Jump to content

best age to start pups


Recommended Posts


A dog that looks physically ready to work  may not be mentally ready to work. I personally don't work terriers untill there def 18 months. I'll tie them up at a dig let them see the sights and smell the smells they'll work when there ready. I know people do things differently but that just seems to work for me especially if the dog seems to lean to the hard side starting off.

  • Like 6
Link to post

So I take my pup (just over 5 months) for a leashed walk around town once a day and 3-5 days take him out and about off leash in the woods. I’ve avoided one opossum with the pup so far but have been walking him near brush piles and blow downs. Should I avoid them for the time being? I’m trying to get him out and about but don’t wanna rush him

Link to post

Where there is game aplenty ,its' a fine line to keep pups that are  willing to go from getting into bother and letting them explore a bit .Had a few mishaps myself but came good in the end .Keep them winning is the old saying that rings true ,dont' overmatch them but let them see as much of whats going on around as possible .

When the pup does come of age ,a stage that only time served will allow the terrierman to see ,then let it go of its own accord ,never rush it, encourage it or force it .

What goes hand in hand  with   decent stock alongside bloodlines is the very will to self enter without any form of geeing up .18 months to 2 years is the ideal for me  but slightly earlier if they really want it .Have a bitch here now that has missed the season at just under 2 years without proper entering  but showing all the signs she wants it so she will get the chance later in the year .They are individuals and need treating as such .

  • Like 14
Link to post

I think sometimes we stereotype dogs by breed, no two dogs are the same even from the same breed, I have to be careful here as I know someone will pick me up on this, my experience is mainly around gun dogs, dispite my farther being a very active terrier man when I grew up, when it comes to training, basic stuff as lead training and sitting, is all apart of instilling boundaries, and that starts very early in my opinion, but most gun dogs really are 18 month to two yr old before they are ready, the thing with a gun dog is you see, or are able to recognise when the dog is ready to move to the next step, 

funny enough a yr or so ago I picked up, a jack Russel, from a well known terrier man, he keeps himself to himself, so no names, now I openly admit, I have never trained or brought on a earth dog till now, I got the dog at 12 month old , unused / tried I never pushed the dog at all apart from stock breaking, but after I let  him follow behind  the lurcher around the farm looking for rat, and in truth he watched the lurcher kill a couple, before he kicked into gear, as regards earth work, he would look, lean in, and tentertivly enter but, then pull back, last yr he bolted his first, it was a very hot scent, and sat in the end of a set,  he bolted it to the gun,3DEFF506-59A0-4440-BD58-938F1718A3B1.thumb.jpeg.f1b7570969a59bf12c28e65516b1fae2.jpeg 

the dog was still in my opinion, a bit young, but he did it all himself, no encouragement, he worked up to the set himself, following a clear scent line, not a word spoken when he entered, his confidence was at a point was enough,where he felt comfortable to enter, it wasn’t a hard bolt, this last yr his confidence has grown and grown, he  he has seen every fox I have shot, and his prey drive has kicked in, leads the rat hunts now , you can see him taking a lead over the lurcher, another sign of his confidence and maturity, this yr he will willingly checks sets, and has flushed fox from cover actively, he’s 30 month old, he bolted a baron vixen three wk ago in a very tight set, again, he hunted up to the set and he entered on his own volition, I suppose what I am saying is most dogs follow similar patterns around confidence, prey drive and ability to learn, and a dog man watches his dogs closely, and is able to see the progression in his dog,  but you still have to let them grow up, and feel there feet, they will show you they are ready, I like to see dogs brought on steadily, confidence is built on experience, I know people have there own opinions, and I respect that, but I have seen more dogs screwed by impatience, than patience, I also respect that people do a lot more Earth work than me, and I am commenting in there field of expertise, something that I am sure someone will have a opinion on, 

  • Like 10
Link to post
  • 4 weeks later...

Work em when their ready for it. There is no age set in stone for a terrier some will start at a year old and never look back and some may need another year before wanting work and some will never do a thing. Their is no age specification that comes with a terrier if anyone says there is there on a different planet to ours.

  • Like 1
Link to post

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

  • Similar Content

    • By TheGrafter
      l
    • By Oshea
      Hello lads, merry Christmas and all that. I’ve got a terrier in my kennels that starting to test my patience. 
       
      Great dog, keen as mustard and all that but time and time again I’ve broken through to her steadily baying away only to find she’s sat with something mid tube on one occasion I broke though and there was nothing there however last week I said to myself if I break through I’ll clear the tubes up and pop her back in to make sure it isn’t my fault rather than blame her. Lo and behold it was sat about a meter back from the open end of the tube and eventually bolted itself - Happy says, a nice morning out (I only dig on my own and keep it private).
       
      However today we popped over to seasoned place, in she went, which was an incredibly large earth with multiple holes spanning across a bracken bank. Straight away she sat at 2.4 baying away well, too many entrances to net I kept an eye out for the bolt but nothing was to be seen. For the next hour maybe two she barley surfaced and worked the entire earth sitting and baying on occasion but shortly moving on and covering a great distance. Eventually on one occasion when she popped out, nose down looking for the next way in I picked her up and sat her back in the truck as I didn’t want to be sat there for another hour trying to get a mark. 
       
      my question is simple, what am I doing wrong? Or is the bitch at fault for not working her quarry to a stop end and staying. She isn’t massively experienced however for what’s she’s done I’ve found she’s intelligent and very safe often comes away without a mark. Please don’t recommend PTS or moving her on, I understand many terriermen wouldn’t tolerate this however for the times I have dug to her successfully it has been a great pleasure. I’ve had a conversation with a lad local to me and his response was “she’s not hard enough to hold them” which made me think one man’s preference may not be another’s. 
       
      all the best & happy new year 
    • By TheGrafter
      Morning lads,
      so I’ve always had black fell terriers and work them to ground. But for a few years I’ve noticed people starting work slightly broken coated very short coupled terriers that are little savages. I never really get a clear answer to what’s in them but I really like the look of them.
       
      one chap told me he’d crossed his Sealyham with a Russel and it turned out a good little worker. Just wondering if anyone else has had any experience with this breeding specifically for earth work? 
       
      thanks 
    • By Liz123
      We’re keen to introduce our 2 year old Jack Russell to ratting.
      We’re based in East Devon. Are there any local groups or anyone that can teach us / her the ropes?

×
×
  • Create New...