older dogs?
older dogs?
my hunting buddy and i just started running hounds this last year. we are having trouble getting our dogs to start a track and finish. found plenty of fresh tracks but havent caught any cats. does anyone know if getting an older experienced dog to throw in our pack would help us out? or does anyone have some training techniques that could help?
Re: older dogs?
My advise weuld be to start walking the dogs on the tracks until it got fresh enough that they wanted to take it themselves. It always worked on the younger dogs for me.
MAXHOUND wrote:my hunting buddy and i just started running hounds this last year. we are having trouble getting our dogs to start a track and finish. found plenty of fresh tracks but havent caught any cats. does anyone know if getting an older experienced dog to throw in our pack would help us out? or does anyone have some training techniques that could help?
Re: older dogs?
it migh take alot of leg work and a few miles to get them to take an older track by themselves, but if you keep at it percistence will pay off in the long run. If it wasn't alot of work it wouldn't be hound hunting. lol..
MAXHOUND wrote:my hunting buddy and i just started running hounds this last year. we are having trouble getting our dogs to start a track and finish. found plenty of fresh tracks but havent caught any cats. does anyone know if getting an older experienced dog to throw in our pack would help us out? or does anyone have some training techniques that could help?
Re: older dogs?
I did it the same way stubtail did, but a quicker way would be to go a couple times with somebody that catches and will let you thread one of your dogs in from the start. it only takes a couple good races with a tree at the end to really make it sink in to the dogs how it works.
"Houndn'Ems Blueticks" if it smells like a cat, they'll catch it.
Re: older dogs?
thanks, ill have to give that a try on the next track. usually we only walk the dogs down the track about 100 yards or so. maybe thats where we went wrong lol
Re: older dogs?
A good older dog could help you out alot, just make sure you see the dog catch something in the conditions you will be hunting in before you spend any money. An older dog that gives alot of mouth on a cold track will help keep younger dogs interested in it. Try your younger dogs one at a time with the older dog until you find one that will stick with it then start turning that one loose with the older dog on every track. Once you are to this point then start trying the other young dogs one at a time again. Lots of variables in this process but that is generally how I start my young dogs, that is if I have an old dog, if not then follow stubtails advice and strap on your boots. Don't waste too much time on a dog that isn't catching on, in general those that are slow to start don't finish out to be exceptional.
Re: older dogs?
I have my pack on and my gear ready before I even collar my dogs the only time I do not walk with my dogs is if the snow is good and the track is fresh and I can't keep up and I know where there is a road that will put me closer to the dogs. Dry gound I always walk. You need to walk with them to keep them on the track but also to make sure they stay on the right track. Once they start to trail they will figure out that there are a lot of things more fun to chase than trailing a cat like deer or elk. Most the time new houndsmen who have new dogs see thier dogs take off and hear them barking and think that the dogs are really moving the cat only to find out they are on deer.Put your packs on and get ready for some long hikes.