When do you cut your losses

[Dogojones]

I realize all dogs don't hunt no matter the breed or bloodline. I'm sure when you have that perfect dog you want to breed back to it or atleast get back to breeder where you go it from. I have a small yard and one of my guys just ain't cutting the musturd. It's so bad that he makes you cry and laugh at the same time. It's to the point that he's becoming a bad influence on the others. So where do you guys draw the line.
The only way to explain what's he's doing is that he looks like Tarzan but plays like Jane. The reason he's still around because some of my hunting buddies say that some of there dogs were worthless but threw great dogs.   

[Scott]

What was your buddies reasoning behind breeding worthless dogs?


It doesn't cost any more to feed a good dog than it does to feed a cull...

[Peachcreek]

how old is the dog?

[tonyamm30]

We gave a dog to a man thinking that he wasnt much of a go getter....needless to say,  Shane made him a dog!!  Somtimes they have to mature a little more and be worked hard. Our dog was 1 when gave him to him and to make long story short... things happen and we got him back  a year later and he is a good dog that just need that right person to make him a dog.  HE may not make you a dog but may turn out for someone else.  I say feed him tracks and keep working him or let someone else try. Just my thoughts.

[Dogojones]

Scott, only thing I can say is that these guys got pups that were good enough for them after coming out bad parents. Maybe as one has suggested I let him get worked by another hunter. I bought him as an adult  catch dog from someone who said he hunted him, but when I took him out and came up on a hog he ran to the truck and lock the door. Thank goodness I had other dogs with me. Anyway I want be using that breeder again. My father told me along time ago you can buy the dog or you can buy the man. That's why you should listen to the old timers because I bought the man on this one.

[Tusk Hog]

  My opinion is if he does things you don't want other dogs to do, like just trotting behind the rig. Cull him. Like previously stated, he may not work for you but might for someone else. Sometimes I wonder if I cull to hard, but I have always got lots of compliments on the dogs I hunt. And it don't hurt my ego if I give a dog away and some else can get them to work. I do know where you are coming from though, high expectations make for some big let downs. Been there lots of times! Good Luck!

[jwdeltx]

Through the years i'v had dogs that would'nt hunt with some of my other dogs ,They would hang back untill the bay then go in. I started hunting them with other dogs and noticed that they did alot better ,seems that one of the other dogs was the alpha and held him back,not alowing him to step up. I have three diffrent packs of three dogs that i hunt together all the time . My main set is my cat /walker crosses if i run another strike dog with them they will set back and let it do the work. who knows,sometimes dogs do weird things. I know this ,don't brag on them !!!   Keep hunting your dog and maybe change dogs he hunts with ? HUNT'UM UP!!!!

[Hog_Hunter_57]

You  have to do what feels right i have kept dogs for years and thinking they would get better and they did not. But on the same token i have sold dogs and not given them enough time and guess what they made lead dogs bottom line do what you feel is right or you will be sorry, and stand by your decision and go on there will be more dogs.JMO

[uglydog]

That you asked and posted on here tells me that you have that gut feeling. "You bought the dog as an adult that was supposed to be working already" I think you already know the dog is not of the quality worth breeding.
There are already enough sub-par dogs being bred out there, so why contribute to that statistic right? you already have better dogs, so it would be real simple for me NOT A BREEDER IF HE IS NOT THE BEST.
You may very well want to be kind hearted and give him second chances and more time ect, thats okay if he is neutered he can be "mediocre" amd you can deel better knowing he is not contributing to possibly producing more dogs such as himself.

I don't mind owning just okay dogs, but breeding them dogs is somrething I don't believe in doing, Castrate him and give/sale him to someone that he will suit.

[Mike]

I bought him as an adult  catch dog from someone who said he hunted him, but when I took him out and came up on a hog he ran to the truck and lock the door.

If this is the the case... it's time to cull.

