Any Suggestions?

[dhostetler]

I have this 11 month old Bluetick. Trees good and bays bears good. However he won't run a track more than a half mile. Anywhere from 500 yards to a half mile he will quit it and come back. Has anybody had this happen to them and will a dog grow out of it. He also has issues with crossing creeks but I figure he will get over that as I had other young dogs get over that issue but I never had one quit races like he does.

I have run numerous other pups in the past and this one was the fastest learning pup I ever had, he would be a perfect dog if not for that major hangup.

[lepcur]

I think some pups mature a little quicker than others and I would lay him up for a couple months to give him time to mature a little more, if you keep turning him loose and he keeps coming back like that it may become a habbit and will be tougher to deal with. You might also try taking him hunting but don't turn him loose with the other dogs for a couple times and it will make him want to go more. JMO, Mike

[Unreal_tk]

Sometimes a little break goes a long ways.

[FullCryHounds]

No, unfortunately he wont change,he will always be a blue tick!

[dhostetler]

Thanks for the feedback (except the bluetick slam). I also came up with another idea that I was going to try. He trees very good and I have this habit when I go to a tree I turn the dogs loose that I have with me to follow me to the tree. I decided next time he comes back I would leave him in the box and hopefully the tree will be close enough to the road where he can hear it. That way he might learn that if he wants to get to the tree he will have to run the track.

It might be my fault because he might have figured out that the other dogs can do the catching and if he comes back to me he will get to the tree anyway.

[BIGBLUES]

I had dogs do this before. Its a pain in the ass. What I always do to deter them from coming back is when they come back I twirl my lead and yell at them saying no and smack the shit out of them.
you are right about leaving them behind to. When the dog comes back to you tie it to the closest tree and leave it. Its always worked for me. My opinion is that you can break a dog of just about anything. It just depends if you have enough patience to make it happen.