the rule of thumb was when a pup starts treeing squirrls and cats, its time to put him up! just my two cents
That is what I was always told. Its good to let a pup run free when they are young. Its gives them exposure to different things. But as soon as they start going to hunting around, put them up. They have already shown you that they may potentially have the hunt and there would be no reason that I could see to let them get trashy. Instead put them in the woods with solid trash broke finished dogs and let them learn exactly what they are supposed to be looking for. This is the method I was shown and has worked good for me so far. They will have experienced the free roam and build drive off of it and appreciate the time to free roam again in the woods. Although, I dont think it will create that much drive in a dog that dosent have it bred into them or make a dog hunt who dosent have it in them.
Just a example. Me and a buddy of mine both raised a couple of pups from the same litter. He would let his run free all day until the dogs started chaseing rabbits and baying up his horses. I on the other hand, could not let my two run free because I lived off the highway.
About 7 or 8 months later, we started those dogs in the woods. I was impressed at the confidence, curiosity, and hunt that his dogs were showing. It seemed that my two dogs had a learning curve that it took them a while to get over until they were on the same level as his. JMO
