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Hey everyone I was wondering all of your thoughts. About what hunting gets dogs in shape the quickiest and keeps them in shape. To me it would be bear hunting cuz after 2 races my hounds are in tip top shape. But when its coon season I got to hunt them as hard as I can and then execrice them to keep them in a decent shape. Just wondering all of your opinions on this. And if you had any tips on how to keep them hounds in good shape durning off season

get a dog walker. or make a dog walker. the best thing i have found for keeping dogs in shape is roading them. keeps em in the best shape i have found.

bobcat hunting will keep the dogs in running shape as well as sound mental shape.

guess my post aint hunting...but it keeps em shape!

Bears for sure.

Horseback hunting is the best in my opinion. Even the days you don't get on a track on an average 8-10 mile circle your dogs will cover at least three times the distance your horse does in their casting about. So you are getting good solid foot building, muscle and lung buidling excercise which in my opinion is much better than they extreme strain of a hard even long race when they are not yet in the best shape. This type of hunting gets dogs in shape and keeps them their like a steady excercise plan. When they go to condition an endurance athelete they do not say run a couple of marathons like you life depended on it and then you will be good to go. No they start and then build on a solid foundation that way when the hard races come they are ready to hang and also readu to go again the next day.

BETWEEN HUNTS, I ROAD MY DOGS UPHILL 6 MILES AND BACK DOWNHILL 6 MILES ONCE A WEEK RAIN, SHINE, OR SNOW YEAR ROUND. THIS REALLY WORKS! I DONT OWN HORSES , BUT FREE CASTING IS ALSO GOOD.

Run grey fox for a couple hours 3 times a week. It will build stamina and also keep the ribs showing.

Out of all the different types of dogs I have seen, coyote dogs are by far in better shape than the rest. Might just be my experiences though.

Dan, that is my experience too. Bear hunting is a close second.

briarpatch

briarpatch wrote:Dan, that is my experience too. Bear hunting is a close second.

briarpatch

From what I seen the few times I been bear huntin, it was a close second like you said. The dogs that I seen bear huntin wouldnt be able to get in shape like the coyote hounds I have seen cuz they werent tough enough in that regard but still they were in shape for what they were. That being said, I am still a firm believer that "running dog" blood is no good for bear dogs. Maybe some of that "western" running dog blood is OK but its not really running dog blood in my opinion or at least its way different.

Maybe I should rephrase what I said. Actually just add to what I said. A little bit of running dog blood here and there may be OK but I wouldnt go puttin a bunch in there cuz they are absolutely shit bay dogs.

briarpatch wrote:Dan, that is my experience too. Bear hunting is a close second.

briarpatch

i`d have to agree on this one. i run both bear and yotes, but my yote hounds are in the better shape. they average about 16-18 miles a day, but sometimes get in the 40 miles a day area. that`s according to my garmin.