[Dogojones]

I totally agree with all the comments being posted and thanks to the guy who sent me a PM.
It truly comes down to a gut check but I can say I gave it every chance. No way do I breed him, at best he's  fixed and given away as a pet. Man you just get attached to these dogs and you keep hoping for the best but if the best is just taking up room  it's better to part ways and regroup. One thing for certain it's made me a better dogman.  

[bailey508]

I just got rid of a dog that i had been feeding for three years...her parents were some of the most jam up dogs around....she jsut couldnt cut it....only reason i kept her as long as i did, i thought she needed to mature more...proved me wrong...everybody knows that either the dog has it or it dont....if you doubt that dog, then cut it from the pack...JMO

[catchrcall]

i haven't been at this long, but I have been in your shoes once before.  That dog is now a babysitter, pillow, and whatever else the kids want to do with her, couldn't ask for better as far as that goes.  Just not a catch dog.

My question for those with more experience is do you evaluate and cull differently for catch dogs than strike dogs?  It's often glaringly obvious when a catch dog screws up, not so much with a strike dog so how does that effect your deciscion? 

I would have started a different thread but i think the kinda goes with this one

[chainrated]

I bought him as an adult  catch dog from someone who said he hunted him, but when I took him out and came up on a hog he ran to the truck and lock the door.

If this is the the case... it's time to cull.

X2

[chainrated]

My question for those with more experience is do you evaluate and cull differently for catch dogs than strike dogs?  It's often glaringly obvious when a catch dog screws up, not so much with a strike dog so how does that effect your deciscion? 

I evaluate and cull catch dogs different than strike dogs But my standard is the same... They must Produce..
A catch dog at my house has only one job, Catch on the ear.. I will show a catchdog a hog about 3 times by the time he's a year old.. At a year old if he's not catching I get rid of him... If a catchdog quits a hog and leaves I cull him..

[Oly]

I totally agree with all the comments being posted and thanks to the guy who sent me a PM.
It truly comes down to a gut check but I can say I gave it every chance. No way do I breed him, at best he's  fixed and given away as a pet. Man you just get attached to these dogs and you keep hoping for the best but if the best is just taking up room  it's better to part ways and regroup. One thing for certain it's made me a better dogman.  

IF you had space and you had grown attached to the dog then after nuetering it have him as your house dog if thats what you want ---HOW EVER--- if you want a working dog and space is limited then COLLECTING is not an option.

 Ill be flat out honest to you culling a dog is NOT easy for me it hurts inside specially if the dog is healthy--- BUT it just must be done, I rather cull a dog then see him handed over from one person to another not good or fair to the dog---


O

[Dogojones]

Great question hope you get some feedback on that one. How much time do you give a catch dog. I know there's no full proof method but in general terms what our you looking at.
Some will catch in hold on till the boar  is dispatched others will bite and nipple and than you have bite and regrip. My best catcher started out as a bite than regrip until she got run over. After that the light came on and now she hits her mark and want let go until the hog stops breathing. I guess they have to find there way but I've seen from my own exp. that if that catch dog gets roughed up a bit and he has any gameness in him, he will come back with vengence the next time.

[DangerZone]

I been thinking about this thead since last week,, I have a male dog over 3 yr's old, I bought his dad-catahoula( 3.5 yr's old when I got him Jam up stike dog, loose bay), his mom curr x hound cross to me she wAs a 60/40 dog cause about every third hunt she wouldn't leave your feet, the dad died after breeding and mom died when the pups were about 6 months old,,, he was the only pup I kept and I tried to start him several time till he was prolly 2.5 yr's old,,, I gave up on him and had him spayed, now after this thread I was working with some pups and decided it's been a year I'll give him another try,,, put him in my small pen there is four 75-100 sows in there and one of them is a mean biatch, she immediately went for him then a second one joined in and he would not even defend him self,,,,so even with know good blood some dogs will and some dog won't,,, he's 3.5 years old he's a pot licker and that's all he'll ever be!!!!

[Dogojones]

Yea I know how you feel. I gave  3.5 year old to my brother and there happy with him as a pet. It was either that or cull him. 

[BarrNinja]

I draw the line when they make me cry and laugh at the same time.