heck ill throw my two cents in lol.....i like to let my dogs start their self i introduce them to hog ONCE OR TWICE around 6-8 months old and thats it im a firm believer that bay pens ruin more dogs than bad handlers...once they know what a hog is then its all based on each dogs maturity level once i feel in my opinion that their ready for the woods then i take them and dont turn them loose unless its to a bay the dogs are usually 10 months to year some younger some older if a dog has IT in them then by this time genetics should start kicking in and if their doing good (staying with a hog if it breaks bay or starting to hunt with the older dogs) they stay if not their culled and i dont mean passed on to someone else they dont leave my place period...now once they get started i will do a few mock hunts by turning a shoat in front of them wait about 20 30 or 45 minutes once again depending on their experience and maturity level usually by this time their around 1 1/2 yrs old if their not able to strike their own hog and finish it out(meaning a hobbled hog at the end of the hunt) by the time their two then there isnt room on my yard for them and they join the bone pile...ive tried just about every method out there and listened to people telling me to wait i dont have time to be feeding a yard full of 3 and 4 yr old "prospects" get rid of it and devote your time to the ones that are starting to get it done.....this is just my opinion and what has worked for me...i love a good debate on dogs you learn alot by listening to people competively argue so keep'um coming boys
