question on deer breaking

[NewMexHunter]

I'm just getting into hunting, but shouldn't you check for positive track if your dog's strike? If your dog strikes and you just dump and there ain't nothing but deer or elk track then your dog's gonna rub the hell out of that track. If you get down and there ain't a single bear or cat track then correct that. Most dogs get the point whwn you get verbal with a strong voice. Of they're hard headed give them a zap. Also I heard from a old school guy that you can let a goat run loose around the dogs while they have some breaking scent. His dogs don't even strike trash what so ever. I'd hate to shock a dog for sniffing a track, because you never know when they're gonna be scared to run a good track from fear of being corrected. Remember to praise them in their jobs well done!

[merlo_105]

The thing is a lot of country your not going to find a track. So yeah the dogs got to get off and look for it. And if you have decent enough rig dogs a lot of tracks are going to be a long ways off the road. I think a lot of dogs especially young dogs learn to strike hot to warmer tracks cause people correct to much for striking shit. They'll get to the point where there only striking warmer or for sure cat tracks cause there scared to screw up. I want my young dogs striking everything possible over time they'll break them selves or lean away from striking trash... There's been plenty of times in snow where you see deer and cats using same trail. So if I was on bare ground and dogs struck most likely all your going to see is the deer track. Also I want my dogs striking even if they think they smell good game. A lot of times its just a shot of scent and a dog has to go check it to confirm if its a old cat or who knows what. I want them striking the coldest track possible

[NewMexHunter]

I guess terrain is different? You would think you would have to see a track somewhere in a 30 foot radius. Those cats are damn smart though and they do love to follow deer and elk tracks! I see your point on getting them to strike colder tracks. I'll have to be cautious with that myself.

[merlo_105]

Another thing is Some dogs wind strike better then others and some rig tracks on the road better then others. There's a big difference in a dog that will strike tracks from the box and a STRIKE DOG. I have some that won't miss a track if it's touched the road and some will strike cats several hundred yards off the road. So that 30 ft radius does not apply. Even when i'm hunting snow I rig my dogs and will strike tracks that never came to the road. Also occasionally you got to give the young dogs the benefit of the doubt especially if you only have one dog striking your tracks. You can't always wait for ole so and so to hit it cause he might not. I have a pup right now that will out strike all the big dogs here and there. And I have a young female who will out rig all the other on a piss post.

[DPT]

I have a cur thats trashed on deer several times. Never shocked him when he was trailin only wen i cld see him runnin the deer. Seems to me that is a more sure way of knowin their doin wrong and correct um better that way. Just my opinion

[dwalton]

If dogs are made not born why would we be trying to breed a better dog for what we do? It is true that it takes a lot of good hunting to make a dog but you can't make something thats not born in them. If so we could take a basset or a grey hound to hunt bear or lion and make excellent dogs out of them. You think that would worK out? Good luck. Dewey

[tigger]

I agree breeding is important but not as important to doing things consistently. I had said before that my dogs are way different then 10 years ago and the difference was me not the breeding. I expected more out of them in things like not trashing. I have a pretty straight pack now and like Dewey has explained in other posts that if the right work is done with a young dog it dosen't take much to stop any trash problem from starting. But it didn't come from somebody's line that says they won't trash, I believe their are breeds that are not as hard headed and want to please and those are what I want. I also think that from reading Dewey's, and a few others posts think they could take a pack of Greyhounds and catch bears,being a good houndsmen or women means being able to read what strengths and what faults a dog has and sets that dog up to succeed not to fail.