What's Your Opinions Of Taking Spaniels Ferreting?

[Rowell94 0]

Do you think it will steady the dog if she's made to sit and stay or will it make her want to chase when out shooting? Cheers

[Paulnix 426]

If you see enough rabbits when ferreting and make sure she not moves for sitting she should get used to not chasing them, I wouldn't be tempted to let her retrieve them though. You would have more control over the day and no outside pressure, you could spend time doing as you wish rather than say sitting behind guns on a pheasant shoot to make her steady, where there a lot of other distractions both for the dog and you.

 

As for when beating and chasing rabbits, I've not been ferreting since I was a kid ( I hope to get back into it with my children ) and my spaniels will look to chase if they notice one,I guess if you go ferreting they will notice EVERY rabbit though I can stop my springer, no chance stopping my cocker which is a law unto herself anyway.

 

err that probably didn't help much.

[stroller 341]

I use my wirehaired Vizsla when we are shooting ferreted rabbits, he marks holes and works the rushes before we start ferreting. He sits and doesn't chase when rabbits bolt and he does get to retrieve most of them. He has been known to chase rabbits in the beating line but I don't make a huge thing over it and 9 times out of 10 I can stop him no bother.

 

He is rock solid on hares and deer and we often stand on shoot days with roe deer running past us and on the moor during the grouse season he just watches hares away

[Rowell94 0]

If you see enough rabbits when ferreting and make sure she not moves for sitting she should get used to not chasing them, I wouldn't be tempted to let her retrieve them though. You would have more control over the day and no outside pressure, you could spend time doing as you wish rather than say sitting behind guns on a pheasant shoot to make her steady, where there a lot of other distractions both for the dog and you.

 

As for when beating and chasing rabbits, I've not been ferreting since I was a kid ( I hope to get back into it with my children ) and my spaniels will look to chase if they notice one,I guess if you go ferreting they will notice EVERY rabbit though I can stop my springer, no chance stopping my cocker which is a law unto herself anyway.

 

err that probably didn't help much.

Thanks mate I'll take that into consideration, I think it'll steady her a lot more sitting and staying all day. Cheers!

[Rowell94 0]

I use my wirehaired Vizsla when we are shooting ferreted rabbits, he marks holes and works the rushes before we start ferreting. He sits and doesn't chase when rabbits bolt and he does get to retrieve most of them. He has been known to chase rabbits in the beating line but I don't make a huge thing over it and 9 times out of 10 I can stop him no bother.

 

He is rock solid on hares and deer and we often stand on shoot days with roe deer running past us and on the moor during the grouse season he just watches hares away

Yeah mine tends to chase the odd rabbit but she's getting better, I'll not let her retrieve I'll keep her watching it might steady her more, cheers bud

[Nobby8126 96]

I take my girl out with the ferrets, she's still learning to mark the sets but I'm able to call her off a chase if needed. Defo hasn't hindered when beating and a hare pops.

[Rowell94 0]

I take my girl out with the ferrets, she's still learning to mark the sets but I'm able to call her off a chase if needed. Defo hasn't hindered when beating and a hare pops.

Do you keep her on the lead or on the stop whistle when something bolts? Cheers

[Fat-Ferret 857]

A man who lived near us when we I was young trained springers and used to take me round rabbit spots an odd Saturday to bolt rabbits while he made the young dogs sit....I always felt their pain!!

[Nobby8126 96]

 

I take my girl out with the ferrets, she's still learning to mark the sets but I'm able to call her off a chase if needed. Defo hasn't hindered when beating and a hare pops.

Do you keep her on the lead or on the stop whistle when something bolts? Cheers

Whistle.

[leethedog 3,071]

A friend of mine has a very good springer bitch rock steady she is she comes ferreting from time to time and also bushes to lurchers I don't see the difference in ferreting and using a rabbit pen