what is to young ?

[miahogger]

How old do u start a pup in the woods.what about getting 1 cut at young age do they come back to hunt?

[chainrated]

I show one a small pig at about 3 months just to see how they act and then go from there. I usually start one in the woods at about a year old. As far as getting opne cut at a young age and them coming back from it I've seen that go both ways. Some will never be the same and some it will only make them want it more..  Just about all of us have had dogs that were doing good at first and then got roughed up a few times when they were young and ended up being a cull. Then we say well he got ruined by getting cut up young. But I wondfer if that's really what happened or is it that they just never had it to begin with and never would have.. I wonder how many of them dogs would have actually made it had they not got roughed up early..

[scout1]

My pup (goose) I started outside the pen when he was bout 8-9 weeks old - on a shoat.  Put him in the pen bout 16 weeks and he went to town on the shoat.  He's now bout 8 months and he got roughed up pretty good by a sow in the river - the sow latched onto his front leg and took him under the water, when he popped up he whined and swam back to the hog and got a mouthful of hogneck.  Even though I might of started him early - he is making a hell of a hand for me now - stays gone with the strike dogs and gettin gritty on each hog they bay.  My opinion, if a dog has hunt in him - gettin roughed up a little just makes that hunt a little stronger, and makles the pup a little smarter...   Here's a couple pics of him early and now...

[Wmwendler]

I show one a small pig at about 3 months just to see how they act and then go from there. I usually start one in the woods at about a year old. As far as getting opne cut at a young age and them coming back from it I've seen that go both ways. Some will never be the same and some it will only make them want it more..  Just about all of us have had dogs that were doing good at first and then got roughed up a few times when they were young and ended up being a cull. Then we say well he got ruined by getting cut up young. But I wondfer if that's really what happened or is it that they just never had it to begin with and never would have.. I wonder how many of them dogs would have actually made it had they not got roughed up early..

I believe in easy come easy go.  Ive seen dogs that started early only to peter out and never develope a strong drive as adult dogs.  In my opinion, If they lose intrest because of getting roughed up they were lacking what it takes from the start.  I am like Chainrated, I beleive in starting a dog in the woods around a year of age.  I honestly believe that starting a puppy early is a result of impatience on the owners part and does more for the hunter than it does for the dog.  It boils down to each individual dog some can be started very early but they never NEED to be started before they are a year old and they all could benefit from waiting untill they are more mature even though they might be mature enough.  Just my 2 cents.

Waylon