How old are your pups when you start hauling them?

[BobbyB]

I was just wondering what the average age would be. I know it would depend a lot on the pup, it's size and maturity.

My 5 month old BMC gyp is hog crazy here at the house, but she is more stocky built and not real leggy and I am more concerned with her wearing out trying to keep up . So, to date , she has just made a couple of trips riding in the box to learn manners, but I havent had her on the ground yet.

[Mike]

Bobby, I always start hunting them at around a year old. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later, depending on the maturity level of the pup. The last two I raised I started hunting at nine months.

[roughdog]

I LET THEM GET TO BE 10 MONTHS OR SO THEN I SEND THEM WITH MY OTHER DOGS DEPENDING ON THE PUP

[Scott]

I've started hauling them as early as 5 months and as late as a year. Depends on the dog, and what I'm seeing in them.

[BobbyB]

Blade was 10 months his first trip, Girl a year. You know how it is. You get kind of anxious to see what a pup will do, but I dayummed sure dont  wanna screw one up.

[uglydog]

I feel like a 5 month old dog is just too young, can easily get in a bind where a hog can pound them, they can't get away, and can't defend themselves, at that point you may have just ruined a potentially good dog. This is one of those situations that I like to consider part of the nuture VS. Nature, the best bred dog in the world can be ruined if the "nuturer" does not prevent it.

the last one that I started early was doing great on her first hunt at 8 mths. first the coyotes got her seperated & a hold of her freaked her out and she got lost, then we got her back top the resst of the pack and they bayed a good boar, she got between a fallen tree and hog, took a good cut, after that she shut down and did not want to range out very far, took about 8 months to get her to come around again. She strikes them and trails great but will bay plenty loose, and not very good at getting close enough to nip one to try and stop it. And will bay a caught hog which most all my other dogs are helping with catching and not barking once a catch dog gets it, In My Opinion I don't see the need to put an immature dog into a situation that they are not menatlly prepared to handle.

like already mentioned some dogs are ready at 8 months others may be 14 months, before thay can handle what the may be dealt.

[sgt.davis]

I feel like a 5 month old dog is just too young, can easily get in a bind where a hog can pound them, they can't get away, and can't defend themselves, at that point you may have just ruined a potentially good dog. This is one of those situations that I like to consider part of the nuture VS. Nature, the best bred dog in the world can be ruined if the "nuturer" does not prevent it.


On some dogs at that age they have the wont to and the heart for it but there cordination aint there. They cant move like an older dog. That will get them hurt and break there spirit. JMO

[BobbyB]

Y'all dont get me wrong here. I have no intentions of taking here til shes at least 10 months old or so. But fooling with here just got me to wondering , so I thought I'd wonder out loud and see what the rest of you did.

[chainrated]

Around a year old depending on the pup. I would not chance a 5 month old pup , and I know how it is when they are acting all hog crazy and you want to take them with you lol..

[Imayellafella]

I have a bmc bitch that is a year and a half old she has Ben hog crazy since she was 2 months old. I starte taking her when she was 4 months and when she was 6 months she would come off the hood an go all the way with the older dogs. So I think if they are able to keep up with the other dogs they are ready to go   

[djhogdogger]

 We always started ours between 5 to 8 months. But it depended on a lot. Like its good to take a pup to a honey hole where you know you will get on a hog and the weather needs to be cool enough not to over exert a young pup new to the game. We also take in consideration which dogs that we start a pup out with, we like ones that will put good habits on a pup, cause once they leave out into the woods they will be following the dogs you put them with. Anyway I guess im just trying to say that sometimes it takes a while for everything to fall into place for a good first hunting experience.

[FORREST]

6 MTHS

[Purebreedcolt]

I start letting them ride asap as I get them 8 weeks or so not really hunting just riding then at about 3 months I let them in the woods nut still not hunting just letting them roam let them get used to things cacti etc.  Actually hunting not till 9 months or later

[DoGgONit]

id say take them while there young ,let em get used to riding in box ,and show them some of the caught hogs back at the truck !dont have to hunt them to start them young!!!jmo

[Reuben]

I start letting them ride asap as I get them 8 weeks or so not really hunting just riding then at about 3 months I let them in the woods nut still not hunting just letting them roam let them get used to things cacti etc.  Actually hunting not till 9 months or later

x2,  I let them ride on the four wheeler until they are comfortable with it then let them ride in the dog box. At 3-4 months take them to the woods and let them roll out and this to me is important. The pups that roll out usually will make strike dogs. Usually before 1 year of age. Depending on the pups natural ability, some will be hunting with the big dogs at 6 months and others will be started at 9 or 10 months. I won't expect much but when they do good it makes it all worthwhile.

[Reuben]

I have a bmc bitch that is a year and a half old she has Ben hog crazy since she was 2 months old. I starte taking her when she was 4 months and when she was 6 months she would come off the hood an go all the way with the older dogs. So I think if they are able to keep up with the other dogs they are ready to go   

Yellafella,

Sounds to me that you have a natural hogdog there... I had a dark yellow half MTN cur and half BMC cur that started that way. He struck at 4 or 5 months of age and he was the best I ever owned. I thinkk he took after the MTN CUR side of the family...

You might want to build a strain of hog dogs using here as the foundation to a line breeding program if you haven't already...

[boatrunner]

Get them out and get them moving. I have done both hunted young pups and wait for a year. It all depends on the dog.Will you get in the ring with Mike Tyson.