Runnin dogs???

[twist]

I know everyone thinks they have the cream of the crop when it comes to hounds be it running dog or tree dog or crossed up dogs but remember every area is different. There is not a dog alive that can cold trail heads up in this area, yes there is times it can be done but sincewe dont have brush or heavy vegatation to have cats brush against we have hills cold dry snow and trees. If a dog doesnt put its nose to the ground or snow here you will never get a cold track warmed up enough to get to the jump i promise you that. Yes a dog in heavy brush should be able to run a cold track for the most part heads up but then again every area has its differences so remember that when saying all dogs should be able to do something. Andy

[Tim Pittman]

Been thinking about the cat competition and finals and all that everyone has a hard on for, since some of us say a '' PACK OF CATDOGS''' and others say "" ONE CATDOG""" why not let the poor dumb ones of us bring at least a couple ???? to a mix it up hunt ????

[Tim Pittman]

I'll nominate Dewey for the dumb team!!!

[merlo_105]

Haha I like where yuh going with that Tim. I got two little dumb dogs. But I would need a handicap beings my dogs arent from that area. I'll start the excuses now.

[mark]

Merlo,Dewey,Tim,and Cobalt. 2 dogs each all put down at the same time. I will supply the cat and there are no bluffs or serious rocks for it to get into. No snow and no wet brush. Just good ol hard running cat that knows how to use what the good lord gave it.

[merlo_105]

To easy mark, we'll have to spice it up some. Maybe blind fold the dogs or tie there feet up. I'll bring my secret weapons...

[cobalt]

Sounds like a hoot! I would love to get all your dogs running some tough game. Bears I mean. I will supply the bear.

[dwalton]

I will stop a the dog pound and get a couple to run with you boys so I won't make yours look bad. Don't worry boys you won't hurt my ego if they get out ran. Dewey

[mark]

Been reading the Slash Ranch Hounds again and the second chapter is called the mystery of scent. Tim P. and i were hunting together back in february and got to taking about a dogs ability to cold trail and how fast. I have owned dogs in the past that would put their nose down and grub away for hours on end, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. An above average cat dog whether its tree bred or running bred or anything else IMO will not do this. They know how a cat travels and where to look for the path it took thus eliminating a lot of dead trailing in between. Im not talking running around wildly searching for where the cat went but keeping its head up enough to see a big log or brush pile or something else it knows a cat will walk on or check out 10-15 yards in front of it and going to it. When you have several dogs together doing this (leap frogging) they can move a pretty cold track pretty fast. I use to think of it as drifting a track but Tim used the term Cat Smart, i like that better because that is exactly what is happening. Dub Evans talks about it a little in his book. Granted there are times that a dog needs to keep it down and slow but when that catty object appears in front of it the dog should get to it fast. Just an observation ive seen over the years and i believe all country that has cats has these places they cant pass by.

[Big N' Blue]

Good post Mark! If old Dub was not hunting pot lickers, it makes you wonder what he could have accomplished ! Lol

[Unreal_tk]

Mark I think that's a pretty fair assessment. No different than a dog spotting a cat track in the snow. The real old dogs I've seen will ignore tracks a lot of trash tracks when having to eyeball it instead of smell. I don't know shit though!

[Flip]

Twist, running dogs that learn to trail don't do it with there heads up so it's quite obvious u never had one. There just not as natural at it but it's not to say a good one isn't great at it. They also push the track naturally and have no problems with standing on there head when a trailing track can be drifted or cut.