Terriers

[Lloyd90 509]

Just a curious question ... what's a terrier used for bushing for and what advantages does it have over say a spaniel etc

 

Never worked one but have worked a springer. I hear terriers can be headstrong. Would they just feck off n do their own thing or what ?

 

Thanks for any insight

[Bossie 90]

The terriers I work and have worked with are a lot smaller than the cockers that my hunting partner uses. 6-7KG vs 12-14KG. The terriers will go places the cocker can only dream of. The terrier has a better catchrate in my case. I hunt a lot of railroad embankments, dikes, very thick cover and a cocker or springer can usually just crash over the cover. The terriers due to their size also pick up a lot less brambles, cuts and bruises.

 

They yap which allerts everyone there is something happening, cockers and springers often hunt mute, I've seen and heard one giving tongue on foxes and cats. The cockers usually are affected by the heat quite a bit more and theyz run out of steam faster.

All the cockers I've seen where retrievers to some standard, I've seen terriers which could compete but have seen several refuse to fetch.

 

Terriers (in my case) will follow a line pretty and airscent. However if you are used to a high drive HPR or a lunatic springer or cocker terriers seem a bit lazy sometimes, you could also call it smart. They usually will only enter cover if they smell something which can be a bit frustrating sometimes.

If you get a good one a terrier can be extremely versatile. A nice allround jagd would be an option. Always liked the idea of a small terrier crossed to a small cockers and maybe have some teckel thrown in as well. Would be a very usefull thing where I hunt.

[Lloyd90 509]

Will they just go off n do their own thing possibly hunting away from you or would you direct them to certain areas and keep them close ish ?

 

Thanks for the insight

[Bossie 90]

One of mine will hunt pretty close, if she's onto something she will drive it out of cover and return to me and continue working. The other one which is still learning and just a 16 month bitch with a lot of drive has a bit more difficulty with working with me and not just one her own but she's just been out a few times, has some bonding to do and some excess energy to waste. I'm absolutely confident that at the end of the season she'll respond to the whistle just as well as the other dogs I work, will work with me and when recquired will bush where I tell her to. She's also a very good retriever on land and in water. Last week she retrieved a mouse live to hand and dropped it in my hand on command.

Due to the HPR experience I would and do not hesitate to use an e-collar which in my case (hunting a lot near busy railroads and motorways) is also an extra insurance to take every dog home after the finished working.

[wi11ow 2,657]

bushing dogs every man will like a different type the styles and drive the way they hunt flush catch in my veiw i like the spaniel x terrier a few swear on the spaniel x beagle just terriers and a few will say you carnt beat them

 

but ever mans eyes see what they like or dont

[Tyla 3,179]

A lot will be down to the individual dog and handler. Some terriers are great obedience wise and some spaniels are pants and vice versa. A lot depends on training and entering.

[R.A.W 1,987]

From my own experience and bossie touched on this slightly too. Spaniels seems to have just one gear and that's flat out but a terrier will pick the pace when close to quarry which is exciting to say the least for you and the running dogs.

 

It may be that I haven't done too much with spaniels but I find them harder to read than they're little cousins and my lurchers do also.

 

A terrier that hunts two field away is no good as a busher to me or anyone .

[morton 5,367]

Terriers can get through the tightest of cover,they can hunt and flush as good as any Beagle,Spaniel etc. and get through the tighter spots more quickly,plus,all important to me,they can follow a fox below and persuade him to vacate his lair,which the others cannot.Some don,t want a busher to go to ground,with all the headaches that can then ensue,if thats the case i would,nt own a bushing terrier.

[R.A.W 1,987]

I've yet to see any terrier that will out hunt a beagle...................put I suppose what you define as hunting.

 

I'm a fan of bushing with terriers But sticking to line of scent you will not beat a good hound !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I remember being stood on a hill next to a large patch of thick brambles with the terrier working away with my first beagle pup at 6 months in there for the ride. A bunny popped out and made for safety up the field shortly followed by two seasoned bushers that went half way up the field and then lost the scent and dived back in . I stood in ore as the pup came out a minute later in full cry and stuck to the same line and marked the rabbit in two fields away. I don't ask so much of my pups now but it was all part of the learning process for me.

