Dogs: Why do we need them?

Our dogs have two essential tasks when ferreting:

The first: Before the ferrets start their work, Mouse and Stanley 'mark' the warren, letting us know if it is inhabited or not.

The second: Holding rabbits in the nets to stop any escapees.

We can ferret out gardens and more sensitive areas without the use of our dogs if the client has some concerns. Please discuss your requirements at our first meeting.

Prince Aethelstan (Stanley)

Stanley is the latest member of our team, coming into Stuart’s home in November 2016. Stuart went to Sally Hancock in Sutton Coldfield who is a prolific breeder of Collie cross greyhounds knowing she produces top class lurchers for work.

Stanley is one eighth Bearded collie, one eighth Border collie and three quarters greyhound. He has a happy personality and likes people and other dogs, he has a wicked sense of humour and is interested in anything going on to the point of nosiness.

The Collie part of Stanley’s makeup gives him an excellent nose useful for flushing squatting rabbits in daylight and marking warrens, his first rabbit caught at the age of 10 months was a three quarter grown youngster caught out in the open, I watched from an elevated position the young dog quarter up a field, nose to the floor until finally flushing, chasing and picking up the rabbit and retrieving back to me. It was a thrilling moment after months of training.

King Mouse (Mouse)

Mouse is Morgan’s 4-year-old three quarter Whippet one quarter Collie. Mouse came from a hill farm in Wales where he slept and grew up in a stable with horses for company.

Unwanted and the last puppy in the litter, at 4 months old Morgan took him on, what a find he turned out to be!

Lightning quick over 20 yds and with the heart of a lion, Mouse is unstoppable as a ferreting dog, (Is there a rabbit at home)? Mouse says yes so there must be!!! he will not budge from a warren until we have put down the ferret. The small dog has a special relationship with our albino Jill ‘Dolphin’, they make a formidable working pair.

Mouse is an excellent lamping dog, he caught his first rabbit at 9 months old in the beam of a lamp on his first run, he lives for his work but is also happy curled up on the bed at home after a long hard day.