with getting rip ready to start, i have been thinking a fair bit about digs i've had over the years with different types of terrier.

am on the look out for the ideal set to start Rip off in, i rememeber one dig not so long a go maybe round november last year, i was in the house one saturday morning, and the phone rang, was my mate who when out walking his terrier, checking some sets that usally arnt a problem, the terrier was collared up as always and he with spade in hand. the terrier a black and tan lake type, went to ground in the most awkward set i know, its in the middle of a ash wood with brambles running and trailing everywhere, the earth is on the back of a small steam and ground naturaly clay, with some stoney patchs.


so i grabbed another spade and headed out, to give him a hand with the hard dig, the clay was its typical self sticking to spade and boot as we tried to dig, one man clearing as the other dug, the mark on the locator was steady at 4ft, when i arrieved, the mate was down a foot already, and was digging round some large stones that were in the way. i brought my long ferreting spade and this with the slight curve in the blade seemed to help out a lot when getting round these stones.

the hole was around 4ft square and allowed us both to stand in and dig a little before clearing out, and it wasnt long till we were in, right in just over the dog and with some delicate digging we chipped round him and found him in grips with a fox, a vixen, managed to get both out and dispatched the fox.

but it was one hard dig, so took the terrier down to the steam to clean out his war wounds, he had a few small nicks on the nose, nothing serious.


this will be one set i will not be entering rip on.

i know a few great we set for starting young pups about a foot deep and usaly hold the odd fox

sounds interesting, mite have to show me them i was looking at one a week or two a go that used to be great but someone dug it and left the holes open, is full of rabbits aswell so thats a no no

you not break your terriers to rabbits i could not have one that was not i dug near 5 foot to a mates terrier on to find a half growen rabbit to say i was not inpressed is a under statment give it a few months and ill show you a few handy we setts

dont let them see rabbits as best i can, would hate to dig down to find a rabbit. altho it has happened, once it was even a bin bag