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It shows to much aggression and lack of brains. I want a thinking dog that thinks before it leaps in. Dewey

Do you use that as a tool to select which pups to keep ?

I wasn't aware aggression equals lack of brains. Sounds like you have the breed of dog that will make you think they are rocket scientists anyways.

If someone brings out a caged coon I will use how they react as to which pup to choose or to not choose one. The dogs are just dogs. I want a trainable pup and I feel that a dog that is jumping into the middle of a coon or bear is not a very bright dog. A dog that tries hard to get to caged animals will tree harder another reason not to pick it. Guys this is only my opinion it has nothing to do with the truth. It is only what I think, prove me wrong. I am open to anything that works are you. Dewey

dwalton wrote:Guys this is only my opinion it has nothing to do with the truth. It is only what I think, prove me wrong. I am open to anything that works are you. Dewey

I have no desire to prove you wrong ! I was just interested in your thoughts as I had never heard anyone say that before.And now I know.Thanks for the reply.

Sorry Trueblue the prove Me was not directed toward you. I just get fuzzed up sometimes when people don't understand something. This site is for us to learn something. You are open, some people don't seem to be. I have nothing any better than any one else except maybe experience a lot of it. I have learned the hard way like a lot of us do. If I have any thing to give it is what I have learned right or wrong. If it works for someone great if it does not that is ok to. I don't mean to step on toes. Dewey

The problem with your statement in my opinion Mr. Walton is that if new hunters are trying to pick out a pup from some litter and they go with your reasoning, they will most likely leave there with a skiddish dud. I understand where you are coming from as I have seen pups turn into good dogs that wouldn't bark at a cage at a young age, but some of the best cat dogs I ever saw barked at caged critters fairly young. I don't think aggression is correlated with brains and if I had a young dog that wanted to tangle with a coon, that doesn't mean they will also tangle with a bear and if a pup at 6mo. old runs in on a bear and jumps on it, I am in full aggrement that that pup is not playing with a full deck of cards, but maybe not. For a young hunter I would say pick the one you like cause you can never tell what the end product will be.
As for nmplotthunter870, I would abandon the cage training and take the dog for walks in the hills, then sneak in a coon drag in a month and see what she does by herself. Good luck.

Thanks cobalt. I took her with the others today on the ditchbank. I'm just gonna let her hang out and I'll release a coon for them while they are watching, turn em loose and see what happens. Got more dogs than I need anyhow, If she don't turn it on soon I'll give her to a houndsman who wants to wait to find out if she'll be any good; food's too expensive. She's really skittish and I'm afraid that may be a problem she won't get over. I don't see barking at the cage as a sign of idiocy though; I see it as a passion. If i'm training a duck dog i'd rather have the pup that's going nuts waiting for you to throw the bumper rather than one that sits there patiently waiting and takes off half-heartedly. Thats what I think.

I agree with the dog treeing/caged coon aspect. I've seen many dogs trained hard on caged coon or field trials, do a lot of slick treeing, treeing a tree stand, treeing a squirrel nest, treeing a dark spot in the tree, you get the picture.

I usually give a dog one year. If there not showing any interest by then, I start looking for a new one.

I think there is a difference between a skittish/scared dog and one that's not showing much interest at a certain age. I don't have much time for a spooky dog. There is usualy just something wrong with them from the get go and there is not much to change them. These worry me a bit more because your'e not sure if their fear will turn to aggression at some point.

A shy/timid dog has a chance, but a spooky dog (especially towards it's owner) most likely won't ever cut it.

I didn't know the dog was skittish. I have wasted time with two of them, without success. I won't waste my time on another one.

I don't mind them being a little shy, but when they act like a coyote, it is time to do something different.

When the other dogs are doing what they do, this one tends to walk off. When it' s time to load up in the truck, when you go to pick her up, she pisses herself. I've never been aggresive toward that dog, never hit her, never even yelled at her and have always tried to kiss her butt, but she's afraid of everything. especially at night.If one of the other dogs snaps at her, she drops to the ground and pisses herself. Her sister is not skittish, but also not interested. She's the one i'm going to give a chance to.

I can't stand a skitso dog, one that hides wont come when called and pisses its self!!! I like a dog with spirit and drive that aims to please and knows the difference from right and wrong. A dog should not get scared or cower down if you verbally scold another dog for misbehaving if it wasn't the one doing anything wrong. My pennys worth. DC

Thats the way I see it. She's outta here.