track issues

[BrandonCombe]

Do any of you guys have a solution for fixing a dog that has started to consistantly run tracks the wrong way ive never been able to fix this problem and I do not know what causes older dogs to run tracks backwards maybe you guys have some good advice to share.

[tod watterson]

I've seen a few dogs that tended to run some back tracks. It seems like it was either an old dog that was getting a bunch of young dogs turned loose with him that were making a lot of noise and he didn't trust them and wanted his own track or it was a young dog that would hit the tree then turn around and run it back to the start .If it's an older dog that's kinda getting left , I'd probably just let him go first an get it lined out then feed to him .If it's a young dog running back off the tree, I'd leash him up when you get there . In my mind the older dog that is getting left is probably a good, independent type of dog that doesn't trust what he's running with and he's probably worth spending some time with . Dogs that leave a tree and like to run the track backwards, in my opinion, aren't worth spending much time on . Before you know it that type of dog will have the rest of your young dogs following him , then you will have more than one dog to deal with .A lot like when you have a dog that starts slick treeing and before you know it he' s got all of them looking up and looking to tree . What kind of conditions is this happening in ? In snow , after about two dogs , the track is gone and the rest are just drag racing to get to the front . If the dog can't keep up cause he's not as fast you might need to get him in better shape . I've seen some strains of dogs that seemed to slick tree more than others and some strains that seemed to want to leave a tree and run the back track .I wouldn't want either . How old is the dog , how far is he running it the wrong way ,what kinda game and what's the conditions your running in ? Where I hunt we usually run 2 dogs on bobcats in snow , maybe 3 or 4 max on a lion in snow . On bare ground I'd double those numbers if you want as long as the dogs your turning loose are gonna hunt .I wouldn't want more than 1 pup running loose with older dogs on a tuff track at a time or they are probably gonna get themselves in trouble .

[BrandonCombe]

Tod the dog is about 8 its dry ground ive seen him do it on an old fox in the snow a month ago and then on an old bobcat track last week I n snow and several in the dirt he is out with one other dog that does a good job as well but the dog running it the wrong way will start it wile roading and take off he is extremely persistant onand old track to he will run the track the wrong way til he looses it and can not pick it up and all this is recent I lost my lead dog and these two hunted awesome together after I lost my lead dog I didnt think I would have any trouble because the 2 I had left were always good dogs hunting hard picking up there fair share of looses and what not but after the loss of my lead dog ive had a ton of back tracks from this dog im not sure why. hehas started more tracks for me than I can count that ended up treed so im not sure why the sudden change.

[tedsmith]

Brandon I have an older female, never was a speed demon, start that this year, she is mostly free cast on dirt. She is a nose down track style and opens with her 3rd or 4th wiggle. Many on here would not put up with her barking behind constantly, but I do. When her backtracking really became noticeable was right after some younger dogs started opening before her on some older tracks. Must have done something to her pride I guess I really don't know. Anyway the opportunity presented itself for me to set her up, and I did, 2 times. That was all it took, I did not get rough with the tritronics, just turned her around. Is it fixed for good, probably not, what ever caused it in the first place has not changed. I am not a whiz with hounds or a shocker. So I must be right, if I have to wait a while to be sure that is what is going, on I will. Do you think yours is pack dynamics, loosing your lead dog, has that caused Pecking order issues? You are aware of the issue, mix some things up, hold him up, hold your other dog up, see what happens, if you let your other dog start the track and turn him in. It did it once, it will do it again, let us know how you get along, we will all learn something here. Take care Ted

[Dads dogboy]

Brandon,

Ted Smith gives very good advise!

Almost any BAD Habit a Hound starts can be corrected.....understanding WHY the Bad Habit has manifested itself goes a long way towards understanding WHEN and HOW to Correct this. South Texan gave very good advise on how to do this on the "Reading your Hound" and the "Seeing with your Ears" threads!

[Jkohnke]

I've had older running dogs start taking back tracks. When I say old I'm talking 7-8 because I've never had a running dog make it much longer due to the nature of the running here and all the things out there that seem to take my dogs early like highways /rattlesnakes and such. But I've had some old females mostly which had very good noses start running backwards just like it was going forward. Not only that but the ones that do it all started to like running rabbits too. And I mean run them and put a beagle to shame. These were females that I was proud to hang a collar on but they seemed to go senile and backwards. Maybe just due to not being able to stay in a high pressure race anymore they were doing what made them happy. IMO when they start at that late age it's time to pull the collar and put them up.

