Sanji hunting @ MTB speed

[eeeefarm]

@zande said in Sanji hunting @ MTB speed:

I don't feel it is necessary to recall them just because they are out of sight -

No coyotes in the U.K. When I was at the farm I wanted to keep my guy within view. Do you have skunks? (another good reason to keep them in sight!)

[Zande]

No - just dogs thieves. And I guess I wouldn't know what to do with a coyote OR a skunk, but I still don't call my dogs back more than necessary.

(Mine wouldn't let a thief near them - I hope. And they are on the wane now there is not the demand)

[eeeefarm]

A coyote could easily kill a Basenji, or lure them so the pack can do them in. I have seen coyotes while out walking, both at my farm and in the woods, so I was always careful. And Perry did get skunked once! Not very pleasant to deal with, and some dogs never learn to leave them alone. We also have porcupines. My friend has had to deal with pulling quills out of a dog's face and mouth. If you have a solid recall in the face of distractions you can hopefully avoid that misery....both for them and you.

[Zande]

@eeeefarm We have no coyotes in the UK and there are many non-Americans or Canadians on this forum who don't have them either, but who do like to run their Basenjis free.

Customs and habits (and wildlife) differ from continent to continent.

[eeeefarm]

Oh, I agree with you and wish it was possible here without risk. Sadly, it isn't.

[sanjibasenji]

@roguecoyote
I don't actually hunt, so I have no idea. Just mtb. Curious though how a Basenji hunts.

[sanjibasenji]

@zande said in Sanji hunting @ MTB speed:

@sanjibasenji Mine are out of sight much of the time. But they always seem to know where I am (and I make sure I know in which direction they headed off, even though they often appear from the opposite side !) Main thing is the solid recall - which is absolute gold dust. I whistle to get them back. My son, when he has them out, calls them by name. They come back to either - and at speed !

I only call them back if I feel they have been away too long or I am changing direction and what them to be aware of the new path. I don't feel it is necessary to recall them just because they are out of sight -

This just like my experience. Only call back if I think he doesn't know where I am, since otherwise, he's following me at a distance. But if he's a bit away, it takes up to a minute or more of whistling and calling out his name for him to find me. I'm getting more comfortable with it.

[Zande]

@sanjibasenji said in Sanji hunting @ MTB speed:

@roguecoyote
I don't actually hunt, so I have no idea. Just mtb. Curious though how a Basenji hunts.

Some actually quarter the ground - its great to watch them. Especially if you have a pair or a team working in tandem.

[sanjibasenji]

@zande said in Sanji hunting @ MTB speed:

@sanjibasenji said in Sanji hunting @ MTB speed:

@roguecoyote
I don't actually hunt, so I have no idea. Just mtb. Curious though how a Basenji hunts.

Some actually quarter the ground - its great to watch them. Especially if you have a pair or a team working in tandem.

You know something about it! I've never even heard the term "quarter the ground." It's not easy to find an explanation of it either. From what I have found, it seems to mean cover the ground to flush out prey side to side, as with this advice on training a hunting dog:

"Once he’s fully trained we want to just ‘click him off’ to start him hunting and then just let him quarter the ground in front of us with minimal direction. Teaching the youngster to work a pattern is an important element of early training. Some will quarter naturally but most will need to be encouraged to hunt in a side-to-side pattern across the front of you."

https://www.sportingshooter.co.uk/gundogs/train-your-gundog-to-be-a-better-beating-dog-6278630

[Zande]

@sanjibasenji I guess because I come from a farming community which also hunts, I have known the term since forever and yes, my Chezz and her daughter Trouble worked in tandem, nose to the ground, in patterns, mostly kind of oblongs. They taught themselves to quarter the ground when hunting and I recognised it as soon as it happened - many times over their long lives.

That is a very interesting article and much of it pertains to training any dog, not just a hunter.