Looking for ways of keeping Manic Morse out of trouble and heard about Gundog Scurries and the activity for Afghans where they tear after a make on rabbit over a field. Now how do I check these out and could we use a Partial Sight Hound for it or is it just for serious gundog people in the former and Afghans in the latter ? Got to channel all this hunting somehow

Gundog Scurries are timed retrieves of dummies. Some the dog might have seen being thrown, others could be "Blind" retrieves, retrieves which the dog has not seen placed. The fastest dog during the day wins. These are fun events often put on at game fairs, great fun but can make a dog a little unsteady if you are not careful. Although they are aimed at gundogs I have once seen a Border Collie taking part. I think it depends on the organisers on the day. Scurries are not an organised competition, rather a fun event so there are no rules as such and organisers can pretty well do as they like.

Best wishes, John

If scurries are not organised etc. how come some of the owners get very serious re. the times that their dogs do, they'll go in them again and again to make sure that their dog gets a good score ? :d  Not having a go John, HONEST !! :d :d 

Have to say that we did a scurry last week at the Beta event with the SWD's and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, although one of them did decide that she would go to the person throwing the dummies and take the bag instead!!  She did eventually get the idea and came fifth overall in the water scurry!!

We also had a lot of good feedback from gungog people on our breed, so hopefully the Kennel Club will soon realise that after 12 years we are gundogs, certainly at the events that we've been to over the years the gundog people think so.

John, I was advised that it's not a good idea though to do the sort of Afghan racing though if you are thinking of working your dogs, is this right??

Do you have a dog track near you? if so contact them and find out when they do Afghan Racing.  Usually its one Sunday a month, its aimed at fun, although of course you get the serious ones but how any one can be serious at Afghan Racing I dont know, most of the time the dogs either run the wrong way, refuse to come out of the traps (after the owner has spent at least half an hour trying to get the dog in) or catch hold of the hare and have a fight over it :D :D :D  Its a great day though and any dog can take part our Bichon used to race against a little Lasha Apso :D, you could always try contacting the AHA (afghan hound association) as they are the ones who ran the race days down here so they might do the same up your way.  Also check country fairs for dummy hare coursing and lurcher racing events.

HTH

Claire

I have to agree with you that some people do get very worked up at scurries!! Anna was off colour last year so I did not put her in the local round of the Game Conservancy tests but because she really wanted to do something I let her have a run in the scurry and she put up the 6th fastest time of the day! Not bad for a poorly dog!

The trouble with any of these type of events is that handlers start getting over excited, trying to encourage their dogs into faster and faster times all of which is not conducive with reliably steady gundog work. I go in really more interested in the kind of work Anna does than the time she makes. I know she is quite fast and I guess I could possibly get into the results if I pushed her but I won't risk all the training I've done for an afternoon's fun.

I know nothing about the Afghan racing type of events but for gundog work anything which has a dog "Chasing" is not, to me anyway, a good idea. Steadiness is hard enough to train without risking throwing it out of the window.

Talking of the real Afghan Racing, a colleague of mine used to race their Afghans! The dogs really enjoyed it and it was lovely to see these dogs really extending themselves. Gave you an idea what they would have been like doing their original job of work!

Best wishes, John

Thanks all I will do some more research. As Morse is not a gundog it may not do any harm to have a go at either event. I just want to get his chasing on command instead of self employed. The nice Afghan lady up the road will probably know as her girls do the racing thing. Id love to see an off lead Afghan :)

I think there is an Afghan Club who organise the races.  I could be wrong but I've certainly seen something recently about it and I think a poster was directed to the club.

Helen

I very, very much doubt that Afghan racing is "chasing on command"! ;-)  I would think that racing will be a VERY good way of polishing up your dogs cat coursing skills!

The thing about encouraging a dog to chase a lure or animal is that you've got to be prepared for the consequences of them catching it. Its definitely possible to teach a dog what is and isnt allowable to chase, but getting them to be infallable is going to be pretty tough. One day tiddles may just not make it to her cat flap! ;-)

Scurries on the other hand could be a good way of reducing chasing, as long as you are more focussed on ensuring the dog stays steady rather than worrying about getting the fastest time.