[al baldwin]

Brandon that is a real surprise to me. I can/t recall ever having a dog at eight start taking tracks backward on a consistent bases. That hound was never bad to take tracks backwards & when he did was good about figuring that was the wrong end & turning the correct direction. Always a little independent, did his own thing, & several times figured things out and took the rest with him., more often than not, after we had help others realize he had the track, due to him being tight mouth on a tough track. Good luck Al

[slowandeasy]

I've had older running dogs start taking back tracks. When I say old I'm talking 7-8 because I've never had a running dog make it much longer due to the nature of the running here and all the things out there that seem to take my dogs early like highways /rattlesnakes and such. But I've had some old females mostly which had very good noses start running backwards just like it was going forward. Not only that but the ones that do it all started to like running rabbits too. And I mean run them and put a beagle to shame. These were females that I was proud to hang a collar on but they seemed to go senile and backwards. Maybe just due to not being able to stay in a high pressure race anymore they were doing what made them happy. IMO when they start at that late age it's time to pull the collar and put them up.

This I believe to be spot on. Along with giving junk a little jingle too, than come walking back after sucking the youngsters into it for real.



Take care, Willie

[scrubrunner]

I've had two walker deer dogs do this. Both of them were my best strike, trail, and jump dogs if they opened on a track you could bet money they would put it to running. And would trail for a long ways befor any others could open. Had these two dogs about 10 years apart when they hit about 8 the other dogs would run off and leave them way behind. Shortly after they started backtracking, I swear they would rather trail backwards than forward I could put them on a track going in a block and they'd come out on the other side backtracking. 1 was male the other was female the male was also outstanding at trailing and getting a fox going. Never caught him messing up on fox but became useless for deer hunting

[scrubrunner]

O yea, to answer the question posted. I don't have a solution just lamenting with you

[BrandonCombe]

Alot of good advice and things to think of i appriciate it keep ot coming Its seems like he gets to excited when ever he smells something never wants to be second ive hadhim bail off the road open a little for a couple minutes then come back like nothin happened on several occaisions and multiple times in one night. couple weeks ago ran a coon real short race he blew past the tree by about 2 hundred yards just screamin it wile the other dog stayed at the tree like I said all this is been in the last few weeks and befor this he was a real consistant reliable dog never a single problem so I kant figure out why the sudden change but im hoping I can figure out a way to fix it soon because a few months ago I got rid of dogs and just kept my 3 best dogs because I didnt nead anything else then a couple month later my lead dog gets sick and dies at the vet then a week or 2 after that this dog is having issues with back tracking and im left with one dog to train my pups I got out of my lead dog shortly before I lost him.

[easttntrapper]

This thread has helped me alot. I have been supicious of my pup trainer getting jealous of pups lately. At first I thought he was going crazy but my straight pup trainer started backtracking, trashing and leaving trees about the time my latest pup started shining. Now to correct the problem.

[southern fox]

I have seen this lots of times seems like some strains are worse that others, had a lot that wouldn't move a track a inch backwards and others that seem like they want to find the afterbirth, and seems like a cat is worse than a fox , seems like they cant tell the front from the back, I hate that but I have found nothing that can be done to correct it, shock them and they will think your shocking them for being wrong on trash, all I can say is know your hounds, what they sound like when there doing this cause he will give a sign that's he is backwards, wont bark the way he is suppose to , and some will come back, to try to straighten it out, older dogs seem to go nuts, when they cant keep up, I have seen broke dogs start wanting to run anything , just to mess with the young ones I believe, I have a gyp that's about 10 years old, she cant keep up on a fox race but a cat in thick cover she will help a lot, she turned a coyote off the road 1 nite, nothing opened with her but she has always refused a coyote until then, well I hollered her out and she stoped, now if I take her she rides in the box till I can either see the track or something else moves it on

[scrubrunner]

Reading this thread just reminded me of a hound my dad's first cousin owned,if he made the strike he would take the back track 100% of the time. You had to run up to where he struck at go out there and turn him around every time. I know a lot of you are saying you wouldn't keep a hound like that but when you got him turned around that cat was in serious trouble, after you pointed him in the right direction I can only think of two other hounds that could do it as good as he could.

[wvreddogs]

cats don't leave much sent even though they stink. my buddy run cats for 30 years now I hunt with a lot, them dogs will run a cold track backwards sometimes, we the best time we found to run them in a fresh dry snow or heavy frost, when its froze, wet snow or wet ground we are done dogs cant run them good, don't know why but seen it over and over