? For The Freeze Branding Pros

[Cold Track]

I haven't had to brand any dogs for a few years, but now have added a few young dogs and have a question. A friend and myself branded some dogs about a month and a half ago and the hair has fallen off and the brand appears well, but little to no white hair growing in. Basically they have bald brands. It's been a while, but does it take quite a bit more time for the white hair to grow in than I am thinking. Cause it seems to me that when I did dogs in the past it grew back seemingly faster than what these are. What's your thoughts or knowledge?

[Mr.pacojack]

If the hair is not growing back, he left the brand on too long and it damaged where the hair grows, like a hot brand. If it grows back white the brand was left on the correct amount of time.
For white or light colored dogs I will do that on purpose so you can see the brand ( not as good).

[Shorty]

Devin, that is absolutely right. It's a trial and error learning process. All brands brand slightly different. Keep a record ( mental for me) of the times and compare that to the results. That's how you'll get better at it.

With my iron for instance, on the ear, I brand from 12-15 seconds depending on color and thickness of the ear. That is with dry ice as the time with liquid nitrogen is about 4-5 seconds with my iron. You can take a couple seconds off with my daughters iron.

I also prefer the dry ice. It makes for a thicker white pattern. My iron is small and fairly thin. If you have a very thick iron you may think of using nitrogen as it leaves a thinner white pattern. If done correct with either method they should both be the same brightness.

Hope this helps in the future, I've screwed up plenty. Live and learn then improve next time.

[JayF]

i started wrong done three dogs and all ended up with no hair there is a little white around the edge next time ill shorten the time a little. i did 10 sec on the hip with hair shaved short using nitrigon last time. proble gona try 5or 6 sec next time does this sound resonable.

[Shorty]

Yes it does. Don't worry I did the same thing. Five or six seconds just didn't seem long enough, 'it is'.

[Cold Track]

The first time I ever did any I had a guy that does freeze branding for a side business on cows, horses, and hounds come do them as I wasn't sure and because I knew him well, he had the nitrogen, and he cut me a deal. He said 12 - 15 seconds. Those brands turned out well, then I did some for the same amount of time and they turned out well. Did the same this time and I'm wondering as one dog is coming in with white hair pretty good and one not so good. My friend's dogs aren't hardly coming in either. After reading the replys I'm starting to think the first few times I just got lucky. I've done a lot of horses and they turned out fine, but then again that's a lot thicker hide. Thanks for your replys men. Shorty, nice save with the rope cuttin the other day , carryin the knife while your bullfightin is good thinkin. I drug only two times during my days, but it was by the flank not my rope. The worst part of that deal was the dude on the out gate, I'm afraid I may have come up wantin to fight! Did you get plenty of huntin in on the break?