What Bushing Dog

[Attaboy 159]

I'm considering a busher to work with my lurcher but not sure what to go for. I live on a boat with my young family and a cat so a dog that is easy to live with and doesn't get under your feet or bark all the time would be needed, the lurcher is great in this respect. With no access to a garden I need the dog to not vanish on a scent when allowed out to empty itself as we're mòored in a wooded valley. The lurcher is pretty good in this respect now that he's matured a bit.

I have no experience with this type of dog but I would love to be able to do some mooching with more success than at present. My main permission is a mixture of cattle pasture with Cornish hedges and broadleaved woodland and it's heaving with rabbits. There's also plenty of foxes, badgersand roe but im only after edible. I love lamping but want a bit of variety so what would you lads recommend? I know I'm asking a lot of a dog to fit all these requirements but that's why I'm asking you lads☺

[white van man 3,186]

Best thing I ever did was get a busher to work along side my lurcher. You see a lot more than you normally would have. I went for a spaniel x terrier. He’s settled in and isn’t scatty. I would probably go more for terrier though with living on a boat. Spaniels don’t tend to sit still for too long! Another option would be a beddy whippet type. I go out with a half cross and she bushes well. You also get the temperament of a lurcher. Only thing is not all beddy whippets will hit cover. Then again not all terriers or spaniels will. When you looking to get a pup?

[Attaboy 159]

13 hours ago, white van man said:

Best thing I ever did was get a busher to work along side my lurcher. You see a lot more than you normally would have. I went for a spaniel x terrier. He’s settled in and isn’t scatty. I would probably go more for terrier though with living on a boat. Spaniels don’t tend to sit still for too long! Another option would be a beddy whippet type. I go out with a half cross and she bushes well. You also get the temperament of a lurcher. Only thing is not all beddy whippets will hit cover. Then again not all terriers or spaniels will. When you looking to get a pup?

Thanks mate, my lurcher doesn't tend to find much when mooching, other than the big things that can get you in trouble, so a little busher would be great.

I am leaning towards a broken coated jrt, as I've known some lovely natured dogs of this type. My only worry is it going to ground... and yapping. 

I also like the idea of a beddy whippet because of the temprament. Do you think this cross would be the best option for bringing some feather to the table? I know the breeders of my dogs parents who breeds beddy whoppers from good working stock so that may be the way to go.

[Attaboy 159]

Beddy whoppers, beddy x great Dane, bloody predictive text!

[white van man 3,186]

Best ferreting and bushing dog I have been out with was a wire haired JRT. My busher definitely benefited from getting out with her.  She never went to ground. Yapping I doubt you would have any control over. I’d the beddy whippets you know of also go into cover then there’s an option. They should be good on feather too. Would say away from the beddy whoppers though! 

[Str 793]

On 21/02/2019 at 14:41, Attaboy said:

I'm considering a busher to work with my lurcher but not sure what to go for. I live on a boat with my young family and a cat so a dog that is easy to live with and doesn't get under your feet or bark all the time would be needed, the lurcher is great in this respect. With no access to a garden I need the dog to not vanish on a scent when allowed out to empty itself as we're mòored in a wooded valley. The lurcher is pretty good in this respect now that he's matured a bit.

I have no experience with this type of dog but I would love to be able to do some mooching with more success than at present. My main permission is a mixture of cattle pasture with Cornish hedges and broadleaved woodland and it's heaving with rabbits. There's also plenty of foxes, badgersand roe but im only after edible. I love lamping but want a bit of variety so what would you lads recommend? I know I'm asking a lot of a dog to fit all these requirements but that's why I'm asking you lads☺

Some of the things you want from your dog are more down to you than breed to some extent, like doing a runner when put out to relieve it’s self,most hunting dogs if not trained will do what they like when they like,terriers can be noisy for example barking at everyone who passes your boat but if checked you can stop this, terriers like go to ground but if discouraged from an early age it’s not a problem.regards what type of dog a lot depends on which working style suits you,I’ve had Bedlington terriers which were good workers quiet around the home and don’t loose hair but and it’s a big but they are most happy when pulling away from there owner when hunting which suits some,they also in my experience hunt for themselves not other dogs.the best dogs at pegging game birds I’ve seen are spaniels,some are mustard at it especially cockers,if you get a nice cocker and put some time into training it they would be ideal for you but a lot of cockers are hot and take some handling.what suits me now after many years bushing are short legged bright terriers the type that hunt not too far from there owners and with some effort put into training can be obedient dogs ideal for pushing rabbits out for lurchers or guns.

[Attaboy 159]

Thanks for the thorough replies. I think, going on the advice so far and on gut feeling, I should go for a little terrier.

I'm pondering whether to try for a rescue dog or a pup? I got my lurcher as a pup, definitely the way to go having young kids, cats and boat life but not sure my wife would want to go through that again, so may look for a rescue, what do you lads think?

Cheers

[white van man 3,186]

You might get one one here that someone might have to give up. 

[darbo 4,774]

Best one i have had in 35 years was a russel in the 80s ferreting marking bushing for lurchers put a lot of stuff out. Very intelligent trainable easy enough to live with.

[Aussie Whip 3,822]

If you decide on a Russell don't get one from denning lines,mine are great bushers but need constant activity when not hunting and would send you crazy on your boat.

Edited February 23, 2019 by Aussie Whip

[stormyboy 1,352]

A terrier with strong drive needs to be kept busy or they can get destructive . Same goes for spaniel etc. Great fun for bushing but a different temperament from most lurchers.

[jiggy 3,207]

 Hunting drive in that situation doesn't need a high octane dog.A beagle will disappear on a line. A springer will wreck your boat if your gone away. A terrier will bark and go to ground. While all these are good at certain situations if you can handle them, one of the best bushers I had was a Labrador. I was young and didn't have experience in training. The dog trained itself,then trained me, didn't wander, didn't fight , didn't wreck the place and let kids climb all over it without aggression. Great dog to hunt fox, rabbit ,and anything else from cover. Sometimes slower to get there than a springer but always put up stuff that they had passed because of her nose. Rabbits was the key to bring out her drive at the start for bursting cover and I didn't have a lurcher at the time but she would of complemented one perfectly. The only dog I had better was a springer but wouldn't suit a boat and was 8 year old before she stopped bouncing around. Even after been hunted 5 days in a row. Most terriers that could bush had the habit of disappearing for hours.

[Mark r 208]

Why not have a mix of beagle spaniel Russell they make handy dogs 

[shaaark 10,114]

There's two dog pups left from  a litter on here now, classified/for sale section.  Ready march 20. Dam russell/patterdale, sire whippet/russell/whippet. 

Pic of dog pup from previous litter, same parents, is there. Look, and sound suitable

 

Edited March 8, 2019 by shaaark

[Jackknife 820]

Socks on here got one up for sale, spaniel x patt nice and steady will do what you need I reckon