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It is a hard situation to talk about with most dogs that make it to retirement, at least the ones that earn their feed. But what do you do with a dog that is ready to retire. Assuming that she makes it, my lead female might be at that point in a few years. She is 10 right now, but still hunting as hard as she can. she is a hell of a strike dog, and an expert at starting a track. But in a few years she may not be able to hunt anymore. What do you do with your favorite dogs that are ready to retire?

Let em retire in style next to the fire.

If she's a good dog that is slowing down, hunt her with just the pups. She'll teach them more than a person ever could, as long as she still does the right stuff. I love old, cold, slow, mouthy straight dogs to put pups behind. They usually can't run away from them and give enough mouth to keep the pups interested. I wouldn't monkey pile 17 pups behind her, but keep it in reason and she will prove her worth more than when she was a lead dog.

You can still hunt old dogs, you just just can't pound them day after day. If the old ones are still around, I always try to keep them in the woods as much as possible. I figure they've earned that.

Im there now with a couple of my dogs. I'm gonna hunt him til they can't possibly hunt anymore then let 'em retire in style next to the fire!

Let them retire in someone else's pen.

When they start slowing down and thier performance starts slipping (you see them doing things they wouldn't have done in their prime). It is then time to sell them and let the next generation of dogs you have coming up behind them take over.

The dogs in their prime should be able to get it done or it is past time to get some better prospects. That older dog eats as much feed and takes up as much room as a good young propect, which has many productive years ahead if he makes the grade.

Pat

I agree with Pat 100% same thing I do

If a hound is good enough and lucky enough to make it to retirement age they will eat my feed until they die. I have to much respect for a hound of that caliber to let them go. My old ones still get hunted a little and it is still fun remembering what they have done for me in the past. I would never replace an old gray face until there time is up.
So I say let'em retire in style next to the fire!

CaneToad wrote:If a hound is good enough and lucky enough to make it to retirement age they will eat my feed until they die. I have to much respect for a hound of that caliber to let them go. My old ones still get hunted a little and it is still fun remembering what they have done for me in the past. I would never replace an old gray face until there time is up.
So I say let'em retire in style next to the fire!

Yup, I can't imagine throwing out an old hunting buddy after ten or twelve years because I was too cheap to feed him--hell sakes I hope my old lady doesn't throw me out because I get gray! One old hounddogger told me he sold them off when they get six or seven years old cause he couldn't stand to watch them slow down and die, which is understandable. But isn't that what life is all about, understanding and excepting limits and time.........

ike

I agree with both sides on this one.

It is dang hard for me to turn around and sale a dog that has done so much for me. At the same time, i don't make alot of money and if i want to continue to sneak out and hunt in between two jobs and 5 kids that play every sport ever invented and feed those worthless horses while tryin to keep the wife happy........Then i have to continue to sale my hounds.

I have never kept a dog til it died at my place. That doesn't mean i don't think back and talk or wish that ole so and so was here to finish the deal. I have always sold my hounds at all ages. It is just part of the deal at my place.

If i were smart, i'd buy 2 finished dogs and just go catch everything on the mountain. BUT....i'm not. So i'll just go on trainin these pups and sellin dogs to the smarter people. Someones gotta do it and we can't all be idiots.....well the majority of us anyways

Best of wishes to you and your hounds.

I have a limited # of dogs I can keep. I breed dogs to improve them each generation. If I have a pup or 2 that are coming along and out performing the older dogs... They get a spot and usually someone has to go. Everything is for sale around here for the right price, well except the wife.

That doesn't mean that it is easy to let a dog you have raised go. Not at all. All it means for me, is that my pack of dogs is a revolving team. They have to be the best 5 or 6 dogs I can have to keep their spot on the team.

Take care.
Mason

Ike, I am with you.,

If a hound ever earns a place to be retired around here he or she has earned my respect.


I guess that is the difference in a houndman and hound game enthusiast. Pretty hard to get to enthusiastic about and old worn out hound but then again when they have put their life on the line and worked their guts out for you till they got so old their ass end started shaking no REAL hound man would pawn off an old friend.


There is a difference in living and living well.

I'm with Ike on this one as well, Mike too I guess

But Rockcreek is still a flamer

larry wrote:I'm with Ike on this one as well, Mike too I guess

But Rockcreek is still a flamer

Larry- You shoot them sorry ass dogs of yours yet? Go get your shine box!

REAL houndman huh? If I had the room and money, my wife would keep them ALL!

I've kept some til they were too old to really do much and always wished they would go out doing what they truely love and were bred for, not ending up finding them dead in their box.

If it makes me less of a "REAL Houndman" to let them go help someone else out after they have proven their worth to me, then so be it.

I'm not trying to impress anyone, just living life. I'll leave all the romance up to you all. LMAO!

Hell no I didn't shoot em! Too damn hard to replace. They might not let every coon within reach live, like yours do, but they work for me!

Does your wife type these for ya Mason? Way too many "LOL's" and "LMAO's" in your posts for you to be carrying a set

larry wrote:Hell no I didn't shoot em! Too damn hard to replace. They might not let every coon within reach live, like yours do, but they work for me!

Does your wife type these for ya Mason? Way too many "LOL's" and "LMAO's" in your posts for you to be carrying a set

Larry- Is this how every post has to turn out for you? You're dogs wouldn't be up there barking at that coon they CAN'T reach cause they'd all be chewing on each other on the ground. Do yourself a favor and just shut up. This post was about retired dogs... You only know about dogs that get retired in the box, riding around with yours. LMAO!

Take care bud.
Mason