Should you show affection to hog dogs?

Every dog I own has slept in the bed with me as a puppy. I also let every dog I own inside at night. I bring them to work with me. I will pet each dog a lot about once a week. Other than that I pat them on the head. I believe that a dog can learn anything you let it learn. I have never had a problem with a dog that was shown a lot of affection getting out and hunting. I believe that is 100% up to that individual dog. I'm sure no one on here pets their dogs in the woods but I refuse to even talk to or acknowledge my dogs in the woods. Everyonce in a while they will check in and look at me buts it's only to see which direction I am walking. I make sure that I am walking the direction I want them to hunt when I know they are checking in because that's the way they will go. When my dogs get out of the truck they know it's business. If they didn't then I would agree that they would be culls.

I have raised everyone of my dogs like a family member since they were pups but I will honestly tell you that I will be the one to put a bullet between their eyes when their time is up. I have seen a lot of death and I believe a person or animal is on this earth to serve a purpose. When that purpose is done its time to go. I love my dogs more than people but even my best pets I feel like I owe it to them to put them down one day if a hog doesn't get them first. I've lost some really good dogs that were also pets. Haven't shed a tear yet but its mainly because I knew what I was getting into when I started hunting with dogs. If you can't handle the loss of a close dog then don't get close because you will loose them one day.

But I say pet and love all over them dogs and enjoy them while you got them. If you think a dog is only capable of being a pet OR a good hunter, you're putting a limit on an amazing animal. Ask anyone that has spent time around my dogs and bhunted with them. People always ask me how I got my dogs to learn the things they know. I tell them they learned it theirself, I just didn't stop them from learning.