Catch dogs other Than Bully's

[Moonshiner]

What other breeds are used as catch dogs other than the Bully breeds?
Thanks

[Pops]

some curs are gritty enough to catch, dale & crosses catch some and sighthounds will try but have some control problems on hogs.

[Moonshiner]

hmm, well maybe I will just keep looking for the elusive cheap pit.

[pig snatcher]

Your best bet for a sure nuff, get it done by himself on anything dog, is to stick w/ the bully breeds.

Some other breeds may catch but also may lack the physical strength and determination to do what has to be done. Cur dog may catch 100 hogs but when one hurts him bad enough he may let go. GOOD bulldog wont.

[kb]

[Moonshiner]

[Pops]

ozzies use mastiff crosses
bandogs are mostly pitXsome sort of mastiff

[Moonshiner]

Is there a reason why folks dont use mastiffs more often? What are Ozzies btw?

[12-GAUGE]

That would be Ausies. As in Austrailians. Most pig hunters in Austraila don't bay hogs. Their's are strickly running catchdogs. They mix mastiffs in for size and holding ability. The dogs run loose the whole hunt. I knew of a South Carolina man that tried this style of hunting. He had some mastiff mixes, and some stright mastiffs. The dogs ended up heat stroking. The Ausies generally mix them with stag hounds, elk hounds, or even grey hounds. Thicker underbrush over here in the USA. It is harder for a large dog to manuver through the woods. The biggest reason that a mastiff is not used on pigs is this:

THEY ARE HUGE.

My sister has two English Mastiffs. Those suckers are 150 pounds. Have you ever paid for the feed to keep a 150# dog in shape. It would be very costly. Also, they don't have the same gameyness as a pit. Can you imagine leading a 150# catchdog through the thick brush. The whole time the animal would be wanting to go to the bay, pulling you through the woods the way he wanted to go. I've been hog hunting a good while. I can tell you out of experience, catch dogs are a dime a dozen. A good bay dog is priceless. Worry about the strike and bay dogs, then you can always find a nice catch dog for very little money. A 50-60 pound pit will bring the boom down on a hog just fine. They are also much more likely to stick around and fight it out if the things get rough at the bay. A good pit won't leave if he gets stuck. He give his life to catch that hog. JMO!!!!!!

[Cajun]

There are am many different breeds of catchdogs out there as there are baydogs. I have seen plotts, curs(both blackmouth & Catahouls),Airdales, Rotweillers, & Pits all used with success. The only problem I have seen with dogs like mastiffs & Rotweillers is they are too slow & in really thick stuff like cutover, they have a hard time getting thru.jmo. Like said above some of those dogs might turn loose if they are cut enough. In my opinion & it is worth what u paid for it, lol, nothing can touch a pit, day in & day out for a catchdog. If u raise them right, they learn their job is catching hogs & u will not have any trouble with them fighting. People are amazed that I can crate 2 males together & not have any problems. I have always had more problems trying to crate to male curs together.

[12-GAUGE]

[Moonshiner]

Thanks guys, that made alot of sense, I can understand how a 150# dog would have a much harder time moving through this brush, that a smaller pit.
I do gotta work on the bay dogs I have now, they are getting better, and hopefully when I move into acearage this spring i'll be able to get me some swine, probably domestic, but none the less, the dogs will have the chance to bay em up.
Right now im doing some research as to which breed would be good, and how best to use it.

[Liz ODell]

I'm not sure what breeders are still 'making' bandogges (Carl Swinforde is passed away?)but you would probably not be happy with one as a catch dog as they are super expensive and super dog aggressive (same goes for Tosa Inu's if they have caught your eye). Mastiffs also have alot of health problems, I have only seen one that was athletic, most could barely make it around the corner. Most of the rare bully breeds are pretty expensive, I've always found Boerboels and Fila's impressive but both would NOT like your friends and they are BIG. I can't believe its hard for you to find a bulldog (err...pit) up there. Maybe the animals rights people have finally started to attain their goal of exterminating the bully breeds?

[Moonshiner]

Well I can find pits and bulldogs, but the bulldogs are pretty expensive even without papers and the pits are expensive too. Rescue places ask anywhere from $150 and up, and the fix the dogs, and I only want an intact male, maybe as a stud, but just for the fact Id feel his pain, lol. Im also color picky too, Id like a brindle or black, if I had to pay, but if it was free id take any color.

[Pops]

lots of people breeding bandogs, they just aren't calling them that. they're sold as giant pit bulls (gotti/razors edge have neo in them, big block & dagger have bordeaux & whopper has mastiff or bullmastif), pit bullmastiff, canis panther, american bull molosser, american alaunt, swinford sporting dog (not related to john swinford's stock) & dozens of other silly names. there are good Bandog breeders but they are focused on personal protection not hog catching. a good pit goes a LONG way in fixing the deficiencies in the mastiff breeds.
if you want cheap look for bull crosses like labXboxer, gsdXrott, pitX anything, but get it where you can actually see the parents & know whats in it. shelter workers are horrible at guessing what a dogs background is. remember you'll likely get what you pay for.