Small Lurcher Retrieves

[mark.a 0]

Ive got a 14 month old saluki X greyhound / whippet dog measuring 23" just.

He,s coming on well with rabbits and feather retrieving live to hand without me having to walk to him and he,s totally soft mouthed, really soft mouthed which has been rare in the dogs ive had before.

As he is fairly small, well smaller than dogs ive had before, when he finally catches one of those big long eared rabbits we all know! I am worried that he will have trouble carrying it back to me because of its size and it kicking.

Should I run towards him and get it off him before he mauls it because hes having trouble holding it which could ruin his soft mouth, but will this spoil his retrieve?

Does any one else with smallish dogs have any advise?

[Guest Doug]

You can never be sure what a dog will do until it gets a chance to do it.

 

I had a bitch that size that would retrieve live to hand except for hares which she would kill then carry back, and foxes and deer which she would kill and stay with.

 

 

They tend to figure things out.

 

Sounds like you've made a good job of yours.

[mark.a 0]

Its a strange thing when I trained him and even still now he never showed much interest in retreiving balls or such like he just naturally carrys live stuff back to me straight away from the first time he caught anything, he also willingly lets go of it when I take it off him and make a fuss of him. Strange!

He is great at bushing stuff out as well,its the first time I have had a dog with any saluki in it ( he,s 1/4 saluki). Just goes to show don,t believe all you read!

[Guest Doug]

Nowt wrong with a bit of saluki, mate, real predators, but not everyone can get into their heads. Not for messers and dog swappers but will work their hearts out for the right owner.

[mark.a 0]

Hope your right there mate. I will have to take my digital camera out with me and try and take some snaps of him working. A lot of people who i,ve talked to have knocked me for getting a saluki cross but I dought if they have seen one work its amazing how people put so much stock in what other people say without finding out for themselves.

[Guest wittontherabbiter]

Hi mark i have got 2 bitches saluki greyhound cross whippet pups mine are only 8 month old they have not caught anything yet because i dont want to enter them to early. Have you got any pics of yours mate ill add some of mine up soon David

[mark.a 0]

Hi this is one of the only pictures of him I have, I as I said I will have to take the camera with me when I go out working him. Do your pups look similer.

[Guest bracken boy]

the dog looks keen [bANNED TEXT] best of luck with him, both mine r 23 inch and [bANNED TEXT] they have the big rabbit they kill and keep the fecker for themselves

[mark.a 0]

Thats what i want to avoid mate, i think i will wait till hes a bit older with more retrives under his belt before i try him on bigger things