When can I start hunting?

[Aven]

Hello All,

I was hoping you could give me some advice on when I should start learning to hunt. I will chase chickens or my owner's cat if allowed, but I am never allowed.

I would like to help out my family by getting rid of any rats or mice, but my owner is worried they might bite me and then I wouldn't want to hunt anymore.

I have heard that it is not good to start hunting too young, and I don't want to screw up my brain, so any advice would be greatly appreciatied.

Thanks in advance.

[PolarIce]

Hello Aven,

You may have a while yet before you are ready to go hunting full time, but if you really want to chase some rats, then by all means go ahead. Make certain that all your shots are up to date. It is true that the rats will bite back and they can certainly make you change your mind about hunting, so be sure that you do not start too young. Border Terriers tend to take longer to get into the hunting mindset than some other terriers, but when they do, they can be all heart.

It is always good for owners to keep in mind not to let their terrier puppies not to chase anything that they do not want their adult terriers to catch (like the neighbour's cat or chickens). It is possible to train the terriers what they are allowed to hunt, and what they are not allowed to hunt, but it is never a good idea to turn your back, even for a second.

I am looking forward to hearing more about your adventures and progress.

[PJ]

This is a very good question. I wish more terriers (or their owners) would ask questions like this.

It is very important not to start hunting too early. You need to learn your basic obedience first. You should not start hunting until you can listen to your owner reliably. There is quite a bit of information about this on the new pages that I just put up on my website. (See the next thread in this category.)

I have heard that Border Terriers take longer then most terriers for their hunting drive to really kick in. It can take up to three years. So for now, just have fun playing with your owner and try to resist the urge to chase your owner's chickens or cat. Be patient and your time will come!

[Aven]

Thank-you for the advice, I will try to be patient.