miss2 Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Hi everyone, just wondering if there are any other alternative sports to earth dog? ( we are 3 hours away from any clubs) I have a 2 year old JRT who, like his breed should be - is obsessed with hunting. He feels the need to catch anything, mice, rats, possums, feral pigs ANYTHING!( he has been bitten twice by snakes and last week was bailed up by a pig) When we first got him as an 8 week old pup we lived on land and my husband took him ratting a lot of the time so this encouraged his already terrier nature. Now due to unforeseen circumstances we have had to move into town and we only go out to the property maybe once a fortnight. He is so keen to be as a terrier is and work / hunt that he will stay up all night whining at the window for the spot that he saw a possum a week ago. I am trying to use distractions to refocus his attention so he doesn't concentrate on it as much but it doesn't seem to be working as he is just so focused on what he has seen or smelled. Should we be doing a sport like earth dog or will this only encourage his instincts? Up until we moved we did regular obedience and had just started agility training, I am in the process of finding another agility club to start in again as well as attending another obedience class to further our training but was wondering if there are any other things, sports or activities I can do with him that someone could recommend? Does anyone have any tips on refocusing attention? I might add that he is incredibly smart but also incredibly stubborn! Thanks for your time :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 What about using a flirt pole? That might help not only burn off some energy, but you could also then turn that into a game that you can use for focus on you or rewarding behaviour for training/sports. http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1645&ParentCat=39 http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=915&ParentCat=39 There is also lure coursing - not sure if it is held where you are? Which is a lure (plastic bag) that is pulled along a wire along a course, and the dog chases it. And there is JRT racing - chasing a lure over a course which includes some low jumps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted May 1, 2014 Author Share Posted May 1, 2014 had never seen them before Kavik - thank you i will order one and see if he likes it. i will also look into the lure and racing, hopefully we have one near by! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 You can continue agility training without a club - making him think will help tire him out. Easy to teach weaves, contacts, waiting (stay) the stuff that requires lots of practice, without too much equipment. Flirt poles are great - you can easily make one at home to see if he likes it, but it's hard to imagine a terrier that wouldn't LOL. If you have a bit of room and some handy-person help you could make some earth dog style tunnels even if it's just some suitable sized pipes laid above ground. Personally I'd be redirecting him away from hunting and on to stuff he can do WITH you, hard work with an independent minded terrier but if you're not going to be in a position to allow him to go ratting or do earthdog trials then he obviously needs an alternative you can both live with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 teach him to help aroundteh house? Pick up things for you ..put toys in box ..find lost sox ..carry mail .... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted May 1, 2014 Author Share Posted May 1, 2014 You can continue agility training without a club - making him think will help tire him out. Easy to teach weaves, contacts, waiting (stay) the stuff that requires lots of practice, without too much equipment. Flirt poles are great - you can easily make one at home to see if he likes it, but it's hard to imagine a terrier that wouldn't LOL. If you have a bit of room and some handy-person help you could make some earth dog style tunnels even if it's just some suitable sized pipes laid above ground. Personally I'd be redirecting him away from hunting and on to stuff he can do WITH you, hard work with an independent minded terrier but if you're not going to be in a position to allow him to go ratting or do earthdog trials then he obviously needs an alternative you can both live with. i think that's where i am confused, do i continue with this hunting instinct or try to move away... we have a small agility set up at home, hes AMAZING at the jumps and loves the tunnel more then anything, if i leave it set up and hes outside he will spend hours running in and out of the tunnel by him self lol persephone - that would be amazing... are you being sarcastic or serious LOL wouldnt know the first thing about how to teach that!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Look up kikopup on YouTube - great trainer for tricks to keep your dog mentally stimulated. She does teach stuff like putting away toys. Does your dog know how to tug? Tug is great for prey driven dogs, but you need to do it in a controlled manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 persephone - that would be amazing... are you being sarcastic or serious LOL sarcastic? No. Once you master the basics .. these things are great :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted May 1, 2014 Author Share Posted May 1, 2014 Thanks Megan I will have a look. He is very good at tug and will immediately stop if he makes contact with a hand, he can be super revved up and tugging and you can tell him he can have the toy but if your hand is on it he won't touch it! Hubby now wants me to teach him to get a beer lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 i think that's where i am confused, do i continue with this hunting instinct or try to move away... we have a small agility set up at home, hes AMAZING at the jumps and loves the tunnel more then anything, if i leave it set up and hes outside he will spend hours running in and out of the tunnel by him self lol persephone - that would be amazing... are you being sarcastic or serious LOL wouldnt know the first thing about how to teach that!! It's great that he loves jumps and tunnels, IMO he needs to also learn to be calm and careful and do very precise stuff too - such as the contacts and weaves I suggested. Another thought - flyball?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 (edited) Be very careful about teaching him to open cupboards or the fridge :p mine taught herself and now they all have to be secured with child locks or she just helps herself Edited May 1, 2014 by Simply Grand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted May 2, 2014 Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 i think that's where i am confused, do i continue with this hunting instinct or try to move away... we have a small agility set up at home, hes AMAZING at the jumps and loves the tunnel more then anything, if i leave it set up and hes outside he will spend hours running in and out of the tunnel by him self lol persephone - that would be amazing... are you being sarcastic or serious LOL wouldnt know the first thing about how to teach that!! It's great that he loves jumps and tunnels, IMO he needs to also learn to be calm and careful and do very precise stuff too - such as the contacts and weaves I suggested. Another thought - flyball?? yep! that is a main problem is his calmness!! last night i signed up for our local obedience club, he has to start in beginners which is fine, once we have his distractions under control hopefully we can move up to some more advanced things :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted May 2, 2014 Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 Be very careful about teaching him to open cupboards or the fridge :p mine taught herself and now they all have to be secured with child locks or she just helps herself This would be the funniest thing ever haha bless, i can imagine him opening the fridge for cheese and bacon ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 (edited) You might want to consider teaching your boy that he has an off switch. Susan Garrett said it and I agree. Dogs have to be taught to deal with boredom. His life has changed and in order for him to adapt, he needs to learn to chill. I'd be considering crate training. Susan Garratt, as I understand it, wrote Ruff Love with her JRT in mind. Edited May 2, 2014 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted May 2, 2014 Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 You might want to consider teaching your boy that he has an off switch. Susan Garrett said it and I agree. Dogs have to be taught to deal with boredom. His life has changed and in order for him to adapt, he needs to learn to chill. I'd be considering crate training. Susan Garratt, as I understand it, wrote Ruff Love with her JRT in mind. thank you, i will look into her stuff :) an off switch would be wonderful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikira Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Good luck with the off switch. Due to wonderful trainers and training methods, we found our Jack Russell Tip's off switch Sadly very few people got to see it, as he loved company, and would show them how much by jumping on them! Thankfully Jingo is way more laid back, except for jaws of steel that will not release penny Lizards! Di Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted May 2, 2014 Author Share Posted May 2, 2014 Spud bounces on me at home, literally bounds from one spot to the other and uses me as a springboard It would be so nice to have a cuddle with him when he's not sleeping tikira haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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