# Meeting the hunt whilst walking your dog



## Tiddlypom (2 December 2018)

Following on from the Meet Cards thread, I was wondering what hunting folk recommend is the best course of action for a dog walker(s) who gets caught up inadvertently in the path of hounds when they are in full cry on a scent. It's a situation that I actively try to avoid, but seeing as so many packs (including my local one) have become very secret squirrel about their meets, it is no longer possible for me to be sure the hunt won't be about if I venture away from home for a dog walk.

I know that technically hounds will ignore cur dogs. Are non hounds still called that, or does that show my age? However, I don't wish to test the pack's obedience to the limit. Stay in the open? Run for a hedge? Climb the nearest tree?

Having hunted a lot in my teenage years, I wouldn't be at all worried if I was caught up walking without the dog, but what's best thing to do if he's with us? Keep him on the lead, obviously, but any other tips?


----------



## ester (2 December 2018)

I'd just stand and let them come past. (though do flm the tree climbing if you try  ). 
We regularly had a contingent of labradors with the foot followers, and they are totally ignored, one did try and join in once, he was pretty unsuccessful!


----------



## DabDab (2 December 2018)

I just stand well out the way and let them go past. Although the tree climbing idea sounds epic


----------



## SusieT (2 December 2018)

If in the middle of a pack of hounds and it's a small dog I would lift it up and or find a tree or similar to 'shield' it and attempt to not let them see it- yes the hounds may jump up etc but it is not unheard of of a pack of hounds to tear small animals to shreds - I wouldn't take the risk with my own dogs. 
But how often I suppose is it that you are actually close enough for the hounds to notice?


----------



## Amymay (2 December 2018)

On hunt days I'd make sure that I had finished walking before 11.00.


----------



## Clodagh (2 December 2018)

I have never seen hounds behave aggressively to a cur dog. When OH used to work terriers they used to see the hounds off quite happily, even the ginger one.


----------



## tda (2 December 2018)

I just climbed back over the stile, and stood well back down an adjoining field. Dogs heard them coming before I did


----------



## Tiddlypom (2 December 2018)

tda said:



			I just climbed back over the stile, and stood well back down an adjoining field. Dogs heard them coming before I did
		
Click to expand...

I would keep well off the line the hounds will take if only I knew where the line was! Knowing me, I'd be plumb on it.


amymay said:



			On hunt days I'd make sure that I had finished walking before 11.00.
		
Click to expand...

Agree, except we go on lockdown at home from 10.30am. That only works, though, if you have been notified that the hunt will be about. I do, up to now, know when they're coming here but not where they are on other days.
We're walking a popular local way marked route in a series of daily circular walks. These walks take us right through hunting country, hence me wondering how to keep the old boy safe if we get caught up in a hunt.


----------



## Tiddlypom (2 December 2018)

Clodagh said:



			I have never seen hounds behave aggressively to a cur dog. When OH used to work terriers they used to see the hounds off quite happily, even the ginger one.
		
Click to expand...

That's reassuring. Current elderly JRT's daughter arrived as a pup at a hunt kennels in Ireland. Her new owner's OH was whipper in or somesuch. Hounds showed interest in the new pup who promptly told them to bog off, and the hounds replied 'Yes, ma'am, whatever you say ma'am!' .


----------



## Shay (2 December 2018)

Hounds do not "tear small animals to shreds".  The are scent hunters - not sight.  The are trained to one scent - natural or atrificial - and simply don't bother anything else.  There are a large number of dogs of all sizes with foot followers at meets and at the kennels, plus everything they would have been exposed to when puppy walking.  Hounds do not bother them - or they the hounds.   If walking with dogs I would recall them and stand to one side.  Not because of the hounds but becuase of the hosres coming soon after!  Also dogs like to run with a pack almost as much as horses do and you might find your dog wanting to join in.


----------



## PapaverFollis (2 December 2018)

When the sprollie was a teeny new puppy we went to Keswick to see the boxing day hunt set off (no horses there! Not really horseback hunting country) but we had daft spaniel on the ground and tiny puppy sprollie in a puppy satchel thing and lots of other people had their not-hounds dogs  and the hounds were just mingling around saying hello to people and dogs quite happily. They were really gentle and a couple of them had a good sniff of tiny puppy inna bag "what yer doin up there sunshine?" I don't know if I'd be 100% happy to meet them in full hunting mode but they seemed very well socialised with not-hounds generally. I think I'd call back, leads on to prevent mine joining in, and try and get out of the way.

I don't really know. I just remembered how cute teeny sprollie meeting big hounds was.


----------



## spacefaer (2 December 2018)

The only thing that would worry me was the effectiveness of my own dog's recall, so I would make sure it was on a lead. Hounds have very little interest in cur dogs, whether they are toodling along between draws, or even in full flight on a line. However, mine might think it fun to join in!


----------



## Clodagh (2 December 2018)

Tiddlypom said:



			That's reassuring. Current elderly JRT's daughter arrived as a pup at a hunt kennels in Ireland. Her new owner's OH was whipper in or somesuch. Hounds showed interest in the new pup who promptly told them to bog off, and the hounds replied 'Yes, ma'am, whatever you say ma'am!' .
		
Click to expand...

I would stand the dogs out the way mainly because they (not a JRT I realise!) might be intimidated by 30 or 40 large 'dogs' running towards them.


