Starting a pup

[stevie g 2005 125]

From what I've been advised on by the older lads that have been there and done it, it's best to hold them back till they're physically and mentally strong enough which I think is about 15 months onwards. I've got a ten month old pup here, he's a big strong lump and I've had him out with us digging for about the last 6 weeks, he's seen foxes in nets, he's seen them run off and he's seen basically everything that happens on a dig so when it comes to his turn he'll stand in good stead with nothing being new to him when he's out. The last couple of times out he's marked earths and I couldn't pull him away he was that keen, but he probably won't be going to ground till the start of next season, when touch wood he'll do the job himself...

 

Great answer.

The hardest thing to learn is reading the dog in front of you, is it ready or not.

Some people never learn this. They get lucky and get a dog that is strong enough mentally to overcome an early bad experience.

In time with enough dogs like this they form the opinion that the dog will just GO if it is Good enough.

They even get lazy and don't start the pup through the stages of bushing, ratting, tied out at digs. etc..

All dogs that start badly they put down to the dog been from a rubbish line.

They never take any of the blame themselves.

IMO if the dog fails you should believe you gave it every chance to succeed. Cull it then and move on.

ATB.

 

i have reared many pups like the way you have described and had them all fail personally all the bushing and ratting and taking them to digs can help the young dog but if the dog just doest have it all the fluffing about wont make a difference i belive its down to breeding and the right lines of dogs that really matters i have a dog here that i got at 8 months old and with the season being over and work the only thing that pup seen was walked on the lead with my daughter. when the season started i took him to a handy one and away he went and hasnt looked back i know they all wont start like this but i think the right bread dogs need little bringing on

[tillearthdouspart 100]

Totally agree Stevie G your bang on their.

[p3d 879]

From what I've been advised on by the older lads that have been there and done it, it's best to hold them back till they're physically and mentally strong enough which I think is about 15 months onwards. I've got a ten month old pup here, he's a big strong lump and I've had him out with us digging for about the last 6 weeks, he's seen foxes in nets, he's seen them run off and he's seen basically everything that happens on a dig so when it comes to his turn he'll stand in good stead with nothing being new to him when he's out. The last couple of times out he's marked earths and I couldn't pull him away he was that keen, but he probably won't be going to ground till the start of next season, when touch wood he'll do the job himself...

 

Great answer.

The hardest thing to learn is reading the dog in front of you, is it ready or not.

Some people never learn this. They get lucky and get a dog that is strong enough mentally to overcome an early bad experience.

In time with enough dogs like this they form the opinion that the dog will just GO if it is Good enough.

They even get lazy and don't start the pup through the stages of bushing, ratting, tied out at digs. etc..

All dogs that start badly they put down to the dog been from a rubbish line.

They never take any of the blame themselves.

IMO if the dog fails you should believe you gave it every chance to succeed. Cull it then and move on.

ATB.

 

i have reared many pups like the way you have described and had them all fail personally all the bushing and ratting and taking them to digs can help the young dog but if the dog just doest have it all the fluffing about wont make a difference i belive its down to breeding and the right lines of dogs that really matters i have a dog here that i got at 8 months old and with the season being over and work the only thing that pup seen was walked on the lead with my daughter. when the season started i took him to a handy one and away he went and hasnt looked back i know they all wont start like this but i think the right bread dogs need little bringing on

 

Every man to his own poison Stevie.

But even though the season was over, would it not have benefited an 8 Month old terrier to catch a few rats in the Summer.

Bushing would have improved his nose and allowed you to stock break him in the countryside.

More importantly it would have allowed you the chance to watch the terrier develop, prey drive and hunting instinct while off the lead.

Once you start entering him experience off the lead can not be recovered.

 

But.. I can not argue with you if the dog justs go to ground first time, best of luck in the future with him.

ATB.

[stevie g 2005 125]

From what I've been advised on by the older lads that have been there and done it, it's best to hold them back till they're physically and mentally strong enough which I think is about 15 months onwards. I've got a ten month old pup here, he's a big strong lump and I've had him out with us digging for about the last 6 weeks, he's seen foxes in nets, he's seen them run off and he's seen basically everything that happens on a dig so when it comes to his turn he'll stand in good stead with nothing being new to him when he's out. The last couple of times out he's marked earths and I couldn't pull him away he was that keen, but he probably won't be going to ground till the start of next season, when touch wood he'll do the job himself...

 

Great answer.

The hardest thing to learn is reading the dog in front of you, is it ready or not.

