Keeping a pack in one pen.?

[Msbobcat]

Guys
How many of you keep your dogs in one pen?
I mean eating sleeping and drinking all together.
I knew a guy in south Texas that did just that with no problems as far as I remember. Thanks for your opinions

[FullCryHounds]

Look up some of my old posts. I've been keeping all males together for the past 20 years in a 1/2 acre run. There's one 8' long insulated dog box they can all get in and sleep. Half my dogs are cut, the other half are intact. All depends on the specific dogs temperment. I do not keep any female dogs around. The younger dogs get to chasing each other every day several times a day until they can't run any more. I've never had a single bloody foot ever. I have no kennel barking because they are bored. They all eat at the same time but in separate bowls. One heated water bucket for the winter. I don't know how this setup would work with females, never tried it. I also wouldn't try to keep an aggressive dog but I've never had to get rid of a dog for that either.
I hated kennels for years and when I moved to CO., I gave this new idea a try. Wish I had done it 35 years ago. Dogs are much healthier and happier.

[merlo_105]

You shouldn't have a problem if you know your dogs if you doubt it would work or think one could be angry then probably wouldn't do it. All mine are in and out of the house as they please. Few male's a few females all eat together and all sleep on each other. Zero problems...

[Jeff Eberle]

Mine are together all day and night .

[Tanner Peyton]

I did I the entire time I had hounds. Any where from 2 to 6 un cut males together 24/7. Every once and a while I would half to cull one because he would get possessive of the food or dog house. But them dogs tended to be to gritty for me in the field as well so I was ok with culling them.

[grinner]

I keep mine together. They do pretty good. They usually all sleep together, one water bowl, and get fed at the same time but separately. I have three individual boxes but most times on cold days they all squeeze into one together. I had a few problems but castration took care of that. I have one cut male one fixed female and one intact male. I like it because it keeps them active, clean up is easier, and a lot less barking and digging and chewing. Depends On how you keep dogs I guess. I used to use individual kennels but this just makes sense for me.

[pegleg]

I have pens full of hounds that are separated by sex. I don't cut my males if one needs cut it needs culled. I do spay some females but not for temperament issues. If they aren't lead dog quality they get spayed at 18 months to two years. If they are I will spay them at around seven. They get packed and they hunt like that once they are the right age. I do mix female and female or male and male if I need to but I only keep four hounds per pen.

[al baldwin]

If it works for you by all means continue penning your dogs together. I do not kennel dogs together, years ago two females that were both very mild temperament, got into a fight, cost me a vet bill. Considered myself lucky, know one hunter who had two females together, one female. his best dog was killed. I also know another hunter who had kenneled males together for long time, without trouble, however they got into a fight and the one killed was one of his best dogs. So, I just think for me best not to kennel together. Al

[Mike Leonard]

These days I hunt mostly females and a few older cut males. I keep my dogs together most of the time but I do have separate kennels and houses I can tell them to go to and shut in if I want. I usually feed them their regular meal separate because some dogs eat slower than othesr and I want them all to get the portion I decide on for their activity level and size. I do not have any problems and it is good as it keeps the dogs active and the younger dogs get a lot of play time. I have a large secure fenced area where they can interact and bond. I think it makes for happier and more mentally balanced dogs.

I do have separate kennels for bitches in heat or those with young pups. The few stud dogs we keep we keep right in there with all the others unless we do have a female coming in. I have a large heated water tank and in the summer I also have some horse tanks I keep full that provide the dogs water to drink and they can also bail in if they want to cool off.

I keep an eye on the activity and also if somebody wants to be a bully, and they find out right quick who the Alpha is and believe me it's not one of them it's the old boy with the black hat and the stock whip. LOL!

[Msbobcat]

Thanks for all the comments,I have a half acre or so I'm gonna fence off for them.im gonna stay with all females anyway

[mark]

Just something to think about. Until you have seen how little it takes to get a dog fight started and how fast any dogs that can hear it get there and how fast they can stretch ONE dog you better realize that unless you are right there,you are going to be to late for it to matter that you are the Alpha! Seen it when i was a kid and there wasnt a hound involved.

[twist]

X2 with Mark and Al.

[dhostetler]

X2 with Mark and Al.

X3 with all the above.

There are a lot of stories of houndmen penning hounds together for years and all of a sudden ending up with dead dogs.

[mark]

Holy Divers!!!!!!!!! Me and Hostetler agreed on something ! Lmao

[dwalton]

Kenneling dogs together it only takes one fight to cost you a good dog. It can happen to any of them, over a bone or female coming in or one just bumps another in the wrong mood. Who knows what causes it or when it may happen. It only takes once. Dewey