Ours were cow dog culls from Okeechobee. Either they trailed too long, or were too rough on yearlings. That's the only two reasons we got them. And they were free, because they were culls.
This is the main reason I stay away from the cow bred dogs...but some baying styles will keep the hogs bayed. If the dogs are bred to go deep in the woods to find, stop and bay, or, catch wild cattle then we are talking about a good dog or line of dogs that in my mind will make a top notch hog dog.
But then we have the dogs that are controlled to work closely with the cowboy to bunch up and drive catlle. The range is bred out of that dog or line of dogs because it is not a desirable trait in this style of cow dogs... and the nose and hunt is not tested because it is not required...So how many generations of this does it take to breed out or lose the hunting traits??? I know that good hunting dogs will pop up here and there from this type of breeding selection but the percentages will be lowered and probably progress to lower as more generations are bred.
not trying to stir the pot but this has been a personal theory of mine for many years...theory should have been my middle name
so what are your thoughts on said subject...we are talking about history of the cur but times have been changing and the deep hunting, long range cow dogs are no longer needed for the average cowboy/rancher but I do know we still have a few around and that is where the cow dogs live that make the best hog dogs...Strictly my opinion but I suspect many others feel and think the same.
