Tab

[Tab]

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... but I'm not sure how to go about it. I've read books and articles etc but am still rather daunted by the whole thing. I've never even seen terriers / lurchers at work - I feel I need practical advise / help. Would joining a terrier / lurcher club be my best bet? Any other suggestions (I'm a CA member too)? Plus, are my dogs too old - the two bitches are 5 years, but I also have a young small lurcher dog (8 1/2 mths). I've definately got access to loads of rabbits and more rats than I'd like

 

[DOXHOPE]

Hi Tab,

dont think your dogs are too old at all. Over the decades I have had 4 main dogs that I bred, reared and worked. Three of these worked till they were into their 13th year, no hard graft mind you in their latter years, just a half a dozen rabbits every now and again, the 4th dog was stolen at the age of 7. My bitch Yella was 8 years old when she caught her record number of rabbits in one nights work. If your dogs have been well looked after (which, by your post I think they will have) age dosnt come into it so much.

Welcome to the site

Lurcher clubs can assist, but some are geared up more for shows etc, try to get into a working lurcher club if you can, in or around your area. I was chairman of the Northumberland & Durham Working Lurcher Club, we ran lamping competitions, coursing events, as well as shows ect...

If you can get on land where there are so many rabbits, get stuck into them, get them dogs fit and working them, but maybe time to consider a pup!!!

 

[boom]

i'd definatly go for the rabbits with a lurcher but not rats a terrier would be better working and killing rats as there small enuff :thumbsup:

 

[Tab]

Thanks for the replies. I will look for a suitable club

I've got two terriers - a pure beddie and a lakeland x beddie, plus the young lurcher dog (whippet/bedlington x JR). The land I have in mind is soooo over run with rabbits - they hop about in broad daylight only 50 metres or so in front. The rats are awful at the moment too, I saw four during the day today - one ran over my daughter's foot! I'm afraid I may have spolit the two terriers for working rabbits as for practical reasons I've trained them to leave them alone - the rats are a different matter though. :thumbsup:

 

[boom]

m8 sorry but its time to wake up ...

rats are a problem and to be onest i think ur terriers should be killing them go have some fun hehe let them lose :cheers:

 

[~elizabeth~]

I wouldn't try dogs on rats unless they have a fair amount of experience. Ours misjudged his first rat slightly, so that it got in a quick nip on the nose. It put him off a bit, and the next few bunnies he got he didn't kill cleanly as he was wary of the biting end.

If you know of somewhere with a fair density of rabbits, chances are there will be a few myxamatosed ones which will be easy for inexperienced dogs to catch, especially if they are older and may get a bit fed up if the first few you try them on all disappear down their holes immediately.

Ours always catches more when he's been racing or lurecoursing recently too, he's just that little bit sharper.

 

[mally]

I wouldn't try dogs on rats unless they have a fair amount of experience. Ours misjudged his first rat slightly, so that it got in a quick nip on the nose. It put him off a bit, and the next few bunnies he got he didn't kill cleanly as he was wary of the biting end.

If you know of somewhere with a fair density of rabbits, chances are there will be a few myxamatosed ones which will be easy for inexperienced dogs to catch, especially if they are older and may get a bit fed up if the first few you try them on all disappear down their holes immediately.

Ours always catches more when he's been racing or lurecoursing recently too, he's just that little bit sharper.

my whippet doesn't kill rabbits she retrieves them live to hand. In my experience a dogs no good ratting if it's not been bit, a bite seems to sharpen them up.

make sure your ratting dogs are jabbed up though m8. filthy things rats i hate em

 

[Tab]

They're all jabbed. Wish I was, they're all over the place :x The yard owner (it's a livery yard) put poison down last week but it has not made much odds (as yet anyway). How long until it's safe for my dogs to have a go at the rats with out poisoning them?

 

[mally]

you could work the rats now m8. just make sure all the bait is in proper boxes and the dogs can't get to it. Some rat bait also attracts dogs as well as rats, so make sure it's all in boxes or places not accessable to the dogs. The only time it could be a problem is if your dogs eat the bait or the dead rats just keep a close eye on them. I've worked rats that had prevously been baited and i've not had problems. However once the yard owner knows your keen and the dogs do the business he / she will ring you if they get problems as rat bait is expensive. If you enjoy ratting i'd recommend you invest in a smoker. we use an old chainsaw with the bar and chain removed. We've adapted the exhaust to take a length of pipe and add a little bit more two stroke oil and thats our smoker. it's simple but effective

we have had some great days the best days are around the run down poultry farms. Don't forget to wear wellys !!!!