How much should young dogs be hunted?

[catdogs]

Just wondering opinions, I used to think the more game you show a young dog the better - now I'm not so sure. There were some great responses on the "crackerjack" post -thanks. My question now is how often do you think a dog say 8 months to 2 years should be hunted ideally?

[Benny G]

I hunt mine as often as possible. I don't take them when they are too sore, or if I have had to school them to the point that they are holding a grudge- I give them time off to get over their fragile little emotions so that in the field hopefully everything is productive. To me the most important thing in training a young dog is that the dog needs to come when I call them. If I have a handle on my dogs the day is better for all of us.

[fox hunter]

as much as you can

[Shrek]

Every Chance you get

[Brady Davis]

I've never really had too much of a problem over hunting my dogs. That said, I've always been working too and never had the time to hunt everyday. However, I would think you could just watch the dogs and they would all be different. i've had hounds who could stand up to an all day everyday schedule and i've had some who couldn't. i think hunt them as much as you can and watch the dog; you'll know when it becomes counterproductive if it does at all.

[huntingwithwalkers]

i would run them as much as you can i have a pup right now and i hunt him as much as i can on coyotes but i am a senior in school so i dont get much time but every chance i get he is out of the box and running. he is starting to run the track on his own now so i am impressed with him. he has a nice voice and is my number one pup right now so my thought would be to run them as much as you can possibly can

[bency]

A lot...Every other day, so they can rest and replay in their heads what happened the day/night before.

[Big Mike]

I think you should hunt as much as possible. I think that is the most important age 1-2 years to get them on as much good game as possible. It real sinks it in their tiny brain what its all about

[treedogtodd]

Every chance you get!!!!

[azplott]

As much as possibe...when the conditions are right. I take it easy on them up till a year and a half or so. I avoid hunting them if I think the conditions are not right and could set them back. I want to set them up for success so I pick and choose when its right. I get shit for it but it works for me.

[U.R.E.]

I have "phases" that I use to acclimate pups. I will take my pups along for the ride from the time their shots are complete 5-8wks old (phase one). During this period the pup may ride up from with me depending on how crowded the dog box is and the temperament of the pup.

Because I enjoy cold trailing cats I have time to walk around with the pup while the older dogs work on the track. I climb banks, cross logs; cross ditches and rocks even if the pup can’t get over them. I find opportunities to too show pups how to go around obstacles that they can’t climb over. I like to hide from them and sneak back to the truck to help them learn to “home”. I may road them for very short distances with the older dogs but no more than a 100 yds or so just to empty them out. Having the pup in the truck with me helps relieve anxiety while the pup gets use to riding in the truck. I find pups that are anxious in the box bark more and chew more, if they are in a wood dog box. I may walk pups into the tree during this phase just to get them use to all the racket around the tree.

Once the pup is old enough to safely ride in the box I start working on commands for loading. I have a short hunting truck so pups learn to jump up fairly young. I don’t let the pup jump off the gate till it can jump up as a rule. I may start roading the pup 3 or 400 yds now (phase 2).

I handle my pups a lot. I like holding their feet, checking their eyes and teeth. Once my pup gets their adult teeth they start phase 3, usually around 4-5 months old. I road them a mile for a week then increase it a mile a week till the pup roads with the ol’dogs. At this point I never leave the pup in the box, if I turn the old dog in the pup goes also. I try to hunt areas with more roads for a bit so I can pick the pup up if I need to. If the pup gets thrown I don’t go after it right away. I try to let it either “home” back to me, or sit on the road alone (they usually hate that). I want them to go or be lonely (natural consequence). I never throw a pup in to a race. They make the whole thing start to finish or they stay in the truck. No short cuts to the tree.

Long and short of it is that my pups never miss a hunt. I just have separate, realistic expectations of the pup during the hunt.

This is only my opinion. I know there are many other methods and opinions but this works for the type of dog I like and the country I hunt.

Don

[BBGH]

I like to hunt my young dogs 3 days a week. I think that when they are sitting in the kennel it gives them time to think about there hunting experience they just had.