EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

So as of late, after hunting with a guy who has a jam up set of dogs in Chris and hearing about some of the known dogs in north Texas and reading the stuff y'all talk about on here, I've come to notice my pack really lacks a lot of Hunt. If that even makes sense. I feel like my dogs I usually have to walk over the track for them to take it(my lady gyp is the only exclusion but she's slow hunting) so after having the talk with Chris and getting my buddies in the same page I've culled 2 dogs of mine so far that just haven't shown the hunt and I have 1 more who I used to consider my best dog that's on her last leg with me(some days she hunts, some days she's under my feet. She embarrasses me a lot) and I've decided to start going through young dogs (8-14 months). Don't care what they're crossed with as long as they haven't been started. Im doing this because I've adopted the belief that if a dog will simply stay out in the woods hunting, I believe I can teach him what to hunt fairly easy. But you can't teach a dog that stays at your feet to range out a mile in no sign. First 2 I'm trying is a 8 month old Catahoula who has been a pet. Supposedly he came from hunting stock but went to a pet home and they can't keep him in the yard. So he's costing me $50 and I got a year old yella gyp that's from hunting stock but never seen a hog. Guy doesn't have time for her. She's costing me $75. I figure I get these 2 dogs and take them to a big practice pen. Throw them out with no prior knowledge and see what they do, granted I don't expect them to strike but I want them to range out. A few hundred yards would make me more than happy. Then throw a strike dog in with them and see if they'll go with her and be at the bay. If they'll do that much, I'll continue to work them. If they don't, I'll cull and all it costed me was a little money and some time. and then get some more young ones to try and repeat until I find 2 I like. Y'all think this is a reasonable method to find a couple young dogs that have the "want to" factor?

To cull or not to is up to you. If your set on comparing your dogs to other people's dogs you will never be happy. The best advise I can give on this is keep two dogs at any time and put all your energy into them. And find some one who's dogs impress you to the point that you say that's what I want period. Then set back and weight till they breed or have a dog u can pick up. I never get why people say the dog embarrass you hell it's a dog I pay no attention to that mess don't get caught up in the hero mentality it don't go no where   


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I'm not set on comparing judge. But before I ever saw anyone else's dogs work I was ignorant to  how my packs bottom and roughness and range stacked up against other people. Now that I've seen other dogs I've recognized what I want in a dog I have a won't settle attitude. I enjoy catching hogs a lot and I want to catch a few more than I currently do. So I figure a change in directions with my pack is only way to do that.

Judge is right. Cull or not. If you like the dog then keep working it. But I see your point to. I have had several dogs that I thought were bad to the bone and before you know it I put them with someone else's dogs and get smoked.  Make my dogs look like the guy who holds the flashlight for the fella doing all the work. In particular a walker hound I had. Some days I wanted to shoot him. But on the same token I turned down big money offers for him. Luckily no one was ever with me and offering money on his "off" days. He was a hard headed smart ass dog. Some day's he'd be first strike , first tree. And others he'd run around acting like a dang idiot and wouldn't bark at a coon if it was tied to his balls. I see alot of your posts on here and you seem like a fella that knows what he wants.  I believe you'll have a pack you wouldn't take 10,000 for before long.  

Well maybe not the only way but definitely seems to be the easiest to me

Too many dogs that get it done out there to feed a bunch that don't

We posted at the same time. But slim you pretty much said what I said. If you were closer id give you a dog to try.

Georgia I appreciate that a lot. I think I've come to figure out what I like in a dog. Cscott has a gyp named sassy. She's a year old 1/2 July 1/2 running walker and that dog to me is already everything I want in a dog. She's the one dog for me that I wish I could have 10 just like her. she's an all star at nothing but she's pretty good at everything. Her range, bottom, nose, and speed are all right on par with what I want.

Maybe look Into some hounds or if you like em silent try some hound crosses. Although alot of them are still mouthy. I bet a man could make a hell of a dog with a hound x bulldog.  If he liked something rough. A hound has a natural "drive" most of the time. It's just in there blood to be that way. Kinda like some folks I know with a gsp as a pet. That sucker will point a whatever moves. He's just bred that way and never had any " training" but will still point.

