DDD 4 Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Hi folks, Looking for a few tips/ bit of advice. Bear in mind I'm used to the type of dogs in my avatar (large staffies). Ok, so I've got 3 terriers, a JRT & 2 patterdales. (these have twice the attitude of the large dogs). I'm looking to use my dogs for bushing & ratting & would like to let them off the lead(hence the topic name). The JRT is out of working stock & nice & steady although his focus is on prey & quite stubborn (8month old dog). The 2 patterdales (both bitches & litter mates). These 2 are out of a family pet but the prey drive is off the scale, honestly, it's absolutely mental! One of the pats pull like a train on the lead, so much so she's on her back legs walking! So what can I do to ensure recall & good bushing & what can I do about the train pulling patterdale? I don't have a locator or collars, hence why they're on the lead when outside as we have a lot of black & whites round here. Cheers Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gnipper 5,966 Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Discipline, people will recommend allsorts but a terrier will take the piss if it knows it will get away with it. A more timid animal needs a softer approach but terriers in general are proper rum feckers 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
x38 179 Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 a mate had one of skycat a little black&tan bitch very good recall..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 6,172 Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 If you have black and whites around, then I wouldn't be letting terriers off the lead at all. I run 3 terriers, but I don't let them loose within 200 yards of certain holes. Not worth the risk. If a terrier is worth the name terrier you'll not keep them away from those places. As far as training their recall, you don't say how old they are. If they are adults and you've never had them off the lead, then, without wanting to sound facetious: God help you! Recall needs to be taught young. Terrier pups need to learn who is boss from very early on, and the fact that one pulls badly on the lead sounds as though the dog doesn't recognise you as such. If they are still young enough (under a year old), then you'll have to train them individually. There's no way you can just let all three off the lead and hope they'll listen to you. They'll listen to each other instead. They are a pack, and will encourage each other to go and hunt, while you go blue in the face whistling and bawling at them. Train each one alone, and I'd advise getting some mentoring from someone who runs a pack of terriers. In my experience, the softly softly approach just doesn't work with terriers. A bit of harsh discipline is the only way to get them to go where YOU want them to go, and not where THEY want to hunt. But its not just a matter of kicking seven bells out of them. You have to teach them that it is in their best interests to stay in touch with you as you are the one who takes them places to find game. It's not something that happens over night either. Months and months of training an individual hard headed dog, then the next one and so on. If you try to take them all out together now, well, bye bye terriers. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DDD 4 Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Apologies for not mentioning their ages, the JRT is 8 month & the 2 pats are 9 month. Recall & other training has been done on lines, both on their own & altogether, the thing is, the wire haired pat is great when she is on the line even with the other 2 with us. I must add that this one is the one that pulls like a train when on a normal lead. The smooth pat is great on the line, again with the pack and alone. The JRT on the other hand is a little b45t48d!! Pulls on the lead, totally ignores you & generally gives you the 2 fingers - I put this down to him being young, having a set of bollocks & that's what's driving him! Reading the above I definitely think that a lot more individual training is what's needed. Cheers Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 6,172 Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 And a much harder attitude on your part: if a terrier pulls, any time, I yank it back and flip it on to its back. Wouldn't do that with a lurcher, too breakable, but terriers yes. And get mad at them; controlled mad, not losing the plot completely. Be God in all his wrath. But I would have started them hunting a lot earlier, when they were still pups and easier to mould into what you want. You're now at the worst stage: adolescence, and if they haven't been allowed to work before, you'll find it harder to control their drive. I've sent you a pm. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dully1963 4 Posted February 24, 2012 Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 (edited) Hi Halti collars work after the backs flips and the paw in the mouth stage has finished but they do stop the pulling while on the lead (even if they seem a bit girlie) As for recall best of luck hope ye get sorted Edited February 24, 2012 by dully1963 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnharris 177 Posted March 13, 2012 Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 If you have black and whites around, then I wouldn't be letting terriers off the lead at all. I run 3 terriers, but I don't let them loose within 200 yards of certain holes. Not worth the risk. If a terrier is worth the name terrier you'll not keep them away from those places. As far as training their recall, you don't say how old they are. If they are adults and you've never had them off the lead, then, without wanting to sound facetious: God help you! Recall needs to be taught young. Terrier pups need to learn who is boss from very early on, and the fact that one pulls badly on the lead sounds as though the dog doesn't recognise you as such. If they are still young enough (under a year old), then you'll have to train them individually. There's no way you can just let all three off the lead and hope they'll listen to you. They'll listen to each other instead. They are a pack, and will encourage each other to go and hunt, while you go blue in the face whistling and bawling at them. Train each one alone, and I'd advise getting some mentoring from someone who runs a pack of terriers. In my experience, the softly softly approach just doesn't work with terriers. A bit of harsh discipline is the only way to get them to go where YOU want them to go, and not where THEY want to hunt. But its not just a matter of kicking seven bells out of them. You have to teach them that it is in their best interests to stay in touch with you as you are the one who takes them places to find game. It's not something that happens over night either. Months and months of training an individual hard headed dog, then the next one and so on. If you try to take them all out together now, well, bye bye terriers. Good luck! Really good advice and well written ATB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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