Rig training

[Sparkles]

I got a bunch of dogs nothing to solid especially for rig dogs just wondering how to start pups rigging bears and not trash.. I have a hard time trustin my young dogs if they bark and I don't see any sign of bear or anything else I'd hate to turn out on a bunch of elk but hate to miss out on a good bear run just looking for some ideas thanks

[Utahhoundsmen88]

thats a tough one. i'm not sure if i got a good answer for you... my sugestion is that you need to have at least one soild dog that you can trust and know that it wont trash. have that dog on the rig and use that dog as a gage to the other dogs. a good rig dog is priceless. my other suggestion would be that it helps if your dogs have been out in the field alot. i think that the best trash traing tool is to go on hikes with your dogs and have the shock collerd up. if you go on enough hikes with your dogs in dog and elk country you'll take care of that trash problem

[Sparkles]

Thanks I'm probably gonna invest in a solid rig dog even if its a little older to help get a race goin cause these dogs were on a handful of bear and they will go I just don't trust them quite yet on rig hopefully by the end o spring its a different story thanks again

[BuckNAze]

Prepare for a year or two of headaches. Nothing more satisfying than starting out with young dogs and building your pack from the ground up and nothing like wanting to rip your hair out and sound like a crazy person cussing your dogs out in the woods. Shock system is the way to go. All i had was a cattle prod and would show it to them on the rig and they knew ehen i showed thst to them that they knew what was good to run and what wasnt. Dont start shocking till your young dogs have seen enough game though or youll ruin em

[Sparkles]

Ya I use the hot shot to keep em quite at the house and in the box when I'm turned out so ill keep that in mind that's another thin is I haven't wanted to shock them til they know they are rigging bear and that's what they are suppose I rig thanks again

[Bow]

The way i train my rig dogs which is almost every one in the box. when they open we look for tracks and never turn them out unless we find a track. same way i trash brake them just don't ever turn them out on any thing that you don't want to run. most will brake them self's. If you have a trash problem after you turn them out put the tri-tronics to them. Most hounds will have a different bark for what they are striking just takes time to tell what they are telling you.I have one hound that wont bark at all off the truck she will just wine and look at you. you just have to know how to read them

[dwalton]

Great advice Bow [ don't turn them out unless you find bear sign] One step more is to take them down on leash and let them show you what they started. When I guided bear hunters we never turned out unless we found a track to see if it was a large bear. I have trailed a lot of bear several hundred yards before finding a track with a dog on leash. I even treed one once with a dog on leash. Dewey

[Utahhoundsmen88]

Hey Sparkles, my buddy is selling a dog that you might be interested in. It's a 7 year old dog that has seen ALOT of game. that dog would be a great pup trainer. and a dog that you can trust. just let me know if your interested.

[Sparkles]

Dewey that's a good idea just walkin it out farther on a leash and I appreciate it all guys and ya I'm interested I'm just short on cash seeing how bear hunting last year really did a number on the huntin trick and hitting a deer in my normal truck but I'm thinking that might be the bet option is find me a finished dog to keep these younger ones goin cause my best dog died this winter and the young will run lions but I know that I'm turning them out on a for sure lion track and I like running bear a lot more and hope to have a pack of bear dogs someday thanks again

[tod watterson]

When i first started hunting bears over 20 years ago we hunted off baits and we had some damn good bear dogs. We all had the typical 4 ft x4 ft dog box that we could put 1 or 2 dogs on.No side rails or front bar to tie to ,just an eye bolt with a chain and a double snap in the middle .I remember the first time one of our best dogs struck off the top of it,i couldnt figure out what the hell he was barking at as we pulled up to the bait untill we seen a bear standing in the middle of the road .The thing i remembered after we had turned out was how uncomfortable that dog looked on that box .It was all he could do to strike the bear and keep from falling off at the same time. I went home that week and started building a new dog box . I`ve always had afull size pickup with a long bed .The box i made takes the full bed,divided down the middle,floor,5 snaps on the front and back halfway a chain with 4 more snaps .I had neverseen one like it but after 5 or6 more hunts i had made all the modifications i needed. I can put 9 dogs on top,they all feel comfortable, and if you have 1 decent strike dog and the pup has any desire to be a strike dog you can have them rigging in a weekend or two .The first time we went out after i got it made,half the dogs on the box blew up like they had been riggin bears for years. I think the biggest thing to getting young dogs to rig is 1 good strike dog and having the rest be comfortable riding the box.By being able to put so many dogs up at once you can see which ones are gettin it done and which ones just as soon be ridding down below.Smaller boxes with holes in the sides work good to but i gotta drive to hunt so this works good to save gas money.We use cattle prods for correction and we don`t give them any leeway on rigging off game .We dont check for tracks as we rig a lot of bears that are a long ways off the roads.Some dogs can ride a box a lifetime and never make a rig dog and still be real good bear dogs and then i have seen 6 or 8 month old pups that wont miss any.My ride right now is a 4 door ford long bed.I can put 20 dogs underneath the top and gear for 4 guys strapped on top .Split gas 4 ways .

[BigGameHunter]

This is just what I do. Its worked out OK for me over the years.

I would start by rigging a coon in setups. That will help you identify what dogs are going to naturally rig. Don't make the mistake of beating your head against a wall by keeping at it with dogs who have no disire to bark on the box. Don't make the equally detimental mistake that somehow these are worthless dogs. Some just don't want to bark on the box. When you do have one or two that bark at the coon, I would let them strike it a few times, let them off and let them go find it. Don't do this to much or your dogs will get to used to short runs and HOT tracks. Once they know its ok to bark on the box, make sure they get the hours in the field. If you can put the dog up with an experienced strike dog you will be lightyears ahead.

Also just a word of caution. Be skeptical. I know a lot of guys who trust their dogs a little to much IMO so that every time they bark on the box. It's a strike. Unless their trash broke, those dogs can be barking at anything. Some dogs bark because they need to poop. Some bark at anything they smell. Some bark everytime a branch hits them in the face and some bark just to hear themselves bark. Until you know your dogs well enough to know which bark means what......be skeptical. Not much ruins a "broke" dog quicker than dumping on a smokin hot trash race.

Number one???? Be patient and enjoy getting there. A lot of work and game goes into getting a good trustworthy strike dog but once you have it....it's worth it all.

[Sparkles]

Big game hunter do you jut set a live trap with a coon 30 yards off the road or drag it across the road and hide it or even drag it across the road and turn it loose is there a way that works better for the dogs to rig coon what has worked the best for you and I agree 100% with having a good rig dog to help out hopefully by spring ill have one thanks for the help greatly appreciate

[wyohoundsmen]

I have a 7 yr old solid rig dog for sale. He is the best trash broke dog I have owned. He needs a good home because I am moving younger dogs into his spot. He is an awesome Rig dog on bear. I will guarantee him or your money back. Look up my ad on KSL and call me. Or send me another message with your number and I'll call you. You don't need a track to start a bear with him.

[treetalkingjp]

Is your 7year old rig dog forsale to anyone ? If so could I get a price and or a number to talk to you?

[Sparkles]

Wyohoundsman I did look at that dog a few days ago I just can't come up with the money right now but I appreciate it cause I'd love to try him thanks again