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What is a pup trainer? It is referred by most as a old dog to start a pups? What is your thoughts on this? Dewey

Mr. Dewey,

We use one of the retired or about to be retired SPECIAL Hound (a hound who excels in all aspects of running a Cat) with Pups who have STARTED.

The Pups are run with this Trainer and usually another Old Hound for 6 months or so.

Like has been posted on the Other Thread, this gives the Pups a chance for some On the Job Training. They learn to do things on their own, solving the riddles that Ole Short Tail gives them. However when trouble arises old Faithful can come along and allow a Teaching moment to happen.

When you talk with the old timers around here a pup trainer is a lion. The bobcat hunters used lions to get pups going, hence the term "pup trainer".

It wasn't until I started reading on this forum that I saw the term meant older seasoned dog.

Just as you stated Mr. Dewey, an older broke dog.

I want a pup trainer that will tattle on a pup if he does something wrong (hits off game). I also like a (pup trainer) that is pretty open on track, to help keep the pups pulled in on the track. Depending on how experienced the pup is, but lots of your cold tracks a pup isn't going to be able to smell it or hasn't figured out what he is after yet and a good open trailing dog (trainer) will help keep the pup from drifting off to far and getting in trouble.

Also, as the trail goes to warming up and gets better and the pup does start smelling or acknowledging the track, before long the pup starts putting it together.

I'm referring to dry ground hunting. Robbie

Times two South Texan. Pup trainers do not always have to be older dogs, the old sister hound was what I considered the best pup trainer I ever owned at four years old. Something will add I like hounds that are quick to open when they smell good game, then if the pups are nosen off game and older hound not opening, what an advantage for letting the youngsters know to leave that alone. Thanks Al Baldwin

I don't own a super old dog yet, or even a fairly broke one. Luckily I hunt snow so that helps a bunch. I just tossed my pup in with whatever 2 or single dog I put on a track and the first couple he would come back but slowly kept going more and more with the older ones. If he hears a rig of any sort he will still come to it rather than stay with the dogs.

I use a any of my finished cat dogs as a pup trainer for my own pups. But i believe the ones most hunters are wantis is an older experianced hound that opens well on the track and is slowing down some what that is as broke off trash as one can expect. Andy

A lot of you have touched on my concerns using a old dog. They are good to get the pup started but can hold a pup back. A pack or faster dogs are better as soon as the pup can keep up with out having to chase after the dogs. Dewey

a pup trainer to me does not have to be old, it does need to be broke and the pup needs to be able to stay up. I do not like to here dogs barking when you know its only running other dogs. This dog should also display the good qualitys that you want in that pup, monkey see monkey do hopefully.I really like it when the pup figures out heres what we are doing, takes that track from teacher and goes to calling dogs.

I like messing with young dogs.....I don't own a pup trainer. I don't mix outside dogs ....Many old dogs have bad habits that I dislike for training young dogs....Make the dog from scratch and mold it how you want them to hunt and work for you...example,once my first dog figured it out all by himself at 18 months of age complete on bobcats, I was over the hump, I statred adding another young dog and one by one they feed off of each other. By the end of next season they should have it pretty well refined as seasoned dogs....They are all pup trainers....You make them pack they pack....you allow them to hunt, they hunt.....old broke solid dogs are too predictable and no fun to hunt....jmho.....

well said Mike,alot of meritt to what you said.