# Lure Coursing Question!



## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

On the off chance there's coursers here (I'm not sure?)

Anyone had a dog get 'lure smart' for lack of a better word? 

Hank coursed the 3rd time today and he's really really good. He's very into it, very high, has a lot of fun and does very well.

BUT

Most the other dogs stop when the lure stops. Hank doesn't. Once the lure is dead, he's off looking for a 'real' bunny. He is so SURE that there is a real bunny in the field. So he will run off and keep searching to find the bunny to chase. We're talking tunnel vision, won't come for me, won't come to freaking PIZZA today. 

So basically the issue is that he courses great and then I'll end up DQ'd for delay of trial because no one can catch him. I have no idea what could trump his prey drive though to get him back. Today we only got him back because a lady had a turkey call and she got him to get curious about that. But I figure we've got 1-3 runs of that before he realizes that's nothing. The first few runs I got him by the collar but now he's savvy and knows that the game is done when the lure is dead.

so um... ideas?


----------



## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

I did a bit of lure coursing with Squash, and at least once after a run he was so amped up he just sort of wandered off to stare at the judge's hat. He wasn't looking for any prey, he just had sort of gone off the deep end for a sec. Really all I tried to do after that is time catching him with the lure stopping. Could you toss a tug down right as the lure stops and maybe he'd grab it instead? You can get real rabbit fur tugs from Clean Run (and other places I'm sure), maybe that would work?

He will also learn a course if he runs it more than once, and cut across to intercept the lure. Stinker.


----------



## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I tried the tug thing today and he didn't care at all. We moved the lure around but once he gets to it and sort of 'realizes' it's a bag and not a bunny he's frantically looking for a real bunny. You can tell he is definitely not just blowing us off but still actively 'hunting' for prey. He will zig and zag all around. I have never seen him get so worked up about anything ever before. Lure coursing is his definite favorite thing ever and I have no idea how to compete with that.

As soon as Hank sees me go for the collar grab he's GONE. The first time he actually did attack the lure but he knows it's fake now.


----------



## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Rabbit on a leash? 

Will he come to one of your other dogs in that mindset, do you think? 

Other than proofing a recall under some type of similarly stimulating situation, I don't really have any brilliant insights, sorry.


----------



## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Yeah a rabbit or squirrel on a leash might work. 

We do recalls but I have no idea how to set up a situation that is safe that also has that level of stimulation for him. He is a NUT about coursing- screaming, lunging at the end of his leash. He cannot even be near the course because he will work himself up so bad the whole time. 

At this point I wonder if we should keep on at all? But he just LOVES it.


----------



## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Flirt pole!


----------

