I aint no shooter, or hunter, but got myself a teckle 4years ago, was told he was a deer dog and had observed his almost quivering ifdeer came into view through a car window. I’ve seen him bark across fields in chase, with confidence he wouldn’tcatch them and with no one following he’d come bound back before too long.
I’ve taken him on tracking courses to learn that any dog cantrack and had noticed his scenting skills weren’t immensely impressive and kindof wondered what the connection and occasional excitement of deer hunting andteckles was. Until yesterday morning…
In the pouring rain, dogs and I venture on our walk; a goodday to practise ‘heel’ training which had gone a little awry since getting the secondteckle. We’re 15 seconds into himgetting into the zone of walking well and being off the lead when a little deersteps out 30ft in front of us. I see it first but those few moments ofhesitation had the dog notice it too and in a calm and controlled way, with thelook back of “hey Mrs I’m listening but gotta just go sort this out” he ran.
In the eternity of the 20 seconds it took to run and catch upto the scene of horror depicted in the myriad of thoughts;throats being ripped out, legs a flailing and teeth a snapping, pandemonium, asituation I’ve no experience in dealing with, I just knew calm was the wayforth and deal with it. On arrival I spot the deer sat on all fourlegs in the undergrowth making an unholy racket. It was seated between the I was on path andsome complicated-to-negotiate looking barbed wire. I could see my dog on thefar side, behind the fence and on the far side of the deer and at a safe distance. No blood, no teeth, no dog wildness. The tecklewas quiet. He had the behaviour of asheep dog that had control of its flock. He was keeping the deer in place until I arrived! Still mildly panicked, I call him to me andwithout hesitation, he nips carefully around the deer and sits by my side withthe look of: ‘tis up to you now Mrs, I’vedone my job.
Frankly, without phone, means of despatching and generalinexperience I ran the 3 minutes back to base, told all to phone the recruitsto despatch a howling deer to be told it was probably a baby calling for itsma. I think they were right the deer wasgone when he raced back and no sign of injury.
But anyways, seeing how the little teckle was cool, calm,collected and totally knew how to handle the “single deer situation” astoundedme. And someone is now going to blow mybubble tell me this is what all dogs would do! If so, can anyone say whyteckles are associated with deer? ? I alwaysfelt the wee lad had some innateness and breeding, and he is way too smart forme, but he’s a keeper.
If anyone has a classy teckle bitch, I’d be interested inmeeting her!
I’ve taken him on tracking courses to learn that any dog cantrack and had noticed his scenting skills weren’t immensely impressive and kindof wondered what the connection and occasional excitement of deer hunting andteckles was. Until yesterday morning…
In the pouring rain, dogs and I venture on our walk; a goodday to practise ‘heel’ training which had gone a little awry since getting the secondteckle. We’re 15 seconds into himgetting into the zone of walking well and being off the lead when a little deersteps out 30ft in front of us. I see it first but those few moments ofhesitation had the dog notice it too and in a calm and controlled way, with thelook back of “hey Mrs I’m listening but gotta just go sort this out” he ran.
In the eternity of the 20 seconds it took to run and catch upto the scene of horror depicted in the myriad of thoughts;throats being ripped out, legs a flailing and teeth a snapping, pandemonium, asituation I’ve no experience in dealing with, I just knew calm was the wayforth and deal with it. On arrival I spot the deer sat on all fourlegs in the undergrowth making an unholy racket. It was seated between the I was on path andsome complicated-to-negotiate looking barbed wire. I could see my dog on thefar side, behind the fence and on the far side of the deer and at a safe distance. No blood, no teeth, no dog wildness. The tecklewas quiet. He had the behaviour of asheep dog that had control of its flock. He was keeping the deer in place until I arrived! Still mildly panicked, I call him to me andwithout hesitation, he nips carefully around the deer and sits by my side withthe look of: ‘tis up to you now Mrs, I’vedone my job.
Frankly, without phone, means of despatching and generalinexperience I ran the 3 minutes back to base, told all to phone the recruitsto despatch a howling deer to be told it was probably a baby calling for itsma. I think they were right the deer wasgone when he raced back and no sign of injury.
But anyways, seeing how the little teckle was cool, calm,collected and totally knew how to handle the “single deer situation” astoundedme. And someone is now going to blow mybubble tell me this is what all dogs would do! If so, can anyone say whyteckles are associated with deer? ? I alwaysfelt the wee lad had some innateness and breeding, and he is way too smart forme, but he’s a keeper.
If anyone has a classy teckle bitch, I’d be interested inmeeting her!