Slim from what your saying to me sounds like you have been star struck. Like I said the fewer dogs you have the better you can see there progress and the more time on the ground for those two dogs. Now if you want to cut out Ten yrs of hard work save your money keep two dogs don't get anything else unless it's from some one like the fella you been hunting with gives you something. Let the boots hit the ground when the time is right the dog you want will be at hand or you will have made one with what you got. If you single out the the one best trait you want get a dog from some one who has that on a regular bases then the second best trait from one other dog then your on your way 


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Judge I've Definitely been star struck. Which i don't think is a bad thing. I saw what I want and now I'm on a mission to get it. So far all the feedback I've gotten on my dogs are that Im not doing too bad for only being in this a year. I have got my lady gyp and my buddy has a dozer dog. Those 2 we can turn out and if there's a hog around, them 2 will find it, now if it runs them senior citizens won't keep up for more than a mile or 2. So you see I've got the dogs that will find the hogs. I need some more hunt, some youth, and a whole lot of stopping power. I'm just looking for a couple young dogs that show some promise and would allow me to give the old dogs a day off every so often

Gotcha if your on a budget it's hard to get a good dog for cheap but it can be done. If you want big bottom I would look in to a hound or hound cross. There are some cuts with tons of bottom as well but in general I would lean towards hounds.  If you want stopping power there are many ways to that but keep in mind that the rougher the dog gets in general it takes off the range and bottom not always just as a general rule. A good mix of both will keep you in the grind as they say. I don't know where you live or hunt but you are more than welcome to hunt with me and see how I do it. I usely only need two or three dogs and most of the time don't need a catch dog. But I do things my own way that's what is great about this sport many ways to get it done. Best of luck to you young man


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Jmo but find a good line of curs and it may take awhile to get your hands on them but its worth the wait! It took two years of looking before i got the dogs i have now as pups,then lots hunting but im happy with them. They have run a hog for 5 hrs before shutting it down and   I can no longer hunt on foot and keep up. Keep looking its worth the wait.

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blastin, it hurts my pride to tell you I just took Chris and his dogs south this past weekend to my neck of the woods.... And my dogs got SMOKED! lmao.  Also my buddy has a English setter cur cross that's pretty alright. She just needs to get back to hunting and get her legs back under her and some extra confidence. I've always kept an eye out for a gsp pup. I want one

I wouldn't say I'm on a budget so much as I don't want to buy another dog someone else made. If I gotta cull through 10 different 1 year old dogs that each cost me about $75 to find that one dog I think can be worth thousands. I won't complain. If in the end I have to spend $500-$750 and a little time to find the kind of dog I'm looking for, I'll look you in the eyes and promise you I came out ahead. I'm looking for a project dog. But it's gotta have a half way running motor and a straight body.  If it's got that I think I can make a decent dog out of it

Lol good stuff but all serous I would rather pay 200 or 300 from some one I know catches hogs with those dogs and have seen with my own eyes. Then go thru the random cookie jar to find a possible gem. No ? You can make one work I have done it but it's a long road to make a Nissan into a power stroke 


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I think you accomplished what few can in this sport and honestly realize that your pack is lacking and try to improve on what you're raising.  

I don't raise nor hunt exceptional dogs, but I've seen plenty hunt that you couldn't buy and culling hard regardless of what people say, is what it takes to own these type of dogs. I have and will continue to cull myself outta dogs if I have to.

You won't ever be 100% satisfied with what you got. There will always be something you wish they did a little better. Guarantee you Chris ain't 100% satisfied with what he's got either.

I think that's what I'm working towards doing. I got 1 litter I'm excited about fixing to drop and another one I'll be super amped about if she took. Just for now trying to fill the generation gap I have between 3+ yr old dogs and 3 month old pups. I'll for sure have to keep y'all updated on how this whole little plan I have works out for me. It might be a total bust or I could end up finding an all star. I'm hoping really to just find a pair that has the want to get out and hunt, if I find that I'm confident I can make a hand out of them!

And blastin. I've seen pics and stories of those dogs nanny slayer has and you are right, they appear to be getting it done for him. I imagine it's a cool feeling to catch a hog with dogs that you made the cross to get and worked and raised up. Hopefully soon I'll know exactly what it feels like. Any one else with any opinions or advice is welcome to respond. Happy hunting guys

lol no. The 8 month old Catahoula is from Oklahoma. Although he was bred in north Texas. Supposedly his sire was off of Moffitt Catahoula kennels and the dam was just a decent dog the people who bred owned. They gave him as a pet to a friend in Oklahoma and now they want to rehome him because they can't keep him penned up. The other dog is a year old bmc gyp from brownwood. Supposedly just a best to best breeding of his and he hasn't found time to mess with her. He says she's never seen a hog which is all I really wanted to hear, but we will see if that's true or not

To me there is nothing wrong with what you are trying to do. I might would give the dogs more than one chance to bay a hog.
JMO but a dog man should always be trying to improve on what he has got.
I myself think a lot of my dogs but I want better and will always want better.
A man that thinks he has the best just ain't hunted with enough people.

