Thread: observations of dog traits

my pup is now 20 months and been on a few trips into the bush . shes whippet x (with what I think is staffy) she does love to chase (whippets being rabbit dogs I guess its understandable)and bail (cats only at this stage, yet to see what she does with deer/goat/pig), I don't know if bailing is typical of whippets although being sight hounds possibly there is something there like ridgebacks. I while back I had her tied to a tree while I had a rest waiting for hunting buddy , hunting buddy must have spooked something up the hill cause it came crashing thru the bush not far from us . pup was alert trying to see/scent and listening she let out very low almost inaudible grumble (no bark) . recently on a hike in clearing a couple of traps on the way, we put a dead stoat up in a tree (thought she might rip it to bits if she got it) she had scented it while we cleared the trap further down the track she comes up to me stoat in her mouth and drops it at my feet , she hadn't chewed on it just retrieved it for me... of course I fussed over her and let her know how good she was even tho I didn't want it....thing is I didn't think whippets or terriers were predisposed to retrieving or am I wrong. on the way out she walked straight past a spiker just off the track it was standing very still trying to scent us as im sure it could hear us but there was no wind and a lot of moisture in the air. it trotted off quietly , is a dogs scenting ability hampered by the same weather conditions? because it was so still im guessing pup didn't hear or see it.... I am getting an understanding of her body language in the bush and I think its only a matter of time before she gets her first deer