fox???...anybody???

[greatnortheren]

Hello everybody,

I'm a new member of this forum and I just would like to express my thanks for being here. I am from upstate new york. I have navhda registered gsp and german wirehair....my next dog will be a DK, but not for some time!...I am however inline with the german testing system and believe that the DKV and JGHV is a great system and all though i cannot test in this system, I still train in these manners....I am wondering about getting a fox. Can anyone help me out here...I am currently using a fox hide from gander mtn filled with sand tube, weighing between 10-11 lbs...it does the trick, but would like to get an actual fox for training. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou

Geno Williams

[don wiggins]

Hello Geno,
Welcome to the forum. I'm getting my first DK in about 3 weeks.
Take a look at this past thread.
http://www.kurzhaarforum.com/showthread.php?t=538
Don

[jmr12]

I know a couple of guys that trap/shoot fox for the hide. I am sure I could purchase some. I am new to this so dumb question----Do you want them whole? Frozen? What are you willing to pay?
I dont know what the market is for a skinned streached fox is.
I live in Montana. If frozen solid, and insulated when shipped, would they be O.K.??

[don wiggins]

Hey jmr 12, I replied to your PM.

I know a couple of guys that trap/shoot fox for the hide. I am sure I could purchase some. I am new to this so dumb question----Do you want them whole? Frozen? What are you willing to pay?
I dont know what the market is for a skinned streached fox is.
I live in Montana. If frozen solid, and insulated when shipped, would they be O.K.??

I too am new to this and have the same question. Do you use the whole and just thaw, use, refreeze or do you just use the skin and if so I assume that you wouldn't want it tanned. Could one of you veteran trainers take me through the process of how to obtain and/or prepare a fox to use in training.
Don

[kaboom]

When training with a fox.

The JGHV rules say you can not alter the fox, except by cutting off the head for testing.

So I use a whole frozen fox. I let it thaw out over night. It my still be a little frozen but it will be pliable. I work with it that day and refreeze it. They will last a few months by doing this sometimes longer.

When force breaking a dog, I will pull the intestines out through the butt hole with a gut hook. The fox will last longer then because the intestines and stomach are usually what rots first. I will use the fox everyday until the dog is comfortable with it. It is kept in the fridge when not in use, wrapped in news print. Then freeze it when i am done to use with the next dog.

Before freezing or putting back in the fridge always make sure the fur is dry as possible. Put it in front of a box fan to dry works well. Also that is why I use the news print it absorbs the moisture well.

I hope that these tips help you. I have some foxes that are over 3 yrs old in my freezer that are still good to use and could be used again for the dogs.

[kaboom]

I forgot to answer this part.

I start with a apportersack to get the dog used to the weight of the fox. adding more and more sand to it until it gets to the weight of the fox.

Then I use a heavy dummy with a tanned fox skin over it and get the dog used to it.

Then I go to the fox i described above.

[recon1]

I just returned from the Syracuse area because I attended a surveyors conference for continuing education requirements. (couldn't have been a couple of hours away) If I had known earlier I would have tried to trade you a fox for your sand filled pelt. I had gotten a road killed fox this summer and as things turned out it caused me a bit of a problem with my 1 year old at the time, retrieve. Fortunately my breeder is a judge and he informed me that the fox retrieve can be a universal road bump for many dogs, which changed my approach. His suggestion was very similar to Kabooms method.

Dick

[Manny]

Hi Geno and welcome to our forum.

I like to stay with the German tradition so I use fox to train and test with all my dogs,
I introduce my dog as puppies 8-10 weeks with fox-hide 1-2 times per month and allot of fun games
After I have FF my dog, I bring the real fox in the picture, start with small one 2-3 Lbs and I work my way up to 10-12 Lbs, remember the fox is not something the dogs like:eek:, you have to work your way up slowly and the positive way, make it fun for them, if you have hard time with your dog you can go to the raccoon, some dogs like then better.

Spring time is the best time to fine small 2-3-4 Lbs rd kills, but start with the hide first when puppies, it will help you down the line.

Good luck with your new pup

Manny

PS: sorry about the way the pictures look, side ways:):)

[greatnortheren]

thanks for the replies!!!...I've got my feelers out looking for any trapped or road-kill fox.... for now the fox hide is doing the trick and the big bunnies in the forest!... I am working hard at navhda utility work, but I like the german testing because of the forest work. That is where navhda differs. Its water and field. My dogs hunt the forest and marsh... we train in the field, but thats about it!!!

[Tim Rampenthal]

http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=d5fa307f9e5dde7a8e9f2fae765c6d 65&topic=249363.0

http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,247893.0.html