# Lure Coursing!



## Sookster (Apr 11, 2011)

Some friends and I took several dogs to try out lure coursing today for the first time, and boy was it a hit. I've never seen these dogs this excited over anything. This is something we will definitely be doing again. I think the poodles would all agree today was one of the best days of their lives.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Wow. Looks like fun. The only other poodle I have seen do this is Finnegan, Cavon's boy. It does look like a blast! Sunny might enjoy it -- he sure wants to give the squirrels a run for their money!!!! Thanks for posting.


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## Sookster (Apr 11, 2011)

I would encourage anyone to try it. Honestly, these poodles did better than some of the sighthounds there. I found out that a local club was holding a practice, $5 per dog to run a couple times. Totally worth it to go out and try, and even if it had been a flop it wasn't much lost. It's so so so easy, there's no pre-training required at all. And if the dog has a little prey drive, usually they take to it immediately. It was so much fun. I can't wait to do it again!


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## petitpie (Nov 16, 2011)

Great pictures!


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## Zmyjka (Sep 16, 2012)

Sookster said:


> Some friends and I took several dogs to try out lure coursing today for the first time, and boy was it a hit. I've never seen these dogs this excited over anything. This is something we will definitely be doing again. I think the poodles would all agree today was one of the best days of their lives.


Wonderful  My dogs also love it


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

*The Ontario Lure Coursing Association*

Almost a year ago I was in touch with a contact who was with the Ontario Lure Coursing Association. I had a notion to take Tonka out to one of their practices.

Medical issues intervened at that time so we never did get out to one . . but I still have her name and information. If anybody in Ontario is interested in trying this sport with your dogs I would be happy to pass along this contact. 

We're gonna take another stab at it this season.


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## Pamela (Sep 9, 2008)

what exactly is lure coursing?


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## bookwormjane (Dec 18, 2011)

American Kennel Club - Lure Coursing

Lure coursing is an event which simulates hare coursing. It has been traditionally with sight hounds, but a couple of years ago, AKC opened up the event to other breeds for the CAT (coursing ability test). It's tons of fun for the dogs, in fact, I'm taking my poodle for her first practice today. I've been doing it for several years with the greyhounds.

Most states have coursing clubs, so you could maybe find one in your area.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

About a year ago, Winnow posted this video . . of Lure Coursing in Iceland(?). It's far and away the best I've ever seen on the sport.  

lure coursing - YouTube


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## Pamela (Sep 9, 2008)

lol well I dont know what hare coursing is either - so what do they actually do?


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## Eclipse (Apr 26, 2010)

I too have taken my girl to lure coursing fun runs. Actually, the fun run course is typical for what a sighthound would run on a junior coursing run and is easier than the CA test which is designed for all breeds and is basically a big rectangle. My girl is absolutely insanely crazy to to this - I can't even keep her near the staging area because as soon as she hears the lure running she gets frantic to go. She does have huge prey drive and she will run the whole course, some dogs just start chasing and then give up. The dog needs to be pretty fit to do this. 

I've attached a couple pics of her taken by the photographer and a video from one of the last runs we did.

Diane and Fallon


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## egodfrey (Sep 23, 2012)

I am in Guelph and would love to go out to some lure coursing events with Jasper!


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## bookwormjane (Dec 18, 2011)

Hare coursing is basically rabbit hunting with a brace or three dogs. In the US, dogs hunt jack rabbits. It's called open field coursing (not an AKC event) and is not legal in all states. I think it was outlawed in England a few years back, but folks still do it. Sighthounds hunt by chasing down their prey.


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## Sookster (Apr 11, 2011)

Eclipse said:


> I've attached a couple pics of her taken by the photographer and a video from one of the last runs we did.


These are fabulous! Such wonderful shots, and that video is great. My camera was not capable of taking photos at the range the dogs were running. I have a Nikon d3100 but with the stock lens and the zoom just isn't good enough, so I wasn't able to get very good photos. And no video. Wish I could have! 

All 3 of the poodles we took finished the course twice. It was pretty awesome. We were about the only non-sighthounds there and I think everyone was a little shocked at how well the poodles did.


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Everyone's always a little shocked at what a poodle can do.  They don't think of a poodle as a hunting dog, but many of them retain those instincts. It sure sounds like a load of fun! Bonnie would probably LOVE it. I know they have it around here somewhere. I should look- Nova, Sookie and their poodle friend all look like they are having a blast.


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## Sookster (Apr 11, 2011)

outwest said:


> Everyone's always a little shocked at what a poodle can do.  They don't think of a poodle as a hunting dog, but many of them retain those instincts. It sure sounds like a load of fun! Bonnie would probably LOVE it. I know they have it around here somewhere. I should look- Nova, Sookie and their poodle friend all look like they are having a blast.


Oh, poor Echo! I hope he recovers fully. That really stinks. I bet Bonnie would really love this. Sookie had the time of her life. She never ever ever would dream of pulling on the leash, but she was lunging at the end of her leash every time the lure would start because she wanted to go so badly. She was chattering and literally trembling with excitement. And Nova we had to put in the car because she was so over stimulated by it. 

The poodle friend is Shelton, belongs to "pinkteaji" on this forum. We also had a couple of labs and a couple of GSD's that came with our group, and they all did really well. I only saw one other person besides us that didn't have a sighthound, and we were there for several hours.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

This looks like a blast. Thanks for the great photos. I would love to see my toy do this.


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## Sookster (Apr 11, 2011)

CT Girl said:


> This looks like a blast. Thanks for the great photos. I would love to see my toy do this.


I bet a toy could totally do it! There was a lady there with a chi mix that did awesome. She was SO worried about the dog running off but she stayed on course the whole time and came back at the end.


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## pinkteaji (Dec 7, 2012)

Hehe it was soooo much fun!! Glad we went with you sookster!  


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Pamela (Sep 9, 2008)

oh how great! I just watched ythe video and now I know what lure coursing is! lol looks like fun! I don't know if Ginger would do it.


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