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Lets see them old fashioned whippet/collie ferreting dogs


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2 hours ago, fred90 said:

to me that's exactly what they are bred for. I know greyhound blood would produce a better runner but I don't really need a what I call a running dog. I see little whippet crosses as mooching, marking, hunting dog's. mine catches rabbits usually short 20 yard dashes or just out of cover. she regularly puts up the big rabbits manages to get one turn then it's away but it's no bad thing. 

You've hit the nail on the head!

I've always wondered why it is that I prefer whippet crosses to greyhound crosses but could never quite put in into words. I even wondered if it's simply because I tend to believe that "the best things come in small packages," e.g. I prefer sparrowhawks to goshawks, jackdaws are my favourite crows etc but what you've said makes so much sense...I don't think of whippet crosses as small lurchers but as vermin dogs in the same way as mongrelly terriers and dogs with "a bit of collie and some spaniel back on the dam's side."

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Back in the day,..we used whatever jukel that was available...they had to work,...we made them work....it was emotional... Nowadays,  we breed what we want from a massive gene pool,...the hunting

First cross collie whippet 

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When I started catching rabbits on a professional basis,.I went away from the larger (and arguably more versatile jukels) and instead I favored, the smaller, more compact animals.

Obviously, such critters do have their own physical  limitations, however, this factor was replaced by their ability to get 'down and dirty ' in the darkest hedge bottoms and dense brash. 

I've kept a miscellany of lurcher hybrids, but never bothered in retaining working dogs that were not best suited, to the task in hand. 

I've done it, I admit it,..but I always found this folly to be a wasteful pastime....?

 

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5 hours ago, Neal said:

You've hit the nail on the head!

I've always wondered why it is that I prefer whippet crosses to greyhound crosses but could never quite put in into words. I even wondered if it's simply because I tend to believe that "the best things come in small packages," e.g. I prefer sparrowhawks to goshawks, jackdaws are my favourite crows etc but what you've said makes so much sense...I don't think of whippet crosses as small lurchers but as vermin dogs in the same way as mongrelly terriers and dogs with "a bit of collie and some spaniel back on the dam's side."

People seem to forget a rabbit rarely runs further than 25.yrds in the day hence sumat that in its stride in flash is handy

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10 hours ago, Loton Moocher said:

People seem to forget a rabbit rarely runs further than 25.yrds in the day hence sumat that in its stride in flash is handy

I rarely see a rabbit near me now; it's only my holidays to Dartmoor that give the dogs a chance to remember the scent of rabbit. Even there, as you say, it's rarely more than a five or ten yard dash. I get a lot more fun out of watching mine stalking a rabbit or squirrel than a protracted course.

Ned nearly caught his first pigeon in the garden last week when it took off under the kids trampoline. It hit the base several times before it had the sense to fly out instead of up. The only reason he didn't get there in time was because I'd told him to lay down by the back door as I was walking towards it with the catapult but it kept walking behind various pieces of garden furniture. That's the difference between them and my previous collie crosses: they were biddable enough to "stay down" when told to, whereas the kelpies are sensible enough to ignore the command when they think it's right to do so.

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Rabbits are getting scarce everywhere exept bucks as a mate keeps sending photos lol seems to endless supply down there , our patch is so varied alot hills in the south and flat arable in the north with lots of pasture inbetween this is where you seem to get more rabbits and where the nippy dog exelles ,the big arable fields aint so popular with rabbits just pockets im convinced rabbit numbers aint down just from diesese , iv gone full circle in dogs started with small nippy ones and me next will be the same even tho the bitch i run now aint big ,its horses for courses really as i aint getting any younger ? 

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On 27/09/2020 at 17:29, Neal said:

You've hit the nail on the head!

I've always wondered why it is that I prefer whippet crosses to greyhound crosses but could never quite put in into words. I even wondered if it's simply because I tend to believe that "the best things come in small packages," e.g. I prefer sparrowhawks to goshawks, jackdaws are my favourite crows etc but what you've said makes so much sense...I don't think of whippet crosses as small lurchers but as vermin dogs in the same way as mongrelly terriers and dogs with "a bit of collie and some spaniel back on the dam's side."

It also cheaper to feed a small un than a big un ? So i was told by a well crafty old fecker many moons ago ? old he may av been but was very v wise and knew how to fill the bag , i learned a lot from him , but dont forget him in fits of laughter when telling him about lamping , what poaching with a light it was a bit like capt mannering sayin  you stupid boy ? ???

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On 28/09/2020 at 22:35, Loton Moocher said:

It also cheaper to feed a small un than a big un ? So i was told by a well crafty old fecker many moons ago ? old he may av been but was very v wise and knew how to fill the bag , i learned a lot from him , but dont forget him in fits of laughter when telling him about lamping , what poaching with a light it was a bit like capt mannering sayin  you stupid boy ? ???

I remember a lot of old boys being horrified at the thought of shining a lamp. they were all longnetting men. 

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1 hour ago, fred90 said:

I remember a lot of old boys being horrified at the thought of shining a lamp. they were all longnetting men. 

when I was a kid I remember the men going poaching with long nets and drag line .

we always had a lurcher or two that was used in day time on hares and ferreting but never see them lamping at night ,it was about not being seen so nets ,snares and catty used mostly .

 

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