Post by moredtailboy on May 6, 2008 21:05:48 GMT -5
ok well I have a three month old jack russels how do I get this dog to start on cottontails i have a general idea if you really know what you are doing with these dogs could you PM me about it
well now there a bird in the mew im happy now the bunny slaying beggins
JRT's are gamey little terriers, you don't really have to get them "started" on rabbits per se. It's in their blood. What you've got to worry about is training the dog to hold back and not chase down or compete with the hawk for the bunny. I've seen a JRT literally knock a HH off it's catch, and the hawk wouldn't hunt over any of the dogs in the feild for the rest of the day.
Post by moredtailboy on May 14, 2008 20:45:50 GMT -5
Well I took my dog out and let her smell a trail. This dog went right down the trail made a sparp right turn into a concrete pile and busted the rabbit and this dog is only 3 months
well now there a bird in the mew im happy now the bunny slaying beggins
Post by UTLongWinger on Feb 20, 2009 10:31:47 GMT -5
how do you go about training a JRT to not chase or bump the hawk off a kill? My wife and I might pick up a JRT here in the next couple days to help me in flushing CTs for my Harris, and I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing in the training of the dog.
I usually let the HH train the bird. A lot of it comes with letting the HH eat near the bird. As the dog sniffs around the food, it will eventually get "corrected" by the bird and will become more wary of getting anywhere near the bird when it's on food or on a kill. -Joby
Post by UTLongWinger on Feb 20, 2009 15:43:25 GMT -5
Looks like our plans changed, I will probably end up getting a JRT pup or possibly 2 here in a couple months when my sisters litter is 8wks old, so I'll be raising a little JRT with my HH.
As it was said earlier, a JRT will learn the rabbit game all on its own. What you really need to work on is basic obedience. Also whenever you have the bird out have the dog with you. As long as the dog and bird have been introduced to each other when the dog is young you shouldn’t have a problem with aggression from the dog towards the bird. Before you even get the two out in the field I would let the bird eat a few meals on the ground with the dog around. Eventually the dog will try to get in close and see what the bird has. It won’t take too many times with the dog sticking its nose where it doesn’t belong before the bird sets some boundaries. Once the dog learns this lesson you shouldn’t have problems with it in the field.
Agreed. I don't have JRT's but from my own dogs the thing that taught them respect the best was getting "corrected" a few times, just as Joby said.
Working in the field is a bit different. I have never had JRT's myself but a strong recall and "leave-it" cue are going to be your best starter weapons. As terriers, a JRT is going to be a bit stubborn but they're also very smart; I myself would start training the dog without the bird to start, and work on a long-line while the dog is flushing. If they flush a bunny, give them the 'leave it' or 'hold' cue and reward them VERY generously if they turn their attention back towards you (or correct with the longline if they don't). They'll get the idea very soon that, if they flush a bunny, they'll automatically look to you for a reward.
All the while of course let the dog and bird be well-acquainted, especially during feeding time. The two should meld fairly seamlessly into each other when the time comes to hunt them together.
If you dislike someone, walk a mile in their shoes. Then, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. --Jack Handy
If they flush a bunny, give them the 'leave it' or 'hold' cue and reward them VERY generously if they turn their attention back towards you (or correct with the longline if they don't). They'll get the idea very soon that, if they flush a bunny, they'll automatically look to you for a reward.
I personally prefer my JRT to chase (keep the rabbit moving) after the flush. You just have to make sure they don't charge the bird on the ground. The dog should have that lesson down before the three of you hit the field. With the JRT, I find recall the most important thing. A JRT can cover a lot of ground in a short time and unless you can control where they work it is likely you will be following them or you will be out of position when a flush occurs. Like your bird, you want instance response from you dog in the field.
You picked a great hawking breed. Put the time in making sure you have the control you need with it in the field. If you do that you will have a hunting partner who will enjoy nothing more than flushing game for many years to come. My last JRT almost made it to 18 and was hunted most of her life.
Post by harrishawker on Aug 3, 2009 12:01:17 GMT -5
I can’t but help putting my opinion on this. I have two Patterdale Terriers, over here they are used for fox hunting and I would never dream of them being used in Falconry. I did think it once but that is as far as it got. Jack mussels (sorry habit..LOL) are a bit smaller but just as ruthless. Terriers where born to Hunt and Kill, Spaniels, Labs and pointers where not or not in the same way. If you want to train one with your bird than you go ahead but I know that my dogs would shred the rabbit to bits even if you have taught it not to strike the bird but then the bird will not give up that rabbit. I don’t need to give details or carry on I think........
Get one of the well known breeds, if you want to flush get a spaniel, if you are on the plains then get a pointer.
In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.
Here we often hawk rabbits in places where a larger pointer or retriever breed would not work. The smaller terriers and dachshunds slip into the deep bushes and overgrowth to flush out rabbits that a spaniel or lab would never be able to get to. I have, once, seen a jack russel bump a HH off its bunny, and it was very frustrating to watch as the hawk refused to fly over that dog for the rest of the day. Fortunately it seems to be a rare occurrence as most terriers will back off once the hawk has a hold of the catch, but if you want to flush those rabbits out of a brush pile or blackberry bush the size of a swimming pool it's a risk that is usually worth taking because these terriers will dive right in where no other dog will go.
Post by harrishawker on Aug 24, 2009 1:56:26 GMT -5
Hi If you can train your terrier to stay away from a caught rabbit by your bird then you have a very individual terrier. They were bred to hunt nothing more nothing less. They will see the rabbit if flushed and chase and nothing will stop it, if your bird catches it then I can’t see a terrier not ripping the bird and quarry to shreds. It sounds if your terrier will back off. I don’t want to put you off but one day a friend had a JR which backed off for 6 sessions the hunter thought he had cracked it well he had not one day. Good luck to you.
All the best Dave
In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.
Hi If you can train your terrier to stay away from a caught rabbit by your bird then you have a very individual terrier.
I guess we may have to agree to disagree on this one. I have seen many well behaved JRTs around birds. I think it just depends when the dogs are introduced to the birds. If a puppy is brought up around the birds and is allowed to be around them when they are eating on the ground then the hawk will teach them to respect their space. On the other hand, if the dog is older (past the very malleable puppy stage) when introduced I wouldn’t trust it around the bird.
My first JRT was hunted with birds for 15 seasons. She was introduced to them at 8 weeks of age and was around them for every feeding before the start of her first season. For 15 years she would chase rabbits but if the hawk would catch one she would hang just out of the reach of it. I never once worried about my hawks with this dog. My second JRT is a different story. She was about 11 months old when she was introduced to the birds. Her first reaction was I want to kill it. I think I have worked through most of her aggression towards birds but I will never put her in the field with hawks. While I don’t think she would go after the hawk alone right now, I do think if you throw in another stimulus like a rabbit squealing and all bets are off.
Bottom line is if you want to work a JRT in the field with your bird it should be worked around the bird from a very young age. Do a lot of ground feeding with the puppy around. If it gets too close the bird will let it know. It doesn’t take many lessons from the bird to teach a puppy to stay back.
Post by harrishawker on Aug 24, 2009 9:59:26 GMT -5
Yep!...Fine for me mate! I have learned that it can be done. I just would be very nervous whatever with any terrier. But keep on going you have obviously cracked it ;D
In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.
