EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I'm curious to see how some of you raise pups from the time they are weened. Mostly interested in whether you keep them all penned together, let them run loose, pen separate, etc. What differences have you seen in pups that run loose vs the pups that stay penned up? Or do you think it even makes a difference?

I don't know about raising a whole litter, just raising 1-2 is a handle enough.
I keep mine penned until old enough for a collar and chain. Also when I'm outside in the yard, I like to have them running around, following me, just getting familiar with everything.
Once old enough introduce them to hog, let them watch mature dogs in a bay pen, and take them to the woods Everytime I go. Generally when they are ready they will start hunting.
May not be everybody's method but this is usually how I raise a dog. My dogs are like family, not just a tool so I really like to have sort of a bond with my dogs. They trust me, I trust them

Good hunting

my thinking is that turning the pups loose and letting them run and learn on their own is probably the best way...however most folks can not do this on account of where they live and the space they have...but we can do things to socialize them with different scenarios and observe them as they play etc...

I have a pen I keep the pups in and will let them out in the mornings and again in the evening into the fenced in back yard...I watch every pup daily if possible to see how they handle themselves in what and how they do things once I turn them out...

Also, a lot has to do with what we expose them to and how they react to these conditions as to how they do...building the foundation with exposure...some call it training I call it exposure to day in and day out activities such as...

setting up winding  and finding scenarios...trailing and gunfire exposure etc...we also have to find the ways to where the pups are always in a win win situation...

Below is an example of a win win...

gunfire...the pups already know that I have treats when I call them to me when I step out the back door as I call to them...I clap my hands and holler to them even though they are not that far and are already running to me...I am simulating calling them out the woods as they come running to the treats I have with me...
they are learning to come when called...at least they know what it means...once they are doing this very well it is time to learn about gunfire...

the next day after they have been running and playing a while I step out with my 22 revolver loaded with caps...I call and fire once...if they stop to listen and I call again I might shoot again but only after I made my observation...they come I pet them up good and give each a treat...

the next day I repeat again except I shoot twice before they show up... the key is to make sure they are all ok with the gunfire...

the next day I repeat except I shoot again as they mill around me but I make sure to shoot as high as I can to minimize the noise... and I make sure to pet them up good to reinforce the idea it is a fun game...as usual the key is to make sure the pups are all ok with what we are doing...this can also be a contributing decision when two pups are identical in all areas except here...it can be the deciding factor on which to keep...all of these exercises count towards who stays and who goes...it does not mean it is 100 percent accurate but when it is more or less a crap shoot we might as well look at all the options...

the next day or time I choose I will now shoot one high and 2 or 3 times down low around the pups...again being observant to decide if I can shoot the extra times...I want them to smell the burning gun powder...I pet them up good... and give the treats..

if the pups have a problem with the game I back track some...it is all about the pups...

I repeat the last scenario 2 or 3 more times...

I do this around 8-10 weeks of age...if I wanted the pups totally broke I would restart the game several more times but skip a month here and there...and it would only be the last step of the game...

I don't mean to be so long winded...but doing it right and at the right time is key to getting the best out of the pups...building the foundation to making better dog...

it is the little things that can cause setbacks or improvements...

before gunfire I make sure the pups are running to me and jumping up and down for my attention and treats...I expect the same and final results when firing the caps...

these are a couple of scenarios and situations I use when raising pups...all the scenarios combined are deciding factors I use when keeping pups...the cream will rise to the top...

I keep mine in a pen until they're old enough to go on a chain. But, I do let them out every evening... usually when they start disappearing for an hour or so at a time, it's time to put them up.

Rueben why do you put so much emphasis on gun fire with your hog dog's?Do you prefer to shoot your hogs once bayed? No jab just wondering why you train them with gunfire.

I feel like very little of this makes a difference. As long as u let them be a dog socialize them get a mild handle on them they should be what they will be you can train a dog to do pretty much anything that it will do you can't make it do what it won't do. That's is the key and don't break a dogs spirt that is a big deal very few recover


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i let mine run loose with the kids until they get to leaving the place and baying the neighbors cattle. then put them on a chain and start using them and getting a handle on them . i don't expect to depend on them to make a living until 10-12 months .

  i don't let them follow me off when trailriding as young pups . if i turn them loose i want them thinking about business .

L.H.

I used that as an example of how to break pups to the gun...the main reason is because if done wrong the pups will only be set back...it takes a few steps completed prior to moving to gun breaking...

all else is pretty much easy enough...like the Judge said...socialize with a mild handle...sit, stay, heel I did that many years ago just so I know I can train that way...but a mild handle is all I care for...gun breaking...winding and trailing is all mild socialization in my book...easy enough and fun...plus I learn which pups excel in what areas etc...

to answer our question...I want my dogs to be shot over at times and mostly kill the hogs with a knife...sometimes take them alive but not by my choice...

if someone shoots over my dogs I don't want my dog to run to the truck or quit hunting...having a versatile dog that is all around is a good goal to shoot for...at my age I don't put much emphasis on any training...I just take advantage of  situations as I see them...

I just feed em til they big enuff to haul ......

Parker I ain't that striaght but close to how I think. I don't put much stock in all that looking at this and that.


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I keep em in a pen on full feed for about six months then I chain em ussually. I let em out to play and such. I don't mess with em a lot except to get em used to a lead and their name, to come when called. If you got dogs already going just take the pups and they'll either have it or they won't. I ussually start em in the woods around 8 or 9 months. Try to set em up for success.

I'm not saying that once you start hunting it's all on the big dogs to teach them everything. I do have a dog that for some reason all the pups want to run with and its seemed to work out.

