how do you pick a puppy that you want to be a cat dog?

[Nolte]

For a top cat dog here is my method.

Just scoop one up out of two parents that are cat dogs. Then go buy a Lotto ticket and put your money on the Lotto, you've got better odds.

In all honesty from my experience, they've all got as good of chance as the next. The only exception is I don't like an overly shy pup. They just don't seem to work for me.

[Farmhand]

Training is as important as anything in this case, provided the parents measure up in the woods. In that case a guy is best to let the pup pick you. Hang out for a while, one of them will like you, take that one.

[nkisamo1]

I pick the pup with the longest nose and the longest ears. Supposedly the long ears helps draw the scent when they are trailing. I just feel the bigger the nose the better. Just my experience they seem to be colder track dogs and better rig dogs.

I also like the looks of the long ears. Looks more like a hound.

Just my 2 cents.

[w mcneal]

it seems that most think it's just the luck of the draw once you have the right parents. so lets say that you picked out three pups. what are looking for the pups to do, or not do? also when and what do you cull for?

[treeing walkers]

I would look for them using there nose at a young age. 8-10 weeks and on. If there is a house cat around or a small dog for them to chase and bay on it. Then as they get older I look for shyness, smarts, and eager to hunt. By about 5-6 months starting to make easy races. ( coons ) Looking interested in the chase and catching it. I also look for a pup that will strike off the box at any kind of game at this age. Be it by sight or scent. Then after a race and you harvest the game the pup to show interest in the game that was treed. I like to take the main dogs back to the truck and put them in the box and tie a leash to the game and drag it around in front of the pup and look for it to want to play with it. and hold it out of its reach and see if it wants to bay on it. If all that goes good then I would start hunting the pup with the main dogs and look for all of its weaknesses. and try to work the pup through its weaknesses. and time and more work. then after about 10-12 months with alot of work and hunting you should have a good idea what the pup is and might be. but some are late bloomers and some are not. But by this age you should be able to see what kind of dog you potentially got on your hands. I would only cull at this age for major holes that can not be overcome or are huge holes.