palo1
Well-Known Member
So my little chap is 6 months old and looking really quite grown up 
I just love him and think he may be the best dog I've ever had. I am surprised how much I love his terrier character and how much easier in some ways that is to manage than the hounds of various persuasion I am used to. Recall is the biggie for me: he is fabulously reliable to the whistle unlike most of the dogs I have previously had which were either completely with me or just about to bog off for miles (I did try hard on the training front, honestly!).
This dog is steady with stock (our sheep, chickens and horses and our neighbours sheep and cattle) though I have no intention of allowing him to ever be alone with stock. However, I can take him for a walk off lead through a field of sheep or cattle and know that he will walk to heel. Amazing!! Lots of other things have not been trained - I seem to have completely neglected the command for 'go to your bed' somehow and his 'sit' is distinctly optional. He is a great house and yard dog though, enjoys going off to new places and can sit down quietly at my feet if I am at a café/organising something at a horse event etc. He plays nicely with other dogs that I trust though as he matures that may become more challenging. He barks when someone knocks at the door or if he thinks there is something new or strange in the fields. He is totally sweet and funny and is enjoying starting to be a bit of a gentle running partner (the running is gentle, the dog very excited!!). I think he may take an interest in ratting if he has the opportunity - it hasn't really occurred yet and he is very young to take on a yard rat but I might think it a good thing if he was up for it! He is now beautifully clean in the house too. He is not everyone's dream dog but he is mine.
I just love him and think he may be the best dog I've ever had. I am surprised how much I love his terrier character and how much easier in some ways that is to manage than the hounds of various persuasion I am used to. Recall is the biggie for me: he is fabulously reliable to the whistle unlike most of the dogs I have previously had which were either completely with me or just about to bog off for miles (I did try hard on the training front, honestly!). This dog is steady with stock (our sheep, chickens and horses and our neighbours sheep and cattle) though I have no intention of allowing him to ever be alone with stock. However, I can take him for a walk off lead through a field of sheep or cattle and know that he will walk to heel. Amazing!!
Lots of other things have not been trained - I seem to have completely neglected the command for 'go to your bed' somehow and his 'sit' is distinctly optional. He is a great house and yard dog though, enjoys going off to new places and can sit down quietly at my feet if I am at a café/organising something at a horse event etc. He plays nicely with other dogs that I trust though as he matures that may become more challenging. He barks when someone knocks at the door or if he thinks there is something new or strange in the fields. He is totally sweet and funny and is enjoying starting to be a bit of a gentle running partner (the running is gentle, the dog very excited!!). I think he may take an interest in ratting if he has the opportunity - it hasn't really occurred yet and he is very young to take on a yard rat but I might think it a good thing if he was up for it! He is now beautifully clean in the house too. He is not everyone's dream dog but he is mine. 