When I read this I had the same question...

My main dog is afraid of gun shots and fireworks.
Hits the back of his house hard when it's deer season and din or the neighbor lets a round go close.... Don't even come out of barrel on New Years or Fourth of July .. Lol

But he hells man on a hog...

But I don't shoot over him, but got some I hunt with that may pop a round if they get a chance. Never gas him run back to truck cause of it tho.

...sure aint a cull factor in my world.

In fact it has saved him once.

While hunting a lease the folks said had hog problem once he struck first and went 800 or so then heard a coupłe shots.
 He was back to us... At the bike in a no time.
Then went out to same spot again when him and other dogs hit the same track. We got cluse stand bulldogs only to find them at a neighbor to the lease with a small property standing buy gate of his hog pen waving gun saying he was bout to have to start shooting dogs.
We had prob 5 on ground and two bulldogs loose tryn get in his pen...
Come to find out he had been free ranging his hogs on the deer lease next door we was hunting...
If my dig had hung around solo at first strike when he ran em back in pen he may have gotten shot...

As a caveat, I have been known, when they raising hell at night while I'm tryn to sleep, to go out and sling the red rider in there direction. But this dog came to me as an adult and he was lie that when I got him...also sorry for typos...too many to correct.
But I do bout like judge and others. Raise em, let em out once or twice each day depending on if it wknd teach basic commands. Walk on leash  and when the start rolling out put em on chain til start bringing em hunting.

Raising pups is something i truly enjoy, the biggest key is to let them be pups and be mischievous and get into things, I'm fortunate enough to be able to let mine run loose, I take them for walks in the woods once or twice a week whatever time allows and get them running rabbits at an early age, depending on how many I raise they'll either run loose until they are going off and running fast game or I'll keep them in a big pen, and let them out an equal amount of time they are locked up, I throw something odd and different over in the pen once or twice a week, a big ball, tree limb, piece of rope just different stuff to entice curiosity, whether some choose to accept it or just can't comprehend raising puppy's and a child is No different,there's way more to it than putting a 6 week old pup in a pen and taking them out when they're 6 months old to start the more a child is exposed to before they start school has been factually proven that they'll be the brighter individuals, no different with pups, their minds and senses need to be stimulated as much as possible...

I've gone a step farther and read and done research on brain development and cognitive functions in pups and by adding a diet high in omega 3 while the female is still pregnant and during the entire whelping process and once the pups are weaned and eating kibble it greatly increases your odds of raising smarter and better functioning dogs in the long run....


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Goose...we are on the same page...I have researched intensively during gestation, and conditioning to different exercises and conditions for small children and pups...at a week old I trim their nails and throw a sweaty Tee shirt in the box...so the pups can smell me 24/7...

It might be risky...but a raw ear or a raw hog head in the yard to some hungry pups and they will tear it up...about 2 times for a head is enough...to minimize the risk...

And as you said...not much difference in pups and children when doing things to better prepare them for the future...

Most decent feed has omega 3. You can supplement with fish oil if you feed cheaper dog food. I get all that y'all are saying but under a yr old thing a pup does in a controlled environment don't always transfer into the big dog world. Just like a kid that plays foot ball real good at ten doesn't mean he is NFL bound. Or one that is super smart at 3rd grade spelling B will be a nuclear physicist. But it is fun to try things and see what happen I just don't put much stock in it. Two dogs one is worked on all methods u speak of and one is not.  One dogs is clearly better then the other which was going to happen regardless. 


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Here is the thing with me...I know pups will change as they get older...have seen it many times...but I will test them if I have the opportunity...

If I take the pups to the woods at 4 months of age and  turn them loose and one pup leaves out for a round with or without company and all others follow consistently ...3 or 4 times at different days...this will tell me quite a bit about this pup and the others as well...at the minimum this pup will make a hunting dog and probably a lead dog and the others making every step with the lead pup speaks quite a bit as well....next I leave the lead pup at home and see which other pup will step up if any...

I set up for winding scenarios and see which pups click naturally...I also see which ones find the most consistently...I lay down a track and see if any one or more take to it naturally...take them to the marsh and see which ones take to water naturally...and see which are the strong swimmers while at it...the good ones make a minimal wake and all you see is the head gliding through the water...set up to rig a hog as they get older or stake one out for them to find and bay...

When raising pups these little insignificant details can help in making a better selection...especially when one wants to improve a breeding program...to me this is just as much fun as hunting...

Often enough a star can be identified at a young age...
A star has natural ability...I look for pups that are born with that natural ability as well...

Has anyone ever fed call of the wild to pups? If so what was the outcome

My bird dog was until I switched over to pro plan ..only because of personal  reasons not quality

It was the yellow bag and mixed with goats milk blended then slowly over to the dry food

a lot of these dog foods are made by the bigger companies   diamond makes  a few different kinds  for tractor supply stores I believe call of the wild  may be  one  of them ..... 

Can someone post pics of my pups since I can't figure out how to

832-724-0392 text pictures to me if you want


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If you mean Taste of the Wild than yes you are correct. And yes I have fed Taste of the Wild Wild Prarie Puppy food to puppies and it worked great.

hogmantx1979 5 weeks old  females
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170101/eb6f1b981392497ebc511585d008ebb8.jpg)


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Thanks Chris. Thanks to my cousin I now have some pups to raise up. They are very smart already at their age got them housed trained already and listening pretty well. The bigger of the two is named big Suzy (sue) and the other is Lucy (little lu) I have some high hopes for the girls.