How early do you expect a pup to run a track by himself

Rebel3 · Post by **Rebel3** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:18 pm

Just wondering what other hunters expect from there pups

pete richardson · Post by **pete richardson** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 1:21 pm

how old is pup ---when training season opens ??

what kind of track-- ???

i would have to answer---all of the above--

i wouldnt normally let a 6 month old pup run a bear--

have seen it happen sorta by accident a couple times-
- - thought pup was too young they were there just to get used to it--
got away in confusion lol

id hate to have a 6 month old stove up bad by a bear--

i dont like them to get in the habit of being left behind on harder races-

i have seen one just over 3 months run and tree a coon --- in same way-

ive hunted 6 ,- 8 month old pups on coon lots of years after bear season--

have had dogs never got a chance to run anything till over a year-

i almost hate to start them on coon--
, but

if they are going to be too old when bear season opens
i want them started on something--

it seems to me that 1 1/2 year old dog thats never ran anything is always the hardest to start -- dumber than a post----

this year - im going to start some on hare--

im way behind already-and coon are denned up -lol

have found that you can start them on something with less scent-- and trade up , not so hard to break them later --.

the benefits of running tracks when young probaly outweighs the trouble of haveing to break them later-

how to train a 3 month old to run a track---

get a helper to hold him back --- try to run and hide from pup -

make it easy at first and gradually harder- ---you can use drags and scents but not even needed with baby pups -

anything beats sitting in a kennel --

kiekhofers_walkers · Post by **kiekhofers_walkers** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:45 pm

most of my dogs out of my hard have been able to run a track by themselves by three months.. But on a average by six months if they have plenty of training any any brains. two of my dogs i had running vear by seven months.. But them ones dont last long.
Mike

chilcotin hillbilly · Post by **chilcotin hillbilly** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 8:11 pm

This all depends on what you run, I run lions, lynx and bear and I would never expect any of my pups to start and finish a track of any of these at the age of 6 months, At ayear I would dump one alone but not expect them to finish alone everytime. I did have a walker that treed bear on her own at 10 months but I started her on a bear crossing a road , her second one was one i saw standing off the road aways, circled around until we cut tracks and let her go. This turned out to be the best training run ever as this turned into a nasty sow and with in 200 yards the fight was on and this lasted about 30 minutes. The sow charged me a couple times which really got the pup firing up. Man did That pup get a hate on for bears after that. to bad the wolves got her the next winter. By 2 years they better get it done on cats and bear.

Everlast · Post by **Everlast** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:04 pm

I'm with Hillbilly........

Although when they are born has allot to do with it for me;

I like a pup born in April. That way, by October when I am ready to start hunting again after the summer and deer season is over, the pup is about 6 months old. As long as it is physically big enough, I start turning it loose with the other dogs. By the end of the winter (April/May) the dog has been on tons of fox and bobcats and should take a hot track by itself. Doesn't have to finish it, but it better start it....Locating treed game is one of the most difficult tasks for pups.

Now if I get a pup that was born in August/Sept/Oct.........that dog will not get much hunting until it is nearly a year old as I do not hunt much in the summer....

Mike Leonard · Post by **Mike Leonard** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:40 am

A pup is a broad term: Some pups should be expected to start these activities quicker than others. This does not mean the ultimate finito of the purpose driven hound dog will be any better.

I expect my Nance bred pups to be working trails on their own by 4 months.I am not talking about trailing down mountain lions and bobcats I am talking about trails. I expect my old strain dogs to be doing this at a year of age. Wow! that is a big spread there wouldn't you say? I would but it is just the way things evolve. I could tell a lie and say the old strain dogs do it just as fast as the Nance walkers but they don't I could tell another lie and say that the Nance dogs always make the best, smartest, coldest trailing big game dogs. But they don't . Different strokes for different folks they say. I say kids all have their own time canine kids are really no different. Work with it.

chilcotin hillbilly · Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:25 pm

I guess you should define trailing what? rebel3. trailing hotdogs? drags? tainers? or lions and bears. I don't do trainers, or drags only getting them on game a soon as possible.

Big Mike · Post by **Big Mike** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:36 pm

I expect my dogs to be trailing drags, and easy stuff (lots of scent) and treeing by 1 year old. But in dry ground lion hunting I don't expect them to be much help until they are two-three years old ( ive never owned one that could start and catch their own dirt track long tail any younger). But they have to show me show me the ability and want to by 1 year

Mike Leonard · Post by **Mike Leonard** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:09 pm

I don't consider hot dog games or heavily scented drags much of an indicator. These are more of a game to build interest or to make you feel better about the pup you are feeding. Trailing to me can be a trainer, or a actual track type scent trail or the real thing. The dog must strike and attempt to or actually trail the track out.

Big Mike, I hear you on what you are saying about actually being a real dry ground dog 2-3 years before they are making a difference and most of the old strain type dogs never hit their true potential until they are around 5 years with a good deal of hunting. There are exceptions. Thank goodness! Man over the years my real power dogs for catching on the dirt would really start making the turn at 4 and by 5 they were the ticket and life is good, but the first thing you know they are 9 and 10 and get banged up or hurt and you are back to square one. I have seen several strains of hounds that come into this quickier and I have been working with this but not every one of them does.

I may be a bit different than a lot of free cast bare ground hunters but I don't want every dog hunting the same way. I want my strike dogs in place and if there is another dog that is bucking the ranks to be a strike dog I let him or her prove out. I don't want every dog to be a track to track pounder. Yes at times they have to be and some wonder dogs can do that and then pull up and drift and swing and move it but they don't come in big bunches so I need dogs that will be pounding,and dogs that will drift and rock n roll and those that fall in the middle.
I have hunted with guys that have 5 or 6 dogs that just pound and move a track and boy go and go and it is wonderful to watch. Like the old saying you could throw a saddle blanket over the whole bunch working that track. And they go and go and move it, but suddenly you look around and you say where in the heck is Gunner and Booger? You get out your tracker and what? They are treed a long ways ahead of the other dogs. Did they cheat? Nope they just hunt a little different when they can. So I like a combination, but not everybody doees. So I have a hound pack that is not as uniform as some others. I have tight built whippy walker dogs that are cold nosed and fast, I have big old long eared bawlers that are filthy cold nosed and steady. If I had to choose just one or the other what would it be? Can't say but I don't have to choose on or the other and most other guys don't either it is just personal preference.

briarpatch · Post by **briarpatch** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 3:20 pm

Mike, you have described it extremely well. All hounds have their own time frame for starting and advancing with training. Some of these guys with "4 month wonders" are in for some surprises.

I also agree with your description of a good pack. There may be a few hounds with all strengths and NO weaknesses, but I have never hunted with one. Almost as a rule the "filthy cold nosed" hound cannot really put pressure on an animal that is leaving the country. Also, the drifter-runner cannot cold trail the old dry ground track. The drifter looks good after the cold trailer has put him in position to do so. The drifter must also be a good locator-tree dog (some are) or all is lost.

Of course, I am talking about what is necessary over the long haul (years). On occasion a dog may look good and make you think he is the real deal, but has he PROVEN it repeatedly over time? WE ARE TALKING DRY GROUND HERE. You snow hunters please don't take offence.

briarpatch

liontracker · Post by **liontracker** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:30 pm

Like Mike said, 4 mo.'s to 1 year. It depends on the strain and how they were bred. You should just ask the breeder.