Some people never learn this. They get lucky and get a dog that is strong enough mentally to overcome an early bad experience.

In time with enough dogs like this they form the opinion that the dog will just GO if it is Good enough.

They even get lazy and don't start the pup through the stages of bushing, ratting, tied out at digs. etc..

All dogs that start badly they put down to the dog been from a rubbish line.

They never take any of the blame themselves.

IMO if the dog fails you should believe you gave it every chance to succeed. Cull it then and move on.

ATB.

 

i have reared many pups like the way you have described and had them all fail personally all the bushing and ratting and taking them to digs can help the young dog but if the dog just doest have it all the fluffing about wont make a difference i belive its down to breeding and the right lines of dogs that really matters i have a dog here that i got at 8 months old and with the season being over and work the only thing that pup seen was walked on the lead with my daughter. when the season started i took him to a handy one and away he went and hasnt looked back i know they all wont start like this but i think the right bread dogs need little bringing on

 

Every man to his own poison Stevie.

But even though the season was over, would it not have benefited an 8 Month old terrier to catch a few rats in the Summer.

Bushing would have improved his nose and allowed you to stock break him in the countryside.

More importantly it would have allowed you the chance to watch the terrier develop good discipline on and off the lead.

 

But.. I can not argue with you if the dog justs go to ground first time, best of luck in the future with him.

ATB.

 

most of the time when i am in the feild p3d i have him on the lead till i check the earth as for rats in the summer i personally dont think rats make a difference to a pup in its progress of becomeing a earth dog the same as bringing pups back the brush for a rag it brings nothing to the table for me as i said i have done all these things with previous pups pups that killed rats at 4 months old and they never made the grade its the breeding of the pup or even more important the fella that is breading the pup has the same type of standards you are looking for in a digging dog that to me is more important atb mate

[Cleanspade 3,322]

From what I've been advised on by the older lads that have been there and done it, it's best to hold them back till they're physically and mentally strong enough which I think is about 15 months onwards. I've got a ten month old pup here, he's a big strong lump and I've had him out with us digging for about the last 6 weeks, he's seen foxes in nets, he's seen them run off and he's seen basically everything that happens on a dig so when it comes to his turn he'll stand in good stead with nothing being new to him when he's out. The last couple of times out he's marked earths and I couldn't pull him away he was that keen, but he probably won't be going to ground till the start of next season, when touch wood he'll do the job himself...

 

Great answer.

The hardest thing to learn is reading the dog in front of you, is it ready or not.

Some people never learn this. They get lucky and get a dog that is strong enough mentally to overcome an early bad experience.

In time with enough dogs like this they form the opinion that the dog will just GO if it is Good enough.

They even get lazy and don't start the pup through the stages of bushing, ratting, tied out at digs. etc..

All dogs that start badly they put down to the dog been from a rubbish line.

They never take any of the blame themselves.

IMO if the dog fails you should believe you gave it every chance to succeed. Cull it then and move on.

ATB.

 

i have reared many pups like the way you have described and had them all fail personally all the bushing and ratting and taking them to digs can help the young dog but if the dog just doest have it all the fluffing about wont make a difference i belive its down to breeding and the right lines of dogs that really matters i have a dog here that i got at 8 months old and with the season being over and work the only thing that pup seen was walked on the lead with my daughter. when the season started i took him to a handy one and away he went and hasnt looked back i know they all wont start like this but i think the right bread dogs need little bringing on

 

Every man to his own poison Stevie.

But even though the season was over, would it not have benefited an 8 Month old terrier to catch a few rats in the Summer.

Bushing would have improved his nose and allowed you to stock break him in the countryside.

More importantly it would have allowed you the chance to watch the terrier develop good discipline on and off the lead.

 

But.. I can not argue with you if the dog justs go to ground first time, best of luck in the future with him.

ATB.

 

most of the time when i am in the feild p3d i have him on the lead till i check the earth as for rats in the summer i personally dont think rats make a difference to a pup in its progress of becomeing a earth dog the same as bringing pups back the brush for a rag it brings nothing to the table for me as i said i have done all these things with previous pups pups that killed rats at 4 months old and they never made the grade its the breeding of the pup or even more important the fella that is breading the pup has the same type of standards you are looking for in a digging dog that to me is more important atb mate

 

i think your spot on in that with the right breeding and sensible entering you are giving the youngster the very best chance at success. as you have the dog out on the leash he is learning as he grows.. do you think hunting rats and being allowed to hunt is detrimental to starting a youngster. or have you just got better stock. now.

