Tinker was a collie/whippet x greyhound,23" high, red fawn, in colour,she was first class allround dog, a Lurcher, for filling the pot, Rabbit, blacktip
rabbit, and the odd pheasant, alongside the hedgerow, and a very good watchdog, in the house or the yard, I first saw her when she was about 14 months old, an old friend of mine Mr, Jimmy Morrison, (( a travelling Man,) owned her, He came to the house, Late one sunday afternoon, January, cold and windy, He said come on for a run, I want to show you a good dog run, leave your dog, at home, come and see this good wee bitch run, we drove out to BackBurn, were the scottish national coursing was held, which was only 10 minutes drive in his transit van, we pulled up at this field, were the champions of coursing greyhounds had ran for over 100 years, these black tip rabbit were the best in the country, (( that was the words from the greyhound trainers who came to course in the competitions, that was held there and they come from all over the country)) opens the door gives her the command Scud bye, Scud bye, she enters the field and starts to hunt like a champion Springer spaniel,left to right left to right, she is covering almost every blade of grass, the next thing the blacktip jumps, it is only about 10 yards away from her, three to four tight bends, and she does her job, carrys the blacktip up to the van he opens the door and she jumps into the van with blacktip as well, well I knew it was No good trying to deal with him there and then, 3 months later, I was a very proud owner,of Tinker, I bought her for the sum of £25.00, what a bitch, at that time I was working down on the M6 motorway, Penrith, to carlisle section doing the Blacktop this Motorway was coming through Virgin Land, Plenty of rabbits, Blacktip and Pheasant, Tinker and I were in our GLORY, TWO TO THREE runs a day the boys on site, loved to see her race, and carry back up to the van, It was delight, to watch her carry back, she would carry the blacktip up to the fence, nose it through the wire, then she would jump over, and pull it through and carry it back to me up to the van, there was a lad from Doncaster, He was called Donny Williams, he used to be at me daily to sell him the Bitch, He pulled out a wad of notes, I will buy her of ye now, and the answer was No But if I breed from her, I will give you a Pup Free of charge because he was also a genuine dog man, that was back in around 1969/70, 40 years back and up to this day, I never saw a better allround bitch for filling the pot, and clever, she had it all, she was a true pot filler, and all in daylight, I found early in the morning Heavy dew, she was a delight and a pleasure to watch How she could hunt a field and carry back to you, she was Special a true Lurcher for filling the pot,
hare basher
nice read border i would have loved to of seen her it gives me great pleasure to watch a good dog do its job its a amazing thing that i find so inpressive and wen you can show poeple your dog doin it propper its a good good feeling tc hb
border lad
I had great Pride in showing this Bitch and always I told them I bought it from a Travelling man, But sadly time Just runs away from you, she was 14 months old when I BOUGHT HER, I took a litter of PUPS from her when she was 3 and half that was her first heat, she had seven pups, in all, and all the pups were spoken for, all to working homes, one pup was given to a lad called Dodds, in Carlisle,who
went for a 6 months holiday for G,B,H, HIS pUP WAS CALLED BLUE, and I am sure that was the dog Minshaw got his hands on, but I have No prove of that only what some people, told me, and one Pup went to an old friend called Jimmy Loughrie, and his words were she was a champion of champions, thats how his pup came out
and I sold the Bitch back to Joe Morrison, Jimmys son, for abit more profit than what I bought her for, because I had some other good dogs coming on but None as clever, as Tinker was,
Sexy_Shot
i have a Collie x whippet, this story reminds me of my dog , my dog is my left signature
Thanks
Trevor
hare basher
is your collie wippet first cross ? ss , or is it a collie cross put to a collie ?
Sexy_Shot
here's somthing i made on microsoft word to explain my dogs cross
there it is if it makes sense
Thanks
Trev
hare basher
yep thats wat i thought as the dog in the pic has mor collie in it than wippet cool digram matey
Sexy_Shot
thanks, but he still has the speed of a whippet, and the nouse of a collie, might start him on the black-tips as a taster soon
But Thanks
Trev
furdy
BL....you're posting some nice tales of old mate.....
What about a collection of tales in your own blog.....would make them easier for us dedicated followers to find...
border lad
Hello Furdy, thank you for your comments, yes I would like to tell a couple more, I am stranger to your site, so maybe the boys who are in control of the stories, could transfere them over to a Blog, and I can go on from there,thank you for your interest, in the stories, a matter of interest, what dog would you put over little Lurchers, Good whippet x please let me know, thank you, B, L.
furdy
Little Lurchers father used to run smithfield type match dogs. Not original smithfields but his own line. He has one of this line left, a dog who's getting on it years and I thought it a nice idea to keep the line alive. I'm not a fan of mixing up whippet and greyhound blood to be honest as I think it takes a few generations to start breeding true again but in this case I think it a perfect pairing.
hare basher
would be good to keep the old blood alive and kicking but i do like a bit of suliki in a day time dog that way you no you got the blow if need on them rouge black tip rabbit that want it there way lol
banger
Cant make head or tail of that family tree?????????
