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Ive been hunting with a younger guy lately whos pretty green but he has some dogs that will catch some hogs from time to time. Ive hunted with him on 3 different occasions. First time we cought a 230lb hog and all the dogs worked well together. The last two hunts my dogs have struck and bayed more than once on both occasions and his dogs will not honor the bay/bark. At one point the hog was less than 30 yards away and his dogs wouldnt go in. I dont know what to say. Its actually getting worse as we hunt together. The last hog we struck together my dogs were about a quarter mile away baying and his dogs were acting gamey but didnt know what to do. They could smell the hog by my guess and would bark track but wouldnt go any further to the bay.

I know he has cought hogs before he hunted with me but it seems that his dogs will not work with mine. I have a dog that is actually starting to do what his dogs are doing and not going to the bark. She is a second string dog (me too dog) as it is anyhow but I cant say that ive seen this happen before. I know sometimes when a person hunts with a new pack of dogs that sometimes the dogs will not honor other dogs mabye the first time around but this situation is getting worse as time goes by. Does this sound familiar to anybody? Has this happened to anyone else? Im lost as to making any sence of it. Especially as time goes by and we hunt more together.

I've had the same happen to me, but it was my dogs that didn't honor. First hunt or two all went well, them his dogs bayed a bull. It took about 4 more hunts and his dogs actually not trashing for my dogs to trust them not to get my pack in trouble. Also had a new partner a while back that I just can't hunt with cause his dogs are too buddied up and will only work together and won't honor my dogs at all. So when hunting with him, we run his first, then box them and run mine. That's fun, cause I get to give him a hard time when my dogs strike hogs his missed!! That's why I always take three of mine no matter who I hunt with, that way I know my dogs have back up.

Had something thats sounds Identical happen to me last year except that it was my dogs that wouldn't honor my friends dogs. They did at first, then gradually got less and less. They would still find, bay, and catch hogs by themselves, but wouldn't honor my friends' dogs bay. Then got to where some of my friends dogs wouldn't go to his lead dogs bays. Finally figured out that his lead dog was possessive of the bay, he would fight the other dogs away. Started leaving his lead dog on the chain, all the rest of his dogs and my dogs worked togather as a team and all was good. Hope that is not what is going on with your dogs, but if it is, it is better to know it and correct it. That lead dog of my friends ruined some pretty good prospects before we figured it out.

Bill

I know theres no dog fighting goin on. Just seems weird. Like I said It wouldnt be that unusual of a situation if it was the 2 packs of dogs workin together for the first time but all was well in the beginning its just as time goes on they seem to not want to honor my dogs bays. Mybye its a competition thing between the dogs. Have had a few split races but its just a guess as to whos dogs are baying together and whos not. Easy fix would to just bring more dogs of my own. Cali has that 3 dog per person rule and we have 2 catch dogs between us and I hate to leave my catch at home.

90% of the time this behavior is because of aggression of some form . But in my experience only 20 % of the time is it acknowledged. Aggression does not have to mean a dog fight there is so much more that happens before a fight . Body language learn it and have a better pack .

how good of buddy is he of yours? nothing worse than your dogs needing back up and others are standing way back. sounds like you got some good dogs. you wouldnt want to riun any of them.

I hear what some of your saying about "body language". It makes sence if the guys dogs would go to the bay and my dogs basically said that they werent welcome. But when my dogs strike and bay a 1000 yards away and they wont go in that explanation dosent fit. I ran the dogs last weekend with somone who I rarely hunt with and there was no issue at all.

Im thinking its just his green dogs. The fact that hes catchin em him by himself at times is cause that there is a huge population of hogs where hes been goin and the dogs are being dumped right out of the box to the hogs. The dogs are basically runnin the hogs by sight. Honoring strikes and using their noses is something I dont think they have matured into yet.

As for the hog that was bayed and we were 30 yards away I really have no explaniation. Were gonna go this weekend if we dont get rained out too bad. If it happens again ill be checkin out that body language. Im also gonna put them all together in one box and let them socalize a little before we go, let them sniff eachothers asses over a few glasses of wine and smoke a few cigars to make friends.

Theres some growlin or fighting going on somewhere I bet.

there may not even be growling it could be shoulder bumping and pushing. there's one other thought here I had a pack with three males and twice as many females a good portion where related and some could get sharp if someones feelings got hurt so I got real liberal with the boot and e collar I later bought a male hound that was a little growly and my hounds would flat refuse to be around him because they figured if they were close when he growled they'd get it too. so it might be your dogs growling while catching or purrring which is what a catch dog sounds like to me. and his dogs thinking its at them and they're about to get rained on for it. or just not being real sure what they should do sometimes its the strangest things that cause behavior. I haven't hog hunted much have seen and used cattle catch dogs some and owned a few bully breeds so take my thoughts for what they are worth not alot here

We hunted again a week ago and there was no problem. Dogs struck and bayed together fine. After it was over I didnt leash up the dogs (not including the catchdogs) to see if a fight might break out. Try to find if there was any evidence of dominance or hog possessiveness. After a kill, thats usually the time where dog attitudes will reveal themselves. Nada.

BTW I only hunt with females. Either fixed or not in season on all occasions where this incident occured.

glad to hear that wasn't it and that things are working fine now.

Bill