hounds as pets

[groaners]

Mine are all hunting dogs first and foremost, but old dogs sure do make great companions There is a difference between spending extra time with them, and flat out spoiling them, in my eyes.

[craigs]

my thought is hounds are a tool you use to get a task done. doesnt mean you have to treat them pourly, but they were never bred to be a pet, always hunting first,

I agree, if they end up not making the 'cut' how do you cull your pet?

Take it to a shelter ran by PETA

[LACOON69]

[Unreal_tk]

In my defense. I would never give a breeding able dog away as a pet. But if they wont hunt and have no aggressive issues no reason to give them away as a pet. But any aggression issues I will cull on the spot.

[LACOON69]

[Unreal_tk]

Meaning before that dog leaves my place he or she will be cut or spayed. Then your arguement is done.

[duxtoyz]

mine are both. they are good with my kids and my other dogs and they listen better when treated better. they go with me anytime i drive 'their' truck........lol. overall, u need to treat them like family if u want good attitudes from them in return.

[YSHBHounds]

Mine are dogs..and are treated as such in MY opinion.. They get affection and play time at home and are subject to many "family" outings like visiting friends or family, river swim days, and snow days. They sleep outside in comfortable houses and eat better than I do most days..

Now don't get me wrong, I love each of my dogs and I show them that affection at HOME..out hunting is a different matter. Its strictly business and they know its game time. Just like any athlete they are fun at home an all work in the woods. I've had many people comment on the attitude difference from home to the woods. They load as family pets and come out ready to work. Its like a "magic box"

The way things are here..works for ME.

[Spokerider]

So in your view what is a breeding able dog. One that will sit, roll over, and play dead. Or maybe one that the papers say he is. Knowing that it has never hunted a day in its life because he is on his blanket by the fireplace. REALLY I have had hounds for over 30 years now and can't belive what I am reading. I guess I will see your dogs on craigslist.

Old school mentality...........my way or the hwy, right?

[LACOON69]

[225nontypical]

I am very new to hounds so pardon my ignorance if I am wrong. However I have had a lot of birddogs I have trained a few myself. In the years of doing this one thing I noticed was my pets, the ones that were part of the family would hunt harder and longer then the dogs just kept in the kennels. They also were easier to control, and were less spastic. I also agree if a dog does not make the cut and is a cull, if it will not make a good pet it gets disposed of but if it will make a good pet it get cut and or spayed and placed in a home. No chance of breeding that way.

[time2hunt]

If we aren't hunting we are fishing

[Spokerider]

Maybe some should learn from us old school houndsmen. Maybe they should listen more instead of running their mouth and learn. Then maybe we just might have the quality of dogs we had years ago. Just be thankful you live in B.C. where the hunting is good and you can hunt still. In time it will come when we won't have this topic to talk about because they will all be just a pet. But as for now this topic speaks volumes and really makes a person think twice about where and who he is buying his pups from. Now I know why I only hunt certian lines from well known hunters.

.......and running mouth has yet more to say..........


So it appears, that in your mind, that allowing a hound to sleep on the couch is directly responsible for the collapse of sound hound breeding practices in America, and the impending downfall of hound-hunting as we know it. Hummmm. Thats quite an assumption friend. Your assumption is nothing more than conjecture, unsubstantiated rhetoric, ripe with an emotionally-based foundation. So, in your imagination, every hound that has not made the required hunting grade has come from a *breeder*, [and I'll use that term loosely], that has surely spoiled his "pet", perhaps even letting it sleep on the couch? Have I got this correct? Perhaps you don't believe in, or have any experince with biology, particularly, a comprehension of inherited genetic traits, and just how much these traits are solely responsible for every possible aspect a dog exhibits or portrays. Perhaps you do have an understanding of this, but rather choose to vent your paranoia upon those of us that view and behold their hunting hound as more than a hunting implement. Could it possibly exist that a dyed-in-the-wool, old school houndsman has ever made a poor choice when selecting a breeding pair, and is even a little bit responsible for your concern of current hound quality? We all know that there are factors other than genetics that positively affact and effect a hounds hunting abilites. Factors such as hunting opportunity and experince, appropriate training and handling techniques, good physical and mental health, good physical conditioning, warm, comfortable living conditions, quality feed, etc, etc.

"Pet" is a subjective label, as viewed in the eye of the beholder. "Pet" does not mean the hound will be any less of a hunter. Nor will sleeping indoors, playing with children, participating in family activities, receiving discipline and affection when appropriately warranted, etc, detract from a hounds hunting abilities. Genetics. If a hound pup has been allowed to socialize with its sibblings and has been socialized with nuturing people during it's formative weeks, it will not negatively effect the dogs adult abilities in any way, conversely, it has a very positive influence on a dogs ability to bond / handle well on an intuitive level with it's owner. Don't take my word for it, do some research on the tracking dog training techniques utilized by the US military. Nurturing and socialization techniques are well utilized by the military. You will not find a plethora of old school, old wives tales techniques in practice there. Nope, us hound guys pretty much own those.

On a side note; I have known more than a few people that have pursued a life long passion, be whatever it may be, golfing, cycling, some sporting activity, gardening, shooting, music, or some other passion, and should the truth be known, they are not any better or more successful at that activity than they were twenty five or thirty ago. As a matter of fact, they are on the down-side of things. It's a slippery slope, and it's getting steeper for most of them. Time marches on, concepts and comprehension progress, adaptation is paramount. That friend, is fact.

[LACOON69]

[brian j cerelli]

All i know is for hundreds of years, these "old timers" dogs were bred for one reason, to catch game, nothing else. its only been more resent that people are wanting thier hounds to be pets also, we all know that some dogs can live in your house, and go catch game. but any one can see that a dog use to this living conditions isnt going to be up for 10 degree weather, possibly staying out in the woods for a few nights. the dog should live in the same conditions hes hunting, giving him exposer to conditions you expect him to perform in. during the off season, they should be conditioned, and handled. not sitting on my lap waiting for table scraps.affection also plays a role in all of this, but thats another discussion....
this is an opinon, we all do things differently with our dogs, but i believe thats hounds as pets has something to do with our ratio of good/bad hounds of today.
look at how the, ridgebacks,wolf hound,otter hound, or alot of beagles are now, they are bred for nothing more then the "look".
alot of them dont have the hunting instinct any more. us as houndsmen should be trying to keep our hounds "HOUNDS."

I cant think of any lines/strains from the past or present, that have been developed with hounds sitting in the house, or that play fetch and role over. hmmmmmmm i wonder why????

Brian