who really understands dogs and what motivates them: he's opened my eyes to a lot of things which I always knew instinctively, but had never consciously been able to explain in words like he does. It's easy to stay still and not learn new ways if the old ways have always worked, maybe only sort of worked, but worked enough for you to carry on in that same way.

 

But when you come to a real problem dog, one which challenges you in every way, understanding exactly how it ticks makes all the difference when getting the best from it in training. Most of the books tell you to 'encourage the puppy to come to you', but what the hell do you do if the pup just tells you to sod off as its got more interesting things to do!!!!!!!!?

 

I've been training like that for years, without knowing exactly how or why: putting it into words is the hard part, and I'm a bloody slow learner sometimes

 

Casso has encouraged me to look beyond the every day dog training things we know, and go into the world of the sport dogs: schuzhund, mondeo ring, agility, fly ball etc. We could all learn a lot from how these dogs are trained. IMO there is nothing really up to the mark and moment for hunting dogs and the owners who want to train them: apart from Dave Sleight's DVDs. And he told me himself that Purdey was the easiest dog in the world to train, she just wanted to do everything he wanted her to do from the start.

 

With so many different breeds now being used in lurcher breeding, and so many people starting out in lurchers who haven't had the benefit of an upbringing with working dogs, or no mentor to help them, I think its time we really looked at more modern ways of getting the best from our dogs. Plummer used to say, "force the puppy's rear end to the floor": this for training to sit! Outmoded, negative training: times have changed a lot, and whilst most people are trying to move with the times, it can be hard when you don't understand quite how to get into the dog's head and what to do if the pup doesn't respond to 'conventional' training methods. That's what I'm working on at the moment, and please forgive what amounts to a bit of self publicity: I'm supposed to be working on the book right now, but its bloody hard work and I come on here every so often for some 'time out' :laugh: