Mtn. Cur Hog Dog into Bear Dog?

[albertaguy]

Howdy Houndsmen,
Looking for opinions.
I picked up a Mtn. Cur from a fellow in Texas. He was used for hogs, gritty, gamey, no quit, etc. etc. etc.
I brought him up here about three weeks ago, he is skittish, scared of any loud noises. Hides when I fire off a .22.
I took him up to a bear bait, he had no interest in the smoking hot bear tracks there, (I ran the bear off as I walked in), no interest at all. I went back to the bait in the evening and waited there for the bear with the dog at my side. The dog would bark as the bear circled us, but the dog just wanted to get away. I let the dog go and he ran like a rabbit back to the quad. Not so good. He did come back after a few moments. I walked to where I last saw the bear and the dog followed about 20 yards back. He had no interest in following those tracks.
I'm told that the dog just doesn't know what a bear is, I think a gamey dog would try and run him, or at least show some interest in following the tracks.
I think I got a dud.
Any other opinions out there?

[craig]

I had the same thing happen with a friends coon/lion dog, he is 7 years old been on tons of coon and lots of lion game crazy as they come hunted with him alot with my buddy. My buddy sent him to me when he was working alot, had him with me a month he was scared of me my pickup, quad, scared to ride in the back of the pickup, and at night when i would try to hunt him he would not leave my side. I finally sent him back he just wasnt happy with me I thought the same as u a game crazy dog should hunt for anyone and anything you show them but I quess I was wrong.

[albertaguy]

Thanks for that info, I appreciate that. Maybe it is just that he needs time to settle in. He sure didn't take long to start chasing deer and rabbits tho!

I wonder if the dog will ever come around, he wasn't cheap and I need a bear dog pronto. Maybe a guy will never find an experienced dog to fit in.

Thanks again for the reply,

[WAcoyotehunter]

get him with some other dogs and see what happens. That might get him going. He could ahve been trash broke hard off of coons in TX...

[albertaguy]

He's a nice dog to have around. I like him.
But,I went to my bear bait today, he ran along the quad great. To the trailhead. I walkd to the bait, he trailed along, about 20 yards back, nervous as hell. I just can't see him turning it around and being a go to bear dog.
And I can't see that he was a gritty hog dog either as advertised.
Hell, I got him here and gave him a Heartworm test and it came back positive, he was supposed to be 100% healthy. The seller was surprised to hear that a dog from Texas could possibly get Heartworm!!

Looks like I got bull-shitted by a slick a@@.

[Shorty]

Sounds like the seller either got you or really doesn't know dogs. Yes it's possible that the dog was hard broke and doesn't want to run anything but hogs. However, if that was the case he wouldn't be running deer (unless your talking mule deer). Its also possible that the dog needs to settle in and get used to you.

If the guy acted surprised that a dog from Texas has heart worms he's a joker! Texas has heart worms and anyone who's had dogs very long in Texas knows this. Either way I'd be trying to get my money back from this joker. JMHO

[lepcur]

I think ya got screwd buying that dog, I haven't seen a hog dog not take to bear.

[chilcotin hillbilly]

My question is why buy a hog dog from texas when there are plenty of bear dogs to be had. Go get a collie or heeler to blood trail your bears from the bait as you not allowed to chase bears in Alberta so you must be blood trailing, right!

[kordog]

there are peoples pets that would show you more than what that dog is showing you . i wouldnt waste my time ,and move on to a better prospect.