Working terriers

A query.

Hunting with dogs is now illegal. Is it illegal for terrier men to put a dog underground to flush a fox to waiting guns? What happens if the terrier attacks the fox? Is that illegal?

Thanks.

Its perfectly legal for a Terrier to go to ground under the "gamekeepers" clause, to protect game birds. A dog must be a "soft" Terrier that will bay or bolt the Fox to awaiting guns. Obviously you cant tell the Terrier he cant engage the Fox, there lies the problem!

Thanks Dawn - I knew that you would know

No probs, the law is so flawed its totally unworkable.

Completely agree, the law is a complete farce!!!

It is, you can let your dog kill a Rat, but NOT a Mouse!!!

Interesting Dawn.... could you explain a bit more. What determines whether a dog will be 'soft' or not. Is is a breed trait, training... or what?

in holland it is forbitten now only from october till end february its legal, for the rest whe work in germany

Hi Pod.
It depends on each Dog Pod. My Tarn is a hard Terrier, many Terrier men think its great to have a hard dog that engages with the quarry regardless of the situation. He was no use to me, got bitten too badly and spent weeks healing, whereas Breeze is a "bayer" finds the quarry and barks at it pushing it back into a place where you can dig to her and locate the quarry. The Terrier avoids conflict and that way will be ready to work all the time. Down sides to a bayer is that they may let a Fox for example get by them if they are reluctant to engage the quarry, I havent seen this with mine, but plenty have and to be honest, a Terrier shouldnt let a Fox past it, so a mixture of baying and holding is ideal. Obviously the idea is to let the Fox bolt through one of several holes often present, whereby you can wait as it emerges to be humanely dispatched, but if not the "soft" Terrier will hold the Fox by baying untill it is dug down to where the Dog will be lifted and the Fox dispatched.
Dawn.

Thank you Dawn, fascinating!