my pups tonight....

[Unreal_tk]

Well I was roading my five and half month old pups tonight. The canyon I was in is known to hold bobcats . I was driving along and all of sudden they blew up and up the side of the hill they went. Up a draw about four hundred yards.. I think jumped it about two hundred yards up whatever it was. Around the hill, two draws away they went. And they stopped I couldn't hear em... the Garmin told me they were treed. I climbed up the hill over a bluff then the hill was covered with loose rock.. I kept sliding down the hill in the dark with a headlamp. I got to them where I thought they had treed. There was some pines along this rocky ledge.. I thought they treed in those pines. I shined the spot light in these trees and come to find out my pups had lost it because it went over the ledge and they couldn't follow... I lifted them down off the ledge. As I walked down the nearest draw back to my truck I think they hit the track again. They followed it down to the road. The critter went right in front of my truck.... and then they lost it on the road I wasn't sure if it crossed the creek but I couldn't find it. I will never know for sure. But I hope it was their first cat!

PS these are my first attempt at training any dog to hunt. They have a ton of natural talent.

[pegleg]

its been my experience that most new guys doubt themselves and their dogs a bit to much or have complete blind faith in the "fact" that what ever track their hound runs will turn into a good track. a easy way to get away from this is to work your hounds on training trails often. at least once a week or more during the first season even when they are being hunted. "getting it right even on your boot leather often at first helps in many areas" much more often leading up to season. this lets you see/hear/know how they act on the correct scent in different conditions and as it ages. it helps keep their mind on your chosen game and helps put a handle on them which is always nice. this also increases the chance they will tell on themselves when they are running trash. builds a bond and confidence between you and your hounds. once you have spent enough time in the woods with your hounds on the right tracks, man made or natural it helps wipe away most doubts about what they are running. it sounds like your following them up and encouraging them and that is a big help to young dogs not running with a lead dog.
hope you the best of luck and continued interest in the sport.

[Unreal_tk]

I work my pups three to four times a week on training. They are with me anytime I'm not at work. They even sleep in my room on the floor. Kenneled only when I can't have them with me.
yeah I have no trainers either.

[ferjr]

glad to hear your pups are doing great! i couldnt be anymore happy with mine either. these are the first dogs i have trained on my own and they are turning out great! they pick up on everything so quick, like you said they have a great natural ability to hunt. these guys are going to be top notch bear dogs by next spring bear season. IMO.

[twist]

its a good feeling when this happens for the first time with young dogs really makes it all worth while. sounds like they are on thier way to making hounds.