Improving Your First Season Dogs

[white van man 3,192]

Well the end of the season will soon be here for me and Blue less a couple of ferreting trips and a bit of lamping. To be honest he has done more than ok for his first season. He has lamped well and is beginning to steady right up when ferreting. He is good around the house and with other dogs. I think sometimes I have expected too much from him so most of the mistakes I will put down to myself. Silly slips being one of them!! I have been lucky to be invited out with some good lads off here and this has brought Blue on no end.

 

My only big worry is with our bond. Out of the lurchers I have owned Blue is so far showing the most potential and I spent pretty much 24 hours a day with him yet our bond is nowhere near as good as with previous dogs. Any one else have this problem?

 

I thought I was going to have a few blips from the saluki side of him but when I look back he has been as good as gold. Saluki collie grew 20 months old.

 

 

 

Well the question is....how was your first season and what are you mainly going to work on before the next??

 

for next season I'm going to:

 

Really concentrate on his fitness at the back end of the summer

 

Keep on at the basics and work on bonding

 

Lots of ferreting at the start of the season

 

Build up on the lamp in September and lamp different ground

 

Get him out bushing. Something I think will bring him on. So I will be on the lookout for a busher soon!!

 

ATB.

Edited February 28, 2016 by white van man

[D Lloyd 2,790]

got a dog jest a month older than him ill be packing in for there season in a few weeks so lots and lots of rest good food and jest leshely walks to jest let all the nigles to his body that he must have setl down

[terryd 8,122]

 

Keep on at the basics and work on bonding

 

Lots of ferreting at the start of the season

 

Build up on the lamp in September and lamp different ground

 

 

 

 

the above for me too though the bond is ok and I would add keeping on top of stocking breaking. I have times I think every thing is great then we slide back. I feel mine is so keen I am constantly trying reign him in so the winter has been good plenty of work and keeping him tired lol. Now its a summer of not looking for rabbits and just boring excise and fishing for him

[terryd 8,122]

just to add our first season was great hunting wise he did top job ferreting with a super nose and picked up rabbits on the lamp a treat as the season went on

[Kieransingo 256]

Nice dog u have there mate

ATB

[white van man 3,192]

got a dog jest a month older than him ill be packing in for there season in a few weeks so lots and lots of rest good food and jest leshely walks to jest let all the nigles to his body that he must have setl down

Yep think most dogs could do with that at the end of the season. He gets the best of grub and hasn't been pushed too much so has only had a few knocks.

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

From what I've seen,.Blue will go onwards and upwards,.you are fortunate to own such a promising young jukel

[Somewhereyournot 1,117]

For me I to will be concentrating on condition before I start next season as had some injuries which possibly could be down to condition of fitness...even though I thought he was fit.

Retrieving had slipped also but he's been on fire with catching last few trips out.

Will be doing more day work next season too.

I also think sometimes my bond could be a little better with him, and sometimes think this could be making his retrieve abit worse for wear. But hopefully il get there.

Good post and question.

Nice to see honest post

[mattyg 1,862]

The bond will develop over time mate, one of my two cant stand the sight of me when out and would raged have his nose down and f**k off...., get in the hous and he will happily sleep on my head

[matt1979 766]

Just let my pup see a little bit of proper action this season but out everyday mooching around and he has surpassed my expectations to date. He isn't the most physically amazing dog but I knew that from his breeding but for a youngster he has really learned to hunt well in the day. He showed glimpses of promise early doors but has matured fast and is none stop when out nowadays. Hasn't caught much in truth but can't fault his drive and his recall etc is bang on for me at least. Helps that he is also a likeable little fella that has settled well into the pack so far. Had him on the lamp a few times and he did pretty well but i much prefer the day time work despite it being harder to get a good run and catch atb roll on next season when I can give him a bit more action all bing well

Edited February 28, 2016 by matt1979

[roybo 2,873]

Considering the time I've put in ,mines done well ,can't fault him,times been tight ,but mean to remedy that.

The summer will be spent around livestock and then the back end of summer getting him real fit ,ready for getting him some decent long nights.

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

My pup is just 13 months old so has done very little this season. She had a few easy bunnys early on in the season but has been really slow settling down and still acts like a 6 week old puppy at times. So she's been left behind on most lamping trips. She retrieved a couple of shot hares around the 11 month mark. But that's been it really. The rest has been daytime mooching. I've been out with her tonight for a shine and she missed the first bunny, she didn't spot it straight away, I was pleasantly surprised when she came straight back after the missed bunny. Expected her to mess about a bit. Second rabbit she nailed just as it got out of the seat and didn't make too bad a job of the retrieve. Came close enough for me anyway. Checked a few more fields and nothing about. Clear skies and -4c. So we called it a night.

 

Might have one more night with her on a mates permission when this moon is down and then she will be left off until early next season when she should be ready for some proper graft.

 

Atb with your youngsters.

[straight2hand 303]

Well the end of the season will soon be here for me and Blue less a couple of ferreting trips and a bit of lamping. To be honest he has done more than ok for his first season. He has lamped well and is beginning to steady right up when ferreting. He is good around the house and with other dogs. I think sometimes I have expected too much from him so most of the mistakes I will put down to myself. Silly slips being one of them!! I have been lucky to be invited out with some good lads off here and this has brought Blue on no end.

 

My only big worry is with our bond. Out of the lurchers I have owned Blue is so far showing the most potential and I spent pretty much 24 hours a day with him yet our bond is nowhere near as good as with previous dogs. Any one else have this problem?

 

I thought I was going to have a few blips from the saluki side of him but when I look back he has been as good as gold. Saluki collie grew 20 months old.

 

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Well the question is....how was your first season and what are you mainly going to work on before the next??

 

for next season I'm going to:

 

Really concentrate on his fitness at the back end of the summer

 

Keep on at the basics and work on bonding

 

Lots of ferreting at the start of the season

 

Build up on the lamp in September and lamp different ground

 

Get him out bushing. Something I think will bring him on. So I will be on the lookout for a busher soon!!

 

ATB.

To be fair pal my dog is 11 months just coming up and she has learned the basics, had double figures of bunnies so its been a gentle learning curve as it should. I will probs have similar targets myself although I don't keep ferrets. I really need to explore a lot of land this summertime because when the lamping season comes like your dog they will need plenty of work after a good fitness regime. I do like to rest a dog in the hot summer months as its a hard season even though my bitch hasn't done too much but just reinforcing the retrieval and behavior in the field should be best. atb s2h

 

 

[LurcherLad94 2,582]

My pup has done me proud she's had a few months of steady work think she's retrieved close to 10 shot hares a few in the day and about 35 rabbits and tried her hand at other bits, she could of killed a lot more if I was in places were big bags could be taken but you have to work with what you've got, but the main thing I'll be working in is her recall one day it can be perfect the next non existent but a lot worse at night then in the day

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

My pup has done me proud she's had a few months of steady work think she's retrieved close to 10 shot hares a few in the day and about 35 rabbits and tried her hand at other bits, she could of killed a lot more if I was in places were big bags could be taken but you have to work with what you've got, but the main thing I'll be working in is her recall one day it can be perfect the next non existent but a lot worse at night then in the day

Good going fella. Onwards and upwards.

 

My red bitch is the opposite. Recall is 100% on the lamp. Don't need to even call her. When the lamp goes off she's back by my side within seconds. Daytime she can be a right ignorant cow some days.