[tillearthdouspart 100]

Killing a rat aint going to do a terrier any harm but I personally think it aint going to make him a better earth dog only the breeding will get that out of him.

[Guest busterdog]

It's IMO all in the breeding, "you can't put in what God left out" but you've still got to light the fire in the young terriers belly.

[foxdropper 17,092]

Bang on Busterdog,what a bit of ratting does is sharpen the senses a bit and get that fire glowing too and gives the dog another purpose in life .I try to steer clear of a box bound terrier these days .In the box ,out the box ,down a hole ,in the box ,home .Theres more to a terriers life than being a meer tool but age has taught me that i suppose as i used to be the box man years ago .As for age then yes its important to get that right to cut down on jackers but then again those that are breeding to a high standard cannot be wrong whatever their starting methods.When a line is bred long enough then starting at a particular age and in a particular manner is all in the makeup and a breeder/terriermen will know that .There are odd ones out though as in every thing .Mate of mine had a wheeler bitch that slipped her collar at a dig when she was only 7 months and we had to dig her on another at 5 foot with only the odd bay to go by ,worrying at the time.That bitch went on to be the root stock of his kennel today .On the other hand ive had a very well bred bitch recently drive me mad because she wouldnt look at anything until she was 3 years old ,uncharacteristic for the line .She is now ,touch wood ,doing the job proper and im glad i gave her the benefit . What i have come to realise is that hole ending does nothing for a pup or older dog of any age except wind them up and thats not condusive to a good long working life ive found .The dogs needs to be calm as it goes about its job .Fly in ,fly out is the moto im afraid where that is concerned .Let the youngster find its own way in from a cold start .I now know that quickfix results are seldom lasting and am in less of a hurry to produce that instant world beater than i was years ago when quick ,fast results were everything .

[Rabbit Hunter 6,610]

Good post that Foxdropper...

[Cleanspade 3,322]

it seems the age of the owner has as much bearing on this subject as has the age of the terrier. i suppose the saying ...you cant put an old head on young shoulders is apt for men and dogs.. good hunting whatever your chosen methods

[Rabbit Hunter 6,610]

I agree with that in a way CS, but I think that you can get decent young lads that have a good idea about terriers and digging in general, aswell as older fellas that have had terriers for a few years but are still f****n clueless...

[foxdropper 17,092]

I agree with that in a way CS, but I think that you can get decent young lads that have a good idea about terriers and digging in general, aswell as older fellas that have had terriers for a few years but are still f****n clueless...

Those young lads with a bit about them have to learn from the older lads with a lot about them or else the system breaks down .I was going to add its as much fun entering a young lad as it is a young terrier but thats oh so wrong lol. The pleasure these days is in getting young starters to an exceptable level be they canine or human .You cant teach it all and lessons have to be learnt for it to sink in.

[tillearthdouspart 100]

You can meet the old stronghead to. Who knows all and can make a very joyfull day turn bad his way is the only way. We all have our own technique that suits us.

[foxdropper 17,092]

Know what you mean mate ,those people are to be avoided at all costs .Once entered a dog out with a fella i dig with who had brought along an older chap who had done it all ,i mean done it all by the talk that flowed but it was soon apparent he didnt know as much as some youngsters i know .We were hoping for a bolt but that was scuppered when he leant in a hole blowing smoke and shouting back to us what he thought was happening .I was getting a bit up tight and my mate could sense that but neither of us were going to say owt because of his years and hours spent apparently on the spade .When it came to the dig he watched which is fair enough but the running commentary of what we should be doing was really getting to me and against my character i told him to shut the feck up .Silence for an hour whilst we dug to the dog but on the breakthrough he was in the hole with me and i thought he might shine but peering in the breakthrough ,his only contribution was to say "its a bloody fox,what now lads ?" .Soon after my mate took the bloke home saying we were calling it a day but back out we went never to repeat that invite .Nowadays i like to meet a chap before hand before going digging as the company is as much part of the day as is the work .

[Guest busterdog]

I agree with that in a way CS, but I think that you can get decent young lads that have a good idea about terriers and digging in general, aswell as older fellas that have had terriers for a few years but are still f****n clueless...

Those young lads with a bit about them have to learn from the older lads with a lot about them or else the system breaks down .I was going to add its as much fun entering a young lad as it is a young terrier but thats oh so wrong lol. The pleasure these days is in getting young starters to an exceptable level be they canine or human .You cant teach it all and lessons have to be learnt for it to sink in.

 

Nearly choked on my toast