 

Watching well trained gun dog picking up high birds especially if they run must be an eye opener .

 

But when it comes to mooching up a hedgerow with the lurches in tow , I could not ask for anything more than a couple of well trained terriers twisting,diving and driving amid the tangle.

[morton 5,367]

I've yet to see any terrier that will out hunt a beagle...................put I suppose what you define as hunting.

 

I'm a fan of bushing with terriers But sticking to line of scent you will not beat a good hound !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I remember being stood on a hill next to a large patch of thick brambles with the terrier working away with my first beagle pup at 6 months in there for the ride. A bunny popped out and made for safety up the field shortly followed by two seasoned bushers that went half way up the field and then lost the scent and dived back in . I stood in ore as the pup came out a minute later in full cry and stuck to the same line and marked the rabbit in two fields away. I don't ask so much of my pups now but it was all part of the learning process for me.

 

Watching well trained gun dog picking up high birds especially if they run must be an eye opener .

 

But when it comes to mooching up a hedgerow with the lurches in tow , I could not ask for anything more than a couple of well trained terriers twisting,diving and driving amid the tangle.

Scent is an enigma in itself,but if i had 2 seasoned terriers learning lessons off a 6 month old id be less than enamoured with 2 of my mutts.There are bushing terriers and terriers that scare stuff by entering cover,a bushing terrier will hold scent as good as anything out there,some better than others.

[Cleanspade 3,322]

i dont expect my terriers to compete with a beagle. but i would be less than happy with those terriers

[R.A.W 1,987]

 

I've yet to see any terrier that will out hunt a beagle...................put I suppose what you define as hunting.

 

I'm a fan of bushing with terriers But sticking to line of scent you will not beat a good hound !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I remember being stood on a hill next to a large patch of thick brambles with the terrier working away with my first beagle pup at 6 months in there for the ride. A bunny popped out and made for safety up the field shortly followed by two seasoned bushers that went half way up the field and then lost the scent and dived back in . I stood in ore as the pup came out a minute later in full cry and stuck to the same line and marked the rabbit in two fields away. I don't ask so much of my pups now but it was all part of the learning process for me.

 

Watching well trained gun dog picking up high birds especially if they run must be an eye opener .

 

But when it comes to mooching up a hedgerow with the lurches in tow , I could not ask for anything more than a couple of well trained terriers twisting,diving and driving amid the tangle.

Scent is an enigma in itself,but if i had 2 seasoned terriers learning lessons off a 6 month old id be less than enamoured with 2 of my mutts.There are bushing terriers and terriers that scare stuff by entering cover,a bushing terrier will hold scent as good as anything out there,some better than others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How long will the Terriers you've witnessed hunt a single quarry across sun trenched meadows , tight brambles and tarmac then chuck a few gates and fences in the Mix.??????

 

Have you seen a good beagles work ?????

[R.A.W 1,987]

i dont expect my terriers to compete with a beagle. but i would be less than happy with those terriers

 

They didn't watch the rabbit go up the field, just followed the line of scent and were unable to make the line and carried bushing.

 

Just the same as a full pack of hounds would on ...say a fresh ploughed field in the wrong conditions.

[wirral countryman 2,110]

 

i dont expect my terriers to compete with a beagle. but i would be less than happy with those terriers

 

They didn't watch the rabbit go up the field, just followed the line of scent and were unable to make the line and carried bushing.

 

Just the same as a full pack of hounds would on ...say a fresh ploughed field in the wrong conditions.

 

There must be a lot of poor terriers out there if that's the level of your experience, I hunt all over the country with my 3 terriers and see lots of spaniel/beagle/terrier crosses out and about but nothing that comes close to a good terrier, mine are worked everyday and catch or flush to my lurcher, on average just the terriers will catch 4 or 5 bunnies and some other stuff, they listen and can be directed where they are needed, leave no stone unturned, will not go too far ahead and can follow a line as good as any beagle cross, I like my bushers close not half a field away, WM

[wi11ow 2,657]

but WM if yours are plummers they are beagle x so they would be able to track

 

no dig at these dogs just the truth