hare basher
ye its simple dog x dog xdog xdog xdog xdog xdog = x~y and pluh lol
confused
A cracking read , dogs like that are priceless, you never seem to have to teach them it comes naturally to some dogs.
froggyfagan
Very nice read Border Lad,lovely memories
border lad
yes and because I was looking for this WONDER DOG, I never kept aPup from her,
I had other good Pups coming through, to this very day, I never saw a more clever bitch, to Hunt a field, do her job and carry back to you,((( I was young and Stupid, did not relize, how good she was, but she gave me plenty of beautiful memories of her, SHE WAS A CHAMPION, but Jimmy Loughrie said his Pup was the champion of champions, and when another top doggy man says that to you it is a very nice feeling, and all those happy memories, coming flooding back to you, (( and money cannot buy that,
confused
Aye B.L. as we say up here "you never miss the water till the well runs dry "
confused
Sorry B.L. i meant to ask how you doing?
border lad
I am fine thank you, two weeks past this night, my family was called, I was in abad way, due to the second op. in about 26 hours, but thanks be to God, I am here at the computer, and the team of doctors, and nurses, that worked to save me, the surgeon was MR, M.A.SHEARER, A FIRST CLASS MAN + SURGEON, all on the N.H.S. THAT is one of the first class services, this country introduced back in I think in 1948, It is something Britain can be proud of, the service is second to none,
spiritofold
A nice read :)
My lurcher bitch is called Tinker...
dog on
border lad ,please dont take this the wrong way , but i just cant get my head around why you would ever sell sutch a dog ,if it was me it would have ended its days at my side ,you only ever get 1 or 2 to sutch a standard as this .
border lad
my first Lurcher, was bred from cotton King, ((( he won the waterloo cup, out of a very good working border collie, I schooled him on Mixie rabbits, untill he was 16 months old, then onto the blacktips, and that dog, was a bit special, but could not hunt like tinker, he had speed stamina, brains, and strike like a cobra, and when you are working your dogs hard, like I used to, when they are are 4 year old you have taken the edge of them, and she had double muscle, her back legs, was as strong in the inside as they were on the outside, I made the decision, to sell her back to Jimmys son, from the time she had her Pups, he was trying to buy her back, I had other young dogs coming on, and I was in my twenties, (( inexperencied ((( I had that other GOOD DOG called Laddie,and he was also a very handy dog, (((( you have the ingredients, in the dog, and then you have to work and school the dog,food,exercise,work, and sadly when they come up to 4 year old, you have had there best, yes some people, will keep them going for another 2 or 3 years, but that is when injuries, start, giving them problems,
dog on
border lad wrote:
my first Lurcher, was bred from cotton King, ((( he won the waterloo cup, out of a very good working border collie, I schooled him on Mixie rabbits, untill he was 16 months old, then onto the blacktips, and that dog, was a bit special, but could not hunt like tinker, he had speed stamina, brains, and strike like a cobra, and when you are working your dogs hard, like I used to, when they are are 4 year old you have taken the edge of them, and she had double muscle, her back legs, was as strong in the inside as they were on the outside, I made the decision, to sell her back to Jimmys son, from the time she had her Pups, he was trying to buy her back, I had other young dogs coming on, and I was in my twenties, (( inexperencied ((( I had that other GOOD DOG called Laddie,and he was also a very handy dog, (((( you have the ingredients, in the dog, and then you have to work and school the dog,food,exercise,work, and sadly when they come up to 4 year old, you have had there best, yes some people, will keep them going for another 2 or 3 years, but that is when injuries, start, giving them problems,
i can under stand some of your reasoning ,like i have mentiond before i am not a black tip chaser ,so different dogs for different jobs ,i find that the older my dogs get the craftier they get and can still catch well into their 7th or 8th year and i start them under 6 months old , but i only run very large game ,injuries are part and parcel in my game so they just have to plod on ,thanks for the reply ATB les.
Border Lad.
I was just reading through the topic once again, this new pup I HAVE WILL BE 9 month, old in aweeks time or near enough it, I would like to say this pup is not up to it as Tinker, was and Laddie, he was bred from COTTON KING, who won the waterloo, cup, out of a Border collie that worked the hills here in Moffat, believe me, those dogs were harder bred dogs, (( and easier to there task, this fellow is strong headed, and I feel a lot softer, yes he has good breeding in him, his grand sire was Ballybreggan Bob, dual derby winner, and a Beardie collie, but those old dogs reached the top of there tree through natural ability, speed, and stamina,now a days, I believe in the top dogs are reaching the top through advanced training methods, High protein, diet, and untraceable, DRUGS, ( IN MY OPINION, that is why there is so much crap and unwanted dogs that do not make the grade,
buck
ballyregan bob won 32 races in a row and broke 16 track records his race record was 42 wins from 48 races a great dog but not a dual derby winner.and there was high protein diets around in them days the same diets are still being sold today.as for the drugs to improve performance the testing of dogs is of alot higher standard than it was when he was running. in them days there was alot of steroids and performance enhancing drugs that went through the test.
tyke
Sounds like a cracking bitch that BL,hope you get better soon.
Ive noticed the dogs you mention are bred grey dog to collie bitch,the less popular way round,ive bred grey bitch to collie dog and just wondered if you think theres a difference?
