taz2010 1,297 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 i am from a family of 5 brothers 3 of which work terriers old man worked terriers before us the other 2 brothers hate the sport,learned on the spade at a young age as oldman took us just to dig for him thinking back wish i had a few lads 5 Quote Link to post
king 12,023 Posted March 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Thanks for the replys lads.im out with an experienced lad tomorrow I will have a good chat with him. Cheers king. .. 1 Quote Link to post
chilli 381 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 I was lucky too have my dad as my mentor when i was was a lot younger . I can honestly say that if I didnt keep the sides straight then he would give me some serious greif to say the least . 6 Quote Link to post
Squirrel_Basher 17,102 Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Mentors ,mates or solo .take from each outing what you need to improve the next and things will slot into place . 3 Quote Link to post
Wales1234 5,679 Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I was lucky my uncle taught me a lot he's been at it over 50 years ! We don't agree on somethings , I started digging with a lad from west wales although a bit nutts the blokes knows his salt taught me a lot last year or two ! But one thing I realised we are all still learning and no two dogs are the same 2 Quote Link to post
HPR 1,161 Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I never had a mentor and started at the age of 13 made all the mistakes you can make . Soon realised why you don't double up . Both dogs was in a mess and it was an awkward dig . Two dogs locked on each other not a nice sight. ( could of been a lot worse and would of lost great digging dogs ) . Why not to dig ice cream cone holes . Not to jump on the Shovel to quick . And to trust and understand the dog . And to make sure you've got all the equipment and its all in working order . I only lost one dog through mistakes . When I look back now them dogs was brilliant putting up with me and learning me how to do things right to make it easier for them and my self . I would of liked a mentor but I have also enjoyed the trials and tribulations . Now I would go any where in the country digging with anyone and be fully confident . 4 Quote Link to post
morton 5,369 Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 right I was keen to get into digging yrs ago but had no one to show me the ropes so to speak. And didn't think it was a good idea.to go out by myself drop the dog in with literally no experience at all.only ever watched a few lads digging a few times. In my eyes the dogs welfare is top priority.and I would hate to make a school boy error that could possibly cause a collapse etc. I even went and bought a pup from the other side of the country. But after about 14months I couldn't get the bitch working myself so rang the lad who I had the bitch off and he took her back.as she was bred and deserved to work. But sadly I couldn't give the bitch the work she needed. So did many of you start out on your own. Or is a mentor the way to go. Cheers King.... I ruined dogs that id love to own now whilst learning on my own,the harsh lessons learnt while we educated ourselves and the mutts, are the reason many hunting folk hunt with experience now.I was in the game for many a year before i managed to get the advice and education from a few more learned sources,if id been a rank novice i may have followed their advice and implemented ALL of it in the field,as id learnt a few harsh lessons i soon realised many a mentor needed mentoring themselves and the sound advice others offered was soaked up and added to what i already knew.Im conceited and naive enough to believe i know what needs knowing now,in reality a rank novice will soon learn an old dog a trick they may have missed along the way.Id say the best lessons learnt are the ones that ruin a dog that a more experienced kennel would not,its finding an honest mentor who,s only ambition in hunting life is to pass on a little of their knowledge to aid,assist and develop a young,or not so,grasshopper. 4 Quote Link to post
pablo esc 1,598 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 Long time ago when I met my mentor, we had a dog between us, good Russell's them days and a lurcher every mile from you to borrow. Walking miles to be out and early. Seeing the first different terriers, border lakeland, and some blacks, but the lads were real hardy and one stuck it years on and was a very good dog man and top terrier man, when out myself then and dug Fox at sixteen years old to learn and then do what I knew about, the hardest was finding and that took very early mornings Quote Link to post
pablo esc 1,598 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 I remember seeing the first Fox, I'd been out with the lads, hunting, bolted one's that got away even with the dogs hours to ground or more, sand banks and everything. I was at my friends that night and he said fin was digging in the night about eight o'clock then, his dog was in there the afternoon, he had to find his own spades and got to a phone box, one call, and the back up came that was available and the good mates. When I got there he had his Fox in front of him, he'd dug right up to it, big bank, no locater. This man could dig too,. He showed my Russell it, he was a piss taker, but not baiting, it took a bite and stuck baying to it, lovely. The would love to slag you or take the piss Quote Link to post
pablo esc 1,598 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 I was fourteen years old then, got my Patterdale a year later, my own dog, raised and worked everything 4 Quote Link to post
fat man 4,741 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 1st dog i ever owned was a little bullxrussell,that was over 40 year ago and i was about 12-13 at the time.Me and a friend used to go to an old boys house every sunday morn and go digging with him for the day.It was a 4-5 mile trip on bicycles to where he lived and it was him who entered my little dog for me at about 14 months old and we dug to him with his game in front of him and he having a great time sparring with it,to say i was happy would be an understatement and when Berty said that the little dog had done well i was over the moon.He learned us a lot back then,especially respect for quarry regardless of what it was.I dig with another auld lad now regular enough,contancerous auld git but keeps very good terriers,lol 5 Quote Link to post
pablo esc 1,598 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 My Russell entered to Fox then about thirteen months or more and single handed, but yes as above stated there dogs were doubled up or were forty minutes to ground and mixing, and good lookers, he, he, 2 Quote Link to post
the goat 642 Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 I got myself into it and was very fortunate to have had terriers given to me more or less when I first started by a local lad. You fat bast*rd you probably will read this although your useless on the shovel your knowledge and what iv learned from you is second to none. 3 Quote Link to post
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