One On One Time With Pup

[rob190364 2,593]

Following on from Squabs thread (didn't want to hijack his)...is it important to get a busher pup out on it's own when bringing it on? mine is only 4 months so still far too young to do anything of use, but so far all I've been doing is taking him out with my lurcher and letting him follow her round. Is it best to mix it up a bit with some lone time also? He does follow her around when looking for stuff, but slowly he's starting to notice scents on his own too. Just wondered what people's thoughts were on this. Has anyone else had dogs ruined by only following other dogs and not doing it on their own?

[white van man 3,188]

I have the litter brother to squabs pup. He's been going into cover since he hit 4 months. Never pushed him. Like you say he was picking up scent. He's now into everything. I think there is value in getting it out with other bushers and one on one. A great bit of advice I was given......take him out without the lurchers as they need to learn the fun is on the inside and not chasing on the outside. ATB

[csd_88 138]

Do not let it run around cover with a lurcher Ffs, I always put mine on the slip and let the pup run around with the bushers. At one point the pup was singing on the lurcher when I let her run around.

[squab 2,875]

i mentioned it on my thread because i bought a busher many years ago that was fit for feck all,it had been bought on by continually letting it follow an older dog,not a mistake i intend to make with my own dogs,although it may not be common or the dog just never had what it took to be a competant busher who knows not a chance im willing to take.

 

i want all my bushers to be more than capable of working alone as well as part of a pack,of course the pup gets to run cover with the older dogs it helps put gear in front of the pup getting it switched on but it would struggle to keep up most of the time when they working heavy cover hard.

 

once they know what they after its easy to get them going if its in them so i give a youngster every chance to find on its own,when it does its getting its own reward,cant be a bad thing surely seems to work for me now and in the past.

 

plenty one on one to get that connection with your mutt as well

 

cheers

[pukerk 161]

If you let a bushing pup run around working with a lurcher there's a good chance it will grow up trying to work like a lurcher....

[mighty celt 995]

As been said dont let it hunt with a lurcher to much at a young age it will think thats what it is ment to do and wont no any better.get the dog out on its own first light as there will be game about and plenty of scent to get the pup intrested.get it out with other bushers aswell to show it the ropes.the more time you spend 1 on 1 the better the dog will be.

[csd_88 138]

Also seen bushing pups having one on one and them not wanting to go to far from you, bonded to you like a lurcher. this is quite common as I've seen 4 now. Let it do its own thing with the rest of the pack, most dogs will bush rabbits its the easiest to get them to do ! if it's specific quary like fox it's harder to get them going specially if you have started them on bunnys.. I try my best only to show them reds I stay away from rabbits as much as possible.

Edited November 8, 2016 by csd_88

[skycat 6,172]

If you let a bushing pup run around working with a lurcher there's a good chance it will grow up trying to work like a lurcher....

Not necessarily. It all depends on the bushing pup's breeding. If it comes from good working stock that can't wait to get into cover then I can't see any problem letting it run about with a lurcher, especially if the lurcher marks stuff in cover. But I always take bushing pups out on their own once they have a bit of an idea what to do. Being out with an older sensible dog, lurcher or busher, can help a pup's confidence, but it also needs to learn to go it alone.

[pukerk 161]

 

If you let a bushing pup run around working with a lurcher there's a good chance it will grow up trying to work like a lurcher....

 

Not necessarily. It all depends on the bushing pup's breeding. If it comes from good working stock that can't wait to get into cover then I can't see any problem letting it run about with a lurcher, especially if the lurcher marks stuff in cover. But I always take bushing pups out on their own once they have a bit of an idea what to do. Being out with an older sensible dog, lurcher or busher, can help a pup's confidence, but it also needs to learn to go it alone.

 

 

Yes very true.... I to have had my bushing pups out with the lurchers whilst having a good old mooch... but sometimes for me it's better to be safe than sorry, one to one bushing or with older experienced dogs. I suppose we're all different, lol.