Ive heard it said that your way produces a slightly lighter frame and stamina is better,any thoughts appreciated.
tyke
Border Lad.
the reason for breeding from the collie bitch, to a top coursing dog, you could get easy access, to a champion coursing dog up here, and the hill collie bitch was available when she was 5 or 6 years old
an uncle of mine used to pick them up, for little money, when they were finished on the hills, but still able to work on low lands, when that mating took place you would pick the pup most to the greyhound, and with a good long back, that first cross, made great dogs, but those type of bitches are very hard to come by now, due to the commercial market, value, of selling pups, for working sheep dogs and other sporting venues,
Border Lad.
To Buck, thank you for the information on Ballyregan Bob,
tyke
As those collie bitches were obviously tested 100% maybe thats what actually makes the difference,not which way round you do it but the quality of the collie?
Border Lad.
that is correct, I have always said breed only from a proved, working collie, and those coursing greyhounds, were a bit special, speed and Stamina,
and as I said early on we were spoiled for choice up here, there was about 6 top trainers, around here, and now that strain of greyhound has gone, you have dogs running on the track doing marathon, but they are not proven coursing dogs, a huge difference, speed stamina and Balance,
tyke
We also had lurchers bred from good coursing greyhounds in the 80's,not put to collie bitches though.
A mate had a stamina packed bitch, lurcher to lurcher breeding and a good dog in her own right,he put her to a runner up in the Waterloo cup owned by Crim Smith,my hunting partner had a dog pup and they were fair dogs,but not 3 out of three dogs,to be honest they werent as good as the lurcher stock they were bred from all things considered,faster yes but the bulk gained from the greyhound limited their stamina.
Another mate bred a couple of litters from greyhounds,one from his noted lurcher dog over a well bred coursing bitch and one by using a coursing greyhound over his lurcher bitch,it was more or less the same story with all the pups,useful but no world beaters.
He once ran a pup on for a friend,bred from a merlin and eve bitch,the sire Ballyregan bob, it made no difference,no worldbeaters.
Border Lad.
the old boys also, said the first x collie greyhound was the best the 3/4 bred is a bit soft, too much to the greyhound, and one of my best dogs, was lurcher to lurcher,he was a very handy allround dog, what x do you run now?? a friend of mine has an old collie x bred from D, SLIEGHT, X BOB CHAPMANS BOB, he bought a bitch pup from that breeding, this is some years back, then he bred that bitch onto a open champion racing greyhound, and produced his old bitch called Lana, and she was a machine, she is 9years of age, but still able to pick up a boulted rabbit, and now he has a trace of saluki blood running through his pups,
tyke
We still have a collie x grey which me and my oldest lad bred,but dont intend to carry that on,ive got a ped coursing whippet and both my lads have beddy hybrids,the oldest lads bitch has a lot of promise and hes thinking of introduceing some Saluki blood,should be interesting pups.
If i remember right Dave bred some collie x's from a distinctive red collie dog owned by his mate,maybe 10 yrs ago,i think they then bred back to whippet/grey with them but i dont know anyone who had a pup,maybe thats where your friends dog came from?
Border Lad.
I would say the breeding was about, 12 /14 years back, If you know Dave ask him when he sold the pup, to the fellow up in Lothian scottish borders, I had the pup out last night in daylight, Hunting very well, ran a couple of rabbits, but No strike, and I think he will be 14 to 15 months old before he really finds his feet, he has nailed two to date in daylight, and of course he has only been running on his own from the start, and there is a lot a like about him,
tyke
I spoke to his son at a race meet last year but i havent seen Dave for nearly 20 years,hes a mate of a mate.
Our collie first x took a while to pull it together,never a world beater but before the ban he did ok for a first x,we didnt breed him for that though he was useful at other things,unfortunatly he has a bad fault so were leaving it at that.
I think collie is a very good ingrediant,but wouldnt have another half x myself,the best dogs in our area 30 years ago were a mixture of collie/grey and bedlington maybe some deerhound,dogs that fed families during the pit strike,surprisingly good at daytime black tip rabbit to say they didnt have Saluki blood,and sh*t hot in the lamp,in the right hands of course,my mates bitch "Lady" is the closest thing ive seen to the perfect allrounder,ironically she was the last in the litter to be sold! just goes to show you cant pick em at 8 wks.
Border Lad.
I was talking to my mate, and he got a pup from
D, Sleights bitch called Katie, he bought a dog pup
then later he put that across, an open racer, champion, and that bred his old bitch Lana she is now rising 10year old, (((( and that old bitch was a machine on anything, rabbit, blacktip rabbit, deer, and she could deal with old charlie boy without any problems, and she could retrieve rabbits live back to hand, (( that was d,sleights breeding coming through from his field, trialing
tyke
Dave and his brother Gary are the genuine article and have had some good dogs in their time,we mooched the same area years ago,i could tell a couple of interesting tales but better not.
The last time i saw him we were stood side by side facing a common enemy at a boxing day hunt,about 10 a side would have been a good do but the boys in blue spoilt it.
My mate should know the bitch katie,ill ask him.