Right with yah there hillbilly. I never thought I had the best but I definitely thought I had better than I do. I just want to keep dogs I can be proud of. And if their caliber gets me a few more places to hunt I won't be the least bit sad

this is how I see it...a hunting dog is born so it won't stay long with me it is not on track to make a dog...good dogs will work in any terrain.

not that long ago a young man wrote on here that he thought he had good dogs until he got a good one and then he realized he didn't have good dogs...

a good dog will hunt day in and day out.

it is a good feeling when you know your dogs won't look bad against any other dog...but like has already been mentioned...we can always find something we would like to improve on...especially hog dogs on account hogs are hard to stop and catch in there turf or if they are dog smart...

we can look at the very rough dogs and they can really stop a hog...but won't have much of a nose or range...

or we can have a top notch strike dog that can really get out there and find, bay and stick with a hog but does not have the stopping power of a rough dog...just giving scenarios that can and do come up that are real issues with quite a few of us...

one thing about these free dogs that were given away to pet homes and are no longer wanted and then you pick them up for almost free...chances are these are dogs that the original owner did not like for a reason...we can get lucky now and then and get a good deal...

bite the bullet and get you an older gyp that really comes from outstanding stock and breed her to a good male from a long line of hunting dogs and raise some pups...you won't be disappointed...you can have an up and coming pack of dogs in one year to a year and a half...

Slim if you learn to TRULY live by that statement you will save yourself tons of time and displeasure in the long run.   I find that most folks talk the talk but aren't discipline to the attitude.  Good luck

You are starting down a long and arduous trail, but here is a tip or two, "you can't get out of them what is not in them"  "culling is a very necessary part of a breeding program"  I don't mean selling, trading, or giving the inferior ones away  "the best you can ever expect is whatever the least you will accept is" "proper selection is the key to successful breeding programs" "typically there are better percentages of keepers from related or families of dogs that suit you".  Good luck and happy hunting..
"

If i was going to get young ones to try n if they not work out get couple more young ones, i would definitely just find me a puppy or two crossed up how i wanted, outta good stuff, n raise them. Hunt what you got now n train the pups. By this time next year they'll be ready to go.

I'm taking every dog we got under 3 yrs old and it's time to start earning feed and a barrel to sleep in

Ya what judge said, I know you have way more to choose from out there but you're better off getting your dogs from a buddy that has what you're looking for or breeding his best male to your best female. I think you'll waste a lot of time and money trying to find what you're looking for from random cheap dogs. If you were close id give you a pup, I have some starting out right that I don't need


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I'd like to touch back on the fact that judge said something about a Nissan to a powerstroke and I have to laugh cause I drive a Nissan Frontier

We shall see what my endeavor reveals. I'm not scared to throw around money. Could always hit it big!

You also need to be aware that sometimes your judgement might not always agree with chris. And that's ok, because I do know chris and I know he has some solid dogs and I know he has high expectations, but what I'm trying too say is sometimes one mans junk is another's treasure. I have a couple dogs some would cull. And I've seen enough people's "good dogs" that I'd cull. So with that being said just be smart. For example most of the straight Catahoula dogs that I've seen and been around don't fully excel till around 2-3 yrs old. Like also some of the tater dogs that Chris is Into from what I've owned and seen. Slower too develop and mature. I guess what I'm really getting at that it takes a lot of time and work too make a good dog. Or you can save your money and I know a couple for sale around 1,500-3,000.... Lol good luck

Slim i drive a power stroke its a pos lol. There are many ways to get a good dog. Lot of fellas have them in many different styles. Good luck on finding what your looking for


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i didnt read every comment but the way i see it in raising dogs is if you dont like them dont feed them. you shouldnt have to make excuses for a dog to justify in keeping it, its way easier to slow a dog down or shorten the range of how far he hunts than it is to make one hunt deep and usually if the dogs looking at you its not hunting its waiting on direction. and yes you need dogs to compare to and  have goals in what you want to raise. everyone is not lucky and stumble on a great pack of dogs so they need to know what they want in the next 2 years before they just get abunch of dogs, in the end you will go broke buying 50$dogs and still wont have anthing. im not saying but a 350$ puppy cause alot of them are number 2 eaters too

Listen to what Judge is saying find a line of dogs that hunt how you would like a dog hunt and try to get a few pups even if they are a few hundred dollars your chances of getting the results you're after are greatly improved. Hunt is bred into a dog and cannot be taught IMO. Buying cheap dogs from so and so then expecting them to impress you is foolish and at the end of the day when you cull through ten $50 dogs that come from who knows what you could have raised a couple of dogs off a proven line that do what they were bred to do.I went through exactly what you are going through and let me tell you when you get a naturaly talented hunting dog there's a big difference and that's a bred trait not a taught behavior. Not saying that there aren't culls in every line but your chances of getting what you're after are much greater than just shooting in dar.Good luck bud....

I helped Chris with his dogs.I bred an give t3 to Chris.I'm sure he will help you out .if you try a pup I'd give it little more time unless you hunt 4 times week an have the hogs to train a pup.wood time is good but putting a dog in hogs every trip is hard.you will do fine

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