best time to start a bay dog in woods???

for a good while now I don't get in a hurry to get them in the woods...10 months and older is fine with me...before a year we are taking chances of getting a pup hurt bad or crippled...even ruining one mentally from hunting as well...it sure is nice to have a pup take a beating and get right back up in their face...it is extra points on the resume for breeding rights...

it has been discussed on here many times on how to start pups...lots of good posts have been posted on this thread as well

If I had the time and places this is how I would do it...I can do quite a bit now but not all of what I like to do...

feed them raw hog head at 6 weeks and again once a week for three weeks...break them to gunfire

start testing for winding, finding, tracking...tracking is not as important at this age...

bay pen on shoats and pups as young as 3 months if they fire off good...then 5 or more times and I will keep them out for a while...
at this age I like taking them to the woods where I can see who rolls out as soon as the tail gate drops...

when I was a real young man I set up staged hunts for winding/finding and rigging at 4-7 months...

I was and am more interested in selecting for natural ability first for breeding purposes...but all of the above will count as training for the pups to be hog dogs as well...

things to watch out for...basically to not over do anything...especially too long in the pen is not good...

start the pups so they can really have confidence in the bay pen...later put a bigger hog that will teach them some respect so they won't just go in and try catching a big boar the first time they bay one...we all know what could happen...

taking them to early to the woods with the big dogs because they will fall behind and bark like crazy trying to catch up...they usually are not quick enough to dodge a boar when he charges...

I just look to see how they are coming along and don't get in a big hurry about it...

Justin...you mentioned the pups going through a shy and timid time for no known explanation or reason that we can put a finger on...I see it as a minor flaw when it is time to select for breeding...however...I make sure to pet them up and give them more attention and treats just to get them out of it...when they get close I make sure to instill confidence in them with a little extra attention...I do that off and on until they get past it..with the 4 pups I have now I had to do this with two of them...