i'm not an old timer, but here are a few pieces of advice anyways...
#1 - do not bring a dog home until you have the proper facilities to confine it...
pens and kennels need to be dog proof and easy to clean... dogs are known to be diggers, climbers, wire chewers, gate openers,
and the list goes on, make sure your pens/kennels accomodate these dog behaviors... if you have a chain setup, set it up
proper. that means quality chain, snaps, swivels, collars etc. it must be tangle free, with access to a non-spillable source of
water. shade is also a must during summer. check and maintain your chains and snaps and replace as needed. double
collar/double snap collar slippers. it does not take reading many post to see where gyps get accidently bred, dogs get into fights,
or get out and get hit on the highway. though, sometimes it doesn't matter how well you prepare yourself or think you are
prepared these things happen regardless. a quality setup will minimize heartaches and headaches down the road. if you are set
up to keep five dogs safely, do not bring home number six, seven, and eight, until you are setup to keep and use them proper.
#2- know and learn your dog's behaviors. know which of your dogs are growly, know when your gyps are expected to cycle and what
to look for and expect when they do... all gyps are different, so know the dogs you are feeding. there are no reasons to NOT
know your dogs' personalities. knowing and learning these things will keep your dogs out of trouble on the yard further down the
road, becuase you knew better to begin with...
#3- use them. if you want to hunt hogs with dogs, get out and hunt. there are NO substitutes to making your dogs better hog dogs.
you have to hunt them.
these are just a few pointers. i have learned quite a bit through trial and error, and i have learned quite a bit by observing others' triumphs and failures. if you pay enough attention you will learn something about yourself and your dogs everyday, one of these ways or the other. happy hunting...
Well said Bud
