What is the earliest age,you allow your pups.........

[kvnmcwebn 0]

Im not an expert but from my experience id say there ready when there fully developed mentally and physically. When a bite would only drive them on and not make them afraid. You could ruin them starting them to early.

KV

I agree a bad experience could surely ruin them.But I don't plan on a nip from a rat doing that,and if a rat bite can cur out a fired up pup,the pup might not going to turn into what I'm after.I'm just talking about simple ratting here,not the big of haul of rats that it would take an experienced dog to tackle.Just simple,fun, stuff for the pups

craig

 

Ok yeah, I guess it still depends on the dog though. Actually i think killing a few mice really helped increased the drive in mine when they were young.

[Guest friedrice]

all pups are different,some slower than others, my young bitch pup is now almost 11 months and she killed her first rat at 3&1/2 months,she hasnt seen any since tho, but she did chopp my mates ferret

and yet some dogs a being dug to at the same age. they all start a different times

[DUCKWING 302]

WELL FELLAS ,

 

AS KIDS WE WOULD DROP TIN SHEETS ... BOARDS ... OLD DOORS ETC IN ROUGH PASTCHES TO ENCOURAGE MICE TO NEST FOR THE PUPS ,BUT I GAVE UP WITH THAT AS A KID AS MOST OF THE DOGS ENDED UP EATING THE BLOODY THINGS ,......... I DID USED TO RAT QUITE A BIT AND TRAVELLED MILES AS A TEENAGER DURING THE LATE SUMMER / AUTUMN FOR A GO AT A BIG BAG ..... HAD SOME GOOD TIMES AT THE KNACKERS YARDS

 

NOW ? ....... WELL TO BE HONEST I BOTHER VERY LITTLE AND THE PUPS GO MORE OR LESS STRAIGHT TO DIGGING ....

AND TO BE HONEST ,............ IVE FOUND NO DIFFERENCE ......... THE TERRIER ,..........LIKE THE COURSING DOG EITHER HAS IT IN HIM ......OR IT HASNT , NO AMOUNT OF CAREFUL ENTERING WILL STOP A DOG FROM QUITTING IF ITS IN HIM

HARD WORK AND PLENTY OF IT FINDS OUT THE QUESTIONS WHICH MUST BE ASKED .

 

OF COURSE AN IDIOT CAN MAKE A GOOD DOG QUIT .............. IAM TALKING OF ONLY OF DOGMEN

 

 

DUCKWING

[Guest friedrice]

WELL FELLAS ,

 

AS KIDS WE WOULD DROP TIN SHEETS ... BOARDS ... OLD DOORS ETC IN ROUGH PASTCHES TO ENCOURAGE MICE TO NEST FOR THE PUPS ,BUT I GAVE UP WITH THAT AS A KID AS MOST OF THE DOGS ENDED UP EATING THE BLOODY THINGS ,......... I DID USED TO RAT QUITE A BIT AND TRAVELLED MILES AS A TEENAGER DURING THE LATE SUMMER / AUTUMN FOR A GO AT A BIG BAG ..... HAD SOME GOOD TIMES AT THE KNACKERS YARDS

 

NOW ? ....... WELL TO BE HONEST I BOTHER VERY LITTLE AND THE PUPS GO MORE OR LESS STRAIGHT TO DIGGING ....

AND TO BE HONEST ,............ IVE FOUND NO DIFFERENCE ......... THE TERRIER ,..........LIKE THE COURSING DOG EITHER HAS IT IN HIM ......OR IT HASNT , NO AMOUNT OF CAREFUL ENTERING WILL STOP A DOG FROM QUITTING IF ITS IN HIM

HARD WORK AND PLENTY OF IT FINDS OUT THE QUESTIONS WHICH MUST BE ASKED .

 

OF COURSE AN IDIOT CAN MAKE A GOOD DOG QUIT .............. IAM TALKING OF ONLY OF DOGMEN

 

 

DUCKWING

you couldent say anything more true duckwing

[uru 341]

WELL FELLAS ,

 

AS KIDS WE WOULD DROP TIN SHEETS ... BOARDS ... OLD DOORS ETC IN ROUGH PASTCHES TO ENCOURAGE MICE TO NEST FOR THE PUPS ,BUT I GAVE UP WITH THAT AS A KID AS MOST OF THE DOGS ENDED UP EATING THE BLOODY THINGS ,......... I DID USED TO RAT QUITE A BIT AND TRAVELLED MILES AS A TEENAGER DURING THE LATE SUMMER / AUTUMN FOR A GO AT A BIG BAG ..... HAD SOME GOOD TIMES AT THE KNACKERS YARDS

 

NOW ? ....... WELL TO BE HONEST I BOTHER VERY LITTLE AND THE PUPS GO MORE OR LESS STRAIGHT TO DIGGING ....

AND TO BE HONEST ,............ IVE FOUND NO DIFFERENCE ......... THE TERRIER ,..........LIKE THE COURSING DOG EITHER HAS IT IN HIM ......OR IT HASNT , NO AMOUNT OF CAREFUL ENTERING WILL STOP A DOG FROM QUITTING IF ITS IN HIM

HARD WORK AND PLENTY OF IT FINDS OUT THE QUESTIONS WHICH MUST BE ASKED .

 

OF COURSE AN IDIOT CAN MAKE A GOOD DOG QUIT .............. IAM TALKING OF ONLY OF DOGMEN

 

 

DUCKWING

Duckwing,

Good post friend.I completely agree,they either will or won't.It's just entertaining to me,to see what they do,or want to do,as pups.But like the story I told,was proof.I have no doubt,had the female never seen a rat,she would have still made a fine coon dog.Same with the male,had he never been on a rat,he still would have been culled when grown,due to not working out.All the same,it is fun to see the fire & technique pups use on rats.

craig

[Tracy36 0]

I may be going off track here, but I need advice and 'taking under an experienced cam' jacket'. Ok I have been in the closet and denied my dog is a hunter, so yep, Im now out of Narnia cuz' the dog is driving me crackers! He is a patterdale and has just turned 2, he's always been gamey, picks up scents and bolts, flushes rabbits (and has hold of a couple), digs for anything, marks and gets down holes etc. I don't know where to start or the do' and don'ts, is there anyone out there who will take me and my dog under their wing and give us a start please? I live in Staffordshire and it seems a shame not to let the little fella do some work. mail me.

 

Tracy

[OldNog 432]

just watch your dog and youl see when they are ready.

 

I started taking mine out around the farm at 5 months and see started getting keen and started to show a maturity to her keeness...not just puppy excitment.

 

She killed her first rat at just over 5 months. Getting bit just encourages mine