[rob190364 2,593]

Also seen bushing pups having one on one and them not wanting to go to far from you, bonded to you like a lurcher. this is quite common as I've seen 4 now. Let it do its own thing with the rest of the pack, most dogs will bush rabbits its the easiest to get them to do ! if it's specific quary like fox it's harder to get them going specially if you have started them on bunnys.. I try my best only to show them reds I stay away from rabbits as much as possible.

There is no rest of the pack, I have a lurcher, and 4 month old beagle/terrier mix. Going to take him out first light where there's loads of rabbits to see what he does, at the moment he focuses lot on what my lurcher is doing, it will be interesting to see how he responds without her there. Not worried really as he's very young, but just want to avoid any pitfalls if I can.

[csd_88 138]

I've got one or two going ferreting mate net the bunnys you know the score

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

 

Also seen bushing pups having one on one and them not wanting to go to far from you, bonded to you like a lurcher. this is quite common as I've seen 4 now. Let it do its own thing with the rest of the pack, most dogs will bush rabbits its the easiest to get them to do ! if it's specific quary like fox it's harder to get them going specially if you have started them on bunnys.. I try my best only to show them reds I stay away from rabbits as much as possible.

There is no rest of the pack, I have a lurcher, and 4 month old beagle/terrier mix. Going to take him out first light where there's loads of rabbits to see what he does, at the moment he focuses lot on what my lurcher is doing, it will be interesting to see how he responds without her there. Not worried really as he's very young, but just want to avoid any pitfalls if I can.

Could it be worth keeping the lurcher on the slip for half an hour or so out of each mooch? Let the busher get confident in venturing off on its own?

[rob190364 2,593]

 

 

Also seen bushing pups having one on one and them not wanting to go to far from you, bonded to you like a lurcher. this is quite common as I've seen 4 now. Let it do its own thing with the rest of the pack, most dogs will bush rabbits its the easiest to get them to do ! if it's specific quary like fox it's harder to get them going specially if you have started them on bunnys.. I try my best only to show them reds I stay away from rabbits as much as possible.

There is no rest of the pack, I have a lurcher, and 4 month old beagle/terrier mix. Going to take him out first light where there's loads of rabbits to see what he does, at the moment he focuses lot on what my lurcher is doing, it will be interesting to see how he responds without her there. Not worried really as he's very young, but just want to avoid any pitfalls if I can.

Could it be worth keeping the lurcher on the slip for half an hour or so out of each mooch? Let the busher get confident in venturing off on its own?

He wouldn't though, he'd just stay mithering her. Took him out on his own first thing this morning. Followed his nose around most of the time but didn't actually go in any cover even though there were plenty of rabbits about. At what age would people normally expect a pup to start doing this? Obviously it depends on individual dog and breeding etc, but approximately?

[tb25 4,626]

It will come.keep doing what your are.

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

 

 

 

Also seen bushing pups having one on one and them not wanting to go to far from you, bonded to you like a lurcher. this is quite common as I've seen 4 now. Let it do its own thing with the rest of the pack, most dogs will bush rabbits its the easiest to get them to do ! if it's specific quary like fox it's harder to get them going specially if you have started them on bunnys.. I try my best only to show them reds I stay away from rabbits as much as possible.

There is no rest of the pack, I have a lurcher, and 4 month old beagle/terrier mix. Going to take him out first light where there's loads of rabbits to see what he does, at the moment he focuses lot on what my lurcher is doing, it will be interesting to see how he responds without her there. Not worried really as he's very young, but just want to avoid any pitfalls if I can.

Could it be worth keeping the lurcher on the slip for half an hour or so out of each mooch? Let the busher get confident in venturing off on its own?

He wouldn't though, he'd just stay mithering her. Took him out on his own first thing this morning. Followed his nose around most of the time but didn't actually go in any cover even though there were plenty of rabbits about. At what age would people normally expect a pup to start doing this? Obviously it depends on individual dog and breeding etc, but approximately?

I've spoke to lads who've had them entering around the 5-6 month mark mate but like you know they're all different.

 

You done any retrieving with him? Rabbit skin dummy? Might be worth throwing that in gradually. Just a few inches into the runs at first. Get his confidence up.

 

Once he's entering cover to get the dummy it will just be a matter of time before his nose takes him into the cover on his own.