Cold nosed hound and Locate hound...

[merlo_105]

I was talking with a friend the other day and we were talking cold nosed vs others and locate dogs vs others. He has his own beliefs about the two and it got me thinking. Now Im interested to find out other people's Opinions on both matters. Why do dogs locate and how and what judge's cold nosed and why some breeds excel at one but might not the other and so on so forth... Bad breeding not included

[dwalton]

First off we need to define what a cold nose or a locate dog means? I think their is a lot of difference of opinion here. Maybe thats what you were getting at??? Dewey

[merlo_105]

I re-read my post over and over and the more I read it the less since it makes. The theory is a dog dont locate cause it just doesnt want to its more interested in the track. Words from him was, "You cant tell me a Varmint is hard to locate for a dog. A dog can strike a old track from a moving vehicle and wind it 100 yards over the bank." Then the cold nosed theory was he dont buy that one dogs nose is better then the others. Its just that dog is more dedicated to get the track going not that it can smell it any better then another... The more I sat and thought about what few dogs I have handled and been around there was some since to be made with the comment. Now its just a opinion of one man so Im asking the opinions of others. Now I know a few guys who believe the nose is better from hound to hound and they feel a cold nose hound is whats needed to locate.

[dwalton]

You said it when you said it is just ones opinion. Dogs that want the game tend to be tree dogs and dogs that prefer to trail or run a track tree less. Now with that said it is breeding and there are hundreds of exception to the rule. I think it takes a track smart dog to know when that track ends and to look for a tree. A tree dog trees because he thinks a cat went up not that he knows it went up. The easiest way to tell the difference is to take a young to a tree or watch him at a tree he is treeing because someone else is treeing not because he knows where it is at. That dog will cause you problems as a bobcat dog. As far as cold trailing some want a dog to pound a track, make a lot of noise, that's cold trailing. Others want a dog to take a old track and smell a bush once and move it out. Some call that drifting. It is not for me a drifting dog looks for the track more than it has it. I don't want more than one of those type in a pack. Now if they lose scent which happens on bobcats, they should move out and find where it picks up but only if they can't run the cold track. How do you tell the difference? Get behind your dogs in the snow and see how far off the track they are. A drifting dog will be a long ways off at times, a dog that can run a cold track will be five to ten feet of the track or right on it most of the time. A dog that sounds good and pounds a track will have a path wore out where has been going back and forth not making much progress. As far as how old a track a dog can take depends on scent conditions. Sometimes they can trail and catch a 12 hour old or more track. At times they can't smell one that is 10 minutes old. Welcome to the world of bobcat hunting if you are not scratching your head and trying to figure out what just happen your not bobcat hunting. Each to their own and each to your own opinion. Be it right or wrong. I know what mine is what about you. Dewey

[tyler12gilbert]

The question as to whether or not one dog can smell better than the other can be better understood by just a few internet searches on how the canine nose works. One article that I found particularily interesting was <http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/7_11/features/Canine-Sense-of-Smell_15668-1.html>. The sense of smell is thought to be asociated with sensory cells along the naval cavities. Blood Hounds have the most of all dog breeds at 300 million. Humans have between 5 and 10 million. I really do encourage everyone to read the article to get a better understanding of the complexity of the canines scenting system.

[funstuff]

i think it has to do more with drive and desire. seems some dogs can smell more finite particles than others, but if they dont want to find it and catch it, it wont matter.

i feel alot goes to breeding and TRAINING. have you exposed that dog to track, the woods, sights, smells, and sounds of the hunting environment. if not the battle is/can already be lost.

Exposure, exposure, exposure. early to old. if you aren't working with them ALL year, just for a walk in the woods, your dog can not excel.

as for treeing. it can be taught to them how, but you better have a dog that wants to please and drive to catch. pulling hair, and a ground catch can really make a dog want to catch.

I dont know much, but i dont get better at stuff if i dont practice it, even at my age. 40.

[R Severe]

There's a lot in Dewey"s post, I can't find any fault in any of it. RS