----------



## Clodagh (2 December 2018)

spacefaer said:



			The only thing that would worry me was the effectiveness of my own dog's recall, so I would make sure it was on a lead. Hounds have very little interest in cur dogs, whether they are toodling along between draws, or even in full flight on a line. However, mine might think it fun to join in!
		
Click to expand...

I was following one day with my dogs in the car and a lanky ginger hound with a curly tail was spotted in the pack, my bloody lurcher had managed to squeeze out of a tiny window gap and went off to join in. Mortifying! I did manage to get her back before she led the whole pack off in full blown riot.


----------



## PapaverFollis (2 December 2018)

ðŸ˜‚ Are JRTs intimidated by anything?


----------



## spacefaer (2 December 2018)

PapaverFollis said:



			ðŸ˜‚ Are JRTs intimidated by anything?
		
Click to expand...

No.


----------



## Tiddlypom (2 December 2018)

Shay said:



			Hounds do not "tear small animals to shreds".
		
Click to expand...

Shay, I'd certainly advise anyone with cats to keep them in on a hunting day. I even know of hounds being sent into a piece of rough ground to 'thin out' the feral cats which a mad cat lady was feeding.

Sadly there are plenty more reports like the one below.

Staffordshire cat 'mauled to death' by hunting hound http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-43415597


----------



## Tiddlypom (2 December 2018)

PapaverFollis said:



			ðŸ˜‚ Are JRTs intimidated by anything?
		
Click to expand...

Not usually, no! However, the old boy is 14 now and we want to keep him safe. He's very sprightly for his age, though. He's always walked on a lead because the little beggar would still p1ss off after rabbits given a hint of a sniff of one.


----------



## ester (2 December 2018)

when the lab joined in - was gundog (hounds were searching at the time) they mostly looked at him in a huh what are you doing sort of way, then carried on doing things properly.


----------



## Amymay (2 December 2018)

Shady, they will. I've sadly witnessed it first hand on a few occasions.  And having a small fluffy myself would not want it loose anywhere near a pack of hounds.


----------



## Clodagh (2 December 2018)

amymay said:



			Shady, they will. I've sadly witnessed it first hand on a few occasions.  And having a small fluffy myself would not want it loose anywhere near a pack of hounds.
		
Click to expand...

On more than one occasion you have seen hounds kill domestic animals!? That is appalling.


----------



## ester (2 December 2018)

Was that the same pack AM?


----------



## Amymay (2 December 2018)

Clodagh said:



			On more than one occasion you have seen hounds kill domestic animals!? That is appalling.
		
Click to expand...

Yes. Pretty distressing.


----------



## Tiddlypom (2 December 2018)

What animals were these that you saw killed, amymay? Cats? Dogs?


----------



## Amymay (2 December 2018)

ester said:



			Was that the same pack AM?
		
Click to expand...

No. Two different ones. Cats on both ocassions.  One on a farm yard we were crossing, and another that was crossing a field that hounds were running through.


----------



## Tiddlypom (2 December 2018)

amymay, that is horrific. I believe the deal for a killed cat is for the grieving owners to be given a mumbled apology from a master and to be presented with a new kitten.


----------



## Amymay (2 December 2018)

You can understand my horror when hounds were in my garden last year.....


----------



## Clodagh (2 December 2018)

And it is awful that those cats were killed but I still don't think it means hounds blindly attack other dogs.


----------



## Tiddlypom (2 December 2018)

I hope not, Clodagh.

amymay, I hope you went bat shit crazy and played merry hell with the hunt after hounds came through your garden. It's the only language they understand...


----------



## twiggy2 (2 December 2018)

I have never had a problem and have been caught up in a hunting pack on more than one occasion. They never even seem to acknowledge the presence of the other dogs-they are busy doing what they love.


----------



## Amymay (2 December 2018)

Clodagh said:



			And it is awful that those cats were killed but I still don't think it means hounds blindly attack other dogs.
		
Click to expand...

I think that they would under the wrong circumstances.  Certainly anything like mine (small and fluffy) would be fair game.  A larger dog, no I don't think that they would.


----------



## Tiddlypom (3 December 2018)

A report, admittedly taken from an anti website, of a magistrate's 14yo JRTx  being killed by staghounds outside its own home .

http://www.wildlifeguardian.co.uk/news/hunting/hush-money-offer-after-staghounds-kill-terrier/

I agree with amymay that larger, dare I say it, 'proper' dogs are more likely to be ignored. A lab may pull your arms out trying to join in, but is much more likely to be ignored by hounds. I definitely wouldn't like to get caught out with a Bichon or a Yorkie.

ETA By 'proper' dog I mean as recognised by the hounds, I'm not meaning to be rude about toy breeds.


----------



## Amymay (3 December 2018)

I'm in full agreement TP. And nearly used the 'proper dog' myself.


----------



## twiggy2 (3 December 2018)

One of my dogs was an 7-8kg  one the other 10-13 kg so not big dogs


----------



## Orangehorse (3 December 2018)

I would pick up a small dog.  I have taken mine to the meet and I didn't get too close if possible.  I thought that if my terrier snapped at a hound they might well snap back with interest.


----------



## Tiddlypom (12 December 2018)

We nearly did get caught up in the hunt, who had apparently just killed a fox in front of the antis, last week. Missed them by less than an hour on a quiet lane on one of our regular dog walks from home. Plus all of the police etc who got called in.

Not impressed.

ETA It's clear from local's comments that folk get pretty scared at the thought of being caught up in a hunt. There were a few dog walkers who were frightened yesterday by the close proximity of another neighbouring pack in cry.


----------

