Natural History

Posted in Sighthounds, working dogs | Tagged borzoi, coursing with sight hounds, sighthound, wolf hunting | 12 Comments

12 Responses

1. on September 28, 2009 at 3:28 am Jen

   We just adopted what I believe to be a whippet mix – her prey drive, speed & endurance is truly impressive.

   This was fun to watch – thanks!

   
   
2. on September 28, 2009 at 1:20 pm Bridget K.

   It’s always nice to see motivated dogs doing their own, natural thing. Like chasing a game.
   But what comes to the hunting with retrievers I think in the US they use electric collar too much. I think if one needs electricity to get the dog motivated, it’s fake.
   I think here in Nort-Europe, we are more natural. I don’t even know what’s ther collar like. Is it the kind that can be seen in this clip:
   

   If the collar is used, I think these kind of “amazing retrievings” are nothing but fake and nothing to talk about.

   
   
   • on September 29, 2009 at 12:52 am flattie-n-Labbie

     “It’s always nice to see motivated dogs doing their own, natural thing. Like chasing a game.
     But what comes to the hunting with retrievers I think in the US they use electric collar too much. I think if one needs electricity to get the dog motivated, it’s fake.
     I think here in Nort-Europe, we are more natural. I don’t even know what’s ther collar like. Is it the kind that can be seen in this clip:
     …

     If the collar is used, I think these kind of “amazing retrievings” are nothing but fake and nothing to talk about.”

     I haven’t been doing this very long (going on 6 years), but I’ve been lucky enough to train with very good people. The electric collar is NOT used for motivation–or if it is, it’s very obvious (and those dogs are usually called “pigs”).

     Your retriever trials ARE more natural/realistic than what this guy is doing (which has nothing to do with our hunt tests, and very little–except the distance–to do with our field trials). With a young dog like this, if the collar had been used on retrieves, I don’t think the dog would be retrieving–it would be confused. Perhaps he uses it for obedience? I don’t think he used it in the video at all, for sure.

     By the way–I have NO idea what this guy is doing. He says:

     “Our Labrador Retriever makes a couple of insanely long (500 Yard) Retrieves. The amazing part is that it is only her 4th time out doing marks and the first 2 times were in my back yard – about 50 yards and the 3rd time at a ball field about 100 yards. ”

     I have no idea why he’s doing 500 yard retrieves with a dog that’s only done marked retrieves a couple of times before, mostly in the back yard. The speedometer on my truck goes to 120 mph, but that doesn’t mean that’s how fast I should be driving.

     The dog is exuberant, but clearly winded–nice way to overwork a dog that’s not in shape, and convince it that retrieving isn’t as fun as it first thought. I also don’t know why a dog that’s an adolescent has only had a handful of marked retrieves anyway–should have had a few a day starting down a hallway at 7 weeks old, and building on the fun.

     I don’t know why he’s putting this on Youtube and begging for 5-star ratings, either. It’s nice he loves his dog, but it doesn’t really have anything to do with any retriever training I’ve ever seen.

     Anyway, from what I see the retriever in the clip was going on instinct and desire–not on collar force. But WHY the owner is having it go like this, I’m not sure. (I have a theory… ;) )

     
     
     • on September 29, 2009 at 12:56 am flattie-n-Labbie

       Full disclosure–I do use an e-collar, it’s the tool that works for me for what I choose to do with my dogs.

       If a person doesn’t, that’s fine in my mind, too. Different strokes, etc.

       
       
     • on September 29, 2009 at 1:23 am retrieverman

       That dog is a good example of a labrawhippet, BTW.

       
       
       • on September 29, 2009 at 1:44 am flattie-n-Labbie

         “That dog is a good example of a labrawhippet, BTW.”

         She is kind of a homely little thing, isn’t she. But–she looks like she might be 8 or 10 months old??? Her body looks like it will fill out a bit. I don’t know about that nose, though! Put some long black hair on her and…

         I actually think she’s a nice dog. She’s calm enough even as a bit of an inexperienced puppy that she’ll probably be a cool enough customer in the long run, and she’s quiet, and she’s got some ooomph. Hopefully this fellow will bump into some trainers that will show him how to build on that natural ability.

         He loves his dog and it’s none of my business, so I should just smile and shut up. I’ve got my own critters to worry about.

         
         
3. on September 29, 2009 at 1:01 am flattie-n-Labbie

   Cool borzoi video, by the way. I’m sure I’ve never seen video of sight hounds working together like this. Very interesting.

   
   
   • on September 29, 2009 at 1:22 am retrieverman

     In the Western states, they use staghounds and long dogs to kill coyotes and jackrabbits (although it’s becoming more and more illegal).

     
     
4. on September 29, 2009 at 3:14 am H. Houlahan

   Where is coursing illegal in the west?

   There was a kerfluffle in California a couple years back, that came to nothing.

   I have actually had the privilege of coursing hares with both greyhounds and salukis in that state, and it was completely legal.

   Here there is no place big enough and open enough to do it, and no hares for suitable prey.

   
   
   • on September 29, 2009 at 3:20 am retrieverman

     I thought it went down in California.

     You can’t use a sighthound here. It can’t run more than a hundred yards before it encounters thick brush or a nearly 90 degree drop-off.

     
     
   • on September 29, 2009 at 3:27 am retrieverman

     BTW, I know you don’t like my earlier dog training post.

     I honestly didn’t want to go where I just went, but I took the bait.

     I still think that not everyone has all the answers on dog training, and maybe there are cases that some dogs (in the right hands) may have to go to reform school.

     
     
   • on September 29, 2009 at 3:29 am retrieverman

     It’s illegal to course deer. That’s what I was thinking about.

     You can’t course deer here either, but you can in Virginia (although I don’t think anyone does it).

     
     

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