Starting out, new dog

[callum104 27]

Have always had an interest in dogs in general (ive always had terriers but later became interested in running dogs). I've lived in Spain for 5 years and have a 4 year old whippet but hes from show lines and has never worked. Recently, encouraged by my girlfriend we decided on getting another pup. We came across a galgo from good coursing lines and went for it (if anyone is interested there are a few videos of parents/grandparents coursing on the internet that i can post). He's currently 14 weeks old and has been with me for 2 weeks. He already has a decent recall and i'm now teaching him to retrieve. 

Is there any advice you'd give to someone about how to go about getting started, books worth reading, training etc? I know it's important not to overdo it but is there anything specific that i should be doing? The idea would be rabbiting/mooching and maybe hare coursing if i can find something fairly closeby. He's eating a diet of meat, offal and a bit of veg and is almost as big as the whippet already so going to be pretty big. Can already tell that they mature much slower than whippets, i guess becauae of the difference in size.

I've also seen there are a few users who travel to/live in spain so any insight in the laws etc over here hunting with dogs (I'm in the catalonia region) or experience with breed would be really helpful.

The first pic is of him before he arrived, the black bitch is the dam and thought i'd throw in a photo of my whippet...not a bad place to live!

Thanks for any help

 

[Black neck 15,161]

4 minutes ago, callum104 said:

Have always had an interest in dogs in general (ive always had terriers but later became interested in running dogs). I've lived in Spain for 5 years and have a 4 year old whippet but hes from show lines and has never worked. Recently, encouraged by my girlfriend we decided on getting another pup. We came across a galgo from good coursing lines and went for it (if anyone is interested there are a few videos of parents/grandparents coursing on the internet that i can post). He's currently 14 weeks old and has been with me for 2 weeks. He already has a decent recall and i'm now teaching him to retrieve. 

Is there any advice you'd give to someone about how to go about getting started, books worth reading, training etc? I know it's important not to overdo it but is there anything specific that i should be doing? The idea would be rabbiting/mooching and maybe hare coursing if i can find something fairly closeby. He's eating a diet of meat, offal and a bit of veg and is almost as big as the whippet already so going to be pretty big. Can already tell that they mature much slower than whippets, i guess becauae of the difference in size.

I've also seen there are a few users who travel to/live in spain so any insight in the laws etc over here hunting with dogs (I'm in the catalonia region) or experience with breed would be really helpful.

The first pic is of him before he arrived, the black bitch is the dam and thought i'd throw in a photo of my whippet...not a bad place to live!

Thanks for any help

 

You sure it's a galgo its shnozzer only foot an haif 

[Blackmag 5,862]

Ask mushroom on here about the laws etc and I think sandymere runs galgos so he may be able to offer some insight for you 

[ginger beard 4,652]

@sandymere

[sandymere 8,260]

Hi Callum l have a couple of Galgos in the UK, I've used my older bitch as a lurcher, she coursed competitively in Spain prior to that, and I've a sapling. My advice is if you want it to work like a lurcher raise it like on. They are slow maturing both physically and mentally but have an easy nature.

Do you know the breeding of your pup? Mine are capote, thrones lines. 

Coursing in Spain is closely controlled you need to contact owners near to you to find out about the local hunting preserves etc. 

http://www.galgoes.com/

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by sandymere

[callum104 27]

Lovely looking dogs! The facial markings on the brindle one are really unusual. Yeah he's "de los montes" lines. His sire is "distinto de los montes" son of "tara de los montes" both well known coursing dogs. I'll put up a bit more info when my girlfriend gets home, she's got the full family tree. 

[Black neck 15,161]

11 minutes ago, callum104 said:

Lovely looking dogs! The facial markings on the brindle one are really unusual. Yeah he's "de los montes" lines. His sire is "distinto de los montes" son of "tara de los montes" both well known coursing dogs. I'll put up a bit more info when my girlfriend gets home, she's got the full family tree. 

Not a clue wor all that lot means rodney but atvb wi it pal hope it does you.proud

[sandymere 8,260]

14 hours ago, callum104 said:

Lovely looking dogs! The facial markings on the brindle one are really unusual. Yeah he's "de los montes" lines. His sire is "distinto de los montes" son of "tara de los montes" both well known coursing dogs. I'll put up a bit more info when my girlfriend gets home, she's got the full family tree. 

Fron a good line

https://www.marca.com/blogs/cuaderno-caza/2012/08/24/la-mejor-galga-nacional-tara-bicampeona.html

the white head and or markings are pretty common in galgos

 

[callum104 27]

Thought that i'd post an update on the pup.

He's now almost 6 months old, much bigger and stronger and I'm beginning to socialise him a lot more as the temperature has dropped and dogs are allowed to go to the beacg again where I live (lots of dogs around). 

Currently he enjoys terrorising the local pigeons and I've definitely noticed a lot more prey drive than in my whippet. Maybe because the whippet is from show lines. Can also notice that he has a lot more natural endurance, just letting him run around as much as he wants but he never stops. 

In general lovely pup to be around and apart from taking a part of the wall on the terrace back to the brick he hasn't destroyed anything yet when i'm working etc.

 

 

 

 

[callum104 27]

A few pics from the other day

[Saltmoon 2,208]

Shapeing up nicely. Did you ever get round to looking into the coursing where you are on the laws ect? 

[callum104 27]

Yeah, first I need to register myself to then be able to register the pup with the spanish galgo federation. They do a blood test to prove via dna that his pedigree is correct. Then it's basically finding a regional event I can go to and registering him. They control it a lot here since people starting importing greyhounds and mixing them and they were beginning to lose bloodlines. Now they have separate events for national dogs and imports (greyhounds basically).

Not sure how to go about it in the sense that I've heard that they like their dogs to have seen only a few hares before starting competitions or they learn too much and cut corners, predict the hares movement etc and that doesn't win points. How did people prepare hare coursing dogs when it was legal ?

The point system they use is imported from England, but the only vids i've found of hare coursing comps outside of Spain is Ireland with greyhounds. It looks like basically a straight line sprint so very different to spanish coursing.

In terms of hunting you have to buy "permission", private land normally looked after with hunting in mind with a gamekeeper etc. Prices vary but for just rabbits and hares it seems to be cheaper and you pay per year. Also depends on how many days you can hunt there, size of land etc. A guy I know has offered to take me to permission he has with hare but obviously until next year the pup wont be near ready. 

Not sure on the punishments for going on public land over here but I know people that have done it without problems. 

[Dinosaurs 2,007]

Hi bud very nice pup & lovely markings. Dave Slieght has good vid think its on you tube Purdys Progress all about raising training etc may be of interest to you. Atb

[sandymere 8,260]

This groups may have some contacts, or you can advertise to buy hunting permission.

https://www.milanuncios.com/galgos/grupo-de-guasa-para-ablar-de-caza-315285040.htm

 

[callum104 27]

Cheers, will have a look