Easy Enter Info

[hjckcff 1,737]

If a terrier is bred right its easy enough to get them started but its even easier to finish them.I remember myself and a mate traveling over to derbyshire in the early 90s for a wknds digging and also to collect a bitch of year old from parents i had seen dug to a few times and rated them.We were supposed to go by ferry but when we reached Dublin the weather was so rough that the ferriers were not sailing so it was a rush to the airport and a stand by flight into birmingham followed by a train journey to Derby where we then were met eventually met by a mate.We had a good wknd digging and then started our journey back home on the sunday eve with a train journey right up to hollyhead where we had to wait 3 hours as the ferry could not leave dock as sea was so rough but eventually we got out and then on the far side a taxi to the airport to pick up the van and having to drag the terrier about most of the day.I took her out 1 saturday morn about 3 wks later and we found a new earth which an older terrier gave a good mark.The young bitch was straining to go even though she had never been in a field up until this.She was a strong type,red in colour,smooth coat with a head on her like a bucket and the earth looked a piece of piss,how wrong we were,we opened to her about 2half hours later in under an ash stump at around 7ft in ground like concrete and she was with a different animal than we though was at home.She had taken a lot of grief and was literaly on her last breath,not fit but she had stayed until the end.I took her home and to a vet where he done what he could for her and i laid her up then for about 2 months.I decided i would give her another look just before the season ended but although she entered like a rocket after about 20 min she came away and that was that would not re-enter.We let another terrier in to confirm something was at home and dug to it in the same place we had marked the young bitch with its quarry.I personally thing she would have been a usefull bitch if i was not so eager to enter her and had held her back a bit,to this day i blame myself.

i dont think there will be many folk that has been in the terrier game a while that cant relate to this post.

i agree with FD. self entering terriers should be bred for. but will also state that they are also the easiest to spoil by there very nature.

ive seen some cautious dogs make good workers. and by there nature they would be difficult to spoil. as they would only go when they felt they where ready. (doesnt sound right on paper but at least i know what i mean. )

[BOLSTER 808]

I prefer them pulling on the lead at an earth by 6 months like a lunatic, iv kept ones before till nearly 2 years old and they've turned into wankers scared of the dark. Just my opinion .

[downsouth 6,836]

A decent terrier doesn't need entering it just needs getting out and about and to see the world for the first year or so then take it to an earth with something in it.

[young man 225]

If a terrier walked from a fox at 17 months old would you keep it and try at the start of season or?

[dillydog 8,416]

There's failing and there's failing.

If a youngster struggles too get around because of it's size or lack of experience then yes I'd give it every chance to blossom and learn it's trade. If it walked through cowardice then it'll never be right no matter how much you persever, cowardice is definitely a shooting offence.

[taz2010 1,297]

most have self entered some as early as 6 months but i hold mine back till atleast 18/20 months before they see a bit of work only had one around 10 years ago would not go then when he was 2 1/2 went and never looked bk nearly got rid of him,glad i never,

[old school 476]

Brian Plummer said he had cavalier kings Charles spaniels that he trained to enter rat and dig badgers... What a lot of shite lol... And then there was a clown that contacted me on eBay about a book I had for sale and he said he still got the strain of spaniel that can still hunt and go to ground... I never replied, just took his money and gave him the book lol

 

 

I always had a terrier about for the sake of the gun club and I actually started out when I was 13 with terriers... Any of the good ones self entered and didn't take much encouragement other than the shake of a freshly shot fox... Others that had no interest seemed to remain that way, or else at best, put in half hearted tries when they felt like it... We had a couple of patterdales from nuttal that we obtained when they were about a year old back when I was about 17 and with our inexperience and stupidity we never showed them anything until the day came of the hunt and then they were givin a look at the end of a dig... Both acted totally green until they got nipped and then flew into paradoxes of rage and never looked back after it... Maybe different strains enter differently but at the end of the day I never saw one that was slow to enter make it to a good grade of digging dog!

[MOLE265 792]

Nite Nite.

[DOC MARTIN 17]

NITE MOLE sleep tight