New at hog doggin and would like some advice and opinions.

[Bcox]

Im just starting out and would like some advice or tips on a few things. First I would like to know if a black mouth cur/pitbull mix would make a couple of good bay dogs? Mind you I'm hunting the piney woods of east Texas. I have a catch/strike dog. She's a 5 month old  3/4 Dogo Argentina and 1/4 Razors Edge Pitbull. I would like some tips on how to exactly train her to strike when released. And how to teach my bays not to attack until she arrives. Now I know that some dogs are just gritty and thats probably going to be the case with any dog mixed with a pitbull. But that is probably ok in the east texas thicket....?? I would appreciate anyone who would like to help me out. I'm just trying to get into the game and need a little help. Thanks Yall.

[craig]

Bcox
 welcome to the board, and to the sport of hogdogging.    there needs to be a large warning sign on this topic cause it is highly adictive 

take some time to read thru old posts, you should find all of your answers....

[elliscountyhog]

First off Welcome!  Next to answer your question in short reply is the breed dogs you listed are going to be straight catch more than likely or REAL rough with one, not much bay to them. The best advice i can give before you dive into it is go hunting with someone or have someone that knows what they are doing come hunt with you and show you the ropes. It will save alot of headach and most of all make sure this sport is for you. Some it is not. It takes alot of hard work and effort. When owning hog dogs it is like owning kids. They need extra care.. But what part of east texas you from?

[W-tate]

What elllis said

[Cull Buck]

If possible hunt as much as you can with different people before you start buying up dogs.  By doing this you will hopefully learn what style best suits where you hunt or what style best suits how you want to hunt.  Once you have developed a "style", start looking for dogs that fit and hunt them with other people that have similar dogs. 

For example, do you want to run a bunch of rough/catchy curs or loose baying curs, what kind of range do you like your dogs to have, open or silent, how important is a lot of bottom to you, are you going to lead in catchdogs or use RCD's or not use a catchdog at all, ect.  There are tons of things to learn about this sport.  I learn a handful of new things everytime out.

[Rockin-P-Ranch]

Welcome to ETHD board. First thing your computor does not have enough memory to hold all the info you will get off this site.LOL But what I will tell you the guys that have replied up to this point are not going to stear you wrong. GET with someone local or close to you and try to run with them for awhile. Even if you had to pay them your money would be well spent. And a lot cheaper than trying to buy a pack of dogs.

[Bcox]

Well I did a little hunting last year and got hooked!  I have also been a couple of times since deer season has ended and going again this weekend.  I've been with a few different buddies of mine and where we are at in Pok county(moscow), all of there dogs seem to be pretty gritty. Not a whole lot of baying.  Now I know a dog isn't proven until it hits the woods and prooves themselves.  So if I was to look for a couple of dogs to track and strike until I arrived with my catch. Would this be a good breed to try out? I know 2 of my buds have pit/cur and other pit mixes. The dogs are very succesful.  Also all of the trips I have been on with my them, they don't walk their catch in. The catch just kind of runs around a little ways behind them until they find a pig. I dont have a problem with either one of these methods.  But are these the right dogs to try???

[Brushbuster]

Never know what you got til you try it. My best dogs both got some pit in em. I wouldn't go buying a bunch of dogs til you know what you already got & what your gonna want. Sounds like yours are still young so don't expect to much from them right away, just try to run them with dogs that hunt the way you want yours to hunt. IMO dogs are better at training how to hunt, find, etc than people. And remember genetics plays a bigger role in how a dog performs than what breed it is(jmo)

[BULLMASTER]

Welcome,I agree with everthing that has been said so far.East TX and southeast Tx I prefer to run a rough dog because most of these hogs are some runners and I like to shut things down as soon as possible instead of having to travel 2 miles to a bay.The best piece of advice I can give you is find out who the DOG JOCKEYS  are and stay away from these thieves,they really like it when someone new comes along so they can prey on them.Your mail box will probably be full by the end of the day with jockeys trying to sell you trash.Where are you from?Good luck!

[lilmisshogdogger]

WELCOME AND GOOD LUCK, IM YOUNG AND I KNO SOME STUFF BUT IMMA LET THESE OLDER MORE EXPERIENCED PEOPLE GIVE YA ADVICE    BUT I WILL SAY IF YOU MIX A PIT WITH A BMC THEY ARE MOST LIKELY GONNA BE GRITTY, EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU SEE OTHER WISE... I LIKE TO SEE DOGS STEP BACK AND BAY, BUT ALOT OF TIMES AOUND HERE WITH THESE RUNNERS YOU NEED GRITTY DOGS..

[Bcox]

I agree with not goin 2 miles for a bayed pig.  I want a couple of dogs that will sink some teeth in and shut em down until my catch gets there. I think i'm heading in the right direction with these dogs.  If anyone feels otherwise please tell me and why. I appreciate the advice.

[raider54]

First off Welcome!  Next to answer your question in short reply is the breed dogs you listed are going to be straight catch more than likely or REAL rough with one, not much bay to them. The best advice i can give before you dive into it is go hunting with someone or have someone that knows what they are doing come hunt with you and show you the ropes. It will save alot of headach and most of all make sure this sport is for you. Some it is not. It takes alot of hard work and effort. When owning hog dogs it is like owning kids. They need extra care.. But what part of east texas you from?

X2 couldnt have said it better myself

[duece24]

i still consider myself a newbie(been doing this for 2yrs or so). most dogs that have pit in them are pretty rough, every so often you will get one that has a little more bay to them. it has taken my every bit of the 2+yrs i've been doing this to get the dogs that suite me. if you have buddies that hunt and have dogs that you like get some off of them.

listen to the above guys they are steering you right. biggest bit advice i can give you is to be PATIENT and don't talk LISTEN..those two things have jump started me and got me going with less money than most people...welcome to the sport

[Jeff]

nothing wrong with a running catch dog - but be very careful.  expose them to livestock and make sure they're broke.  even after you think they're broke, be careful. 

you might have your pack to kill a mini horse and cost you $1200.  my rcd was raised in a horse pen. his kennel was literally inside the horse pen and never had a problem.  he was turned out in the horse pen every day to exercise.

i dont let catch dogs run any more and prefer not to hunt with anyone who does.  i've actually learned to enjoy the race as much, if not more, than catching the pig.  you gotta learn to walk to the bay though.  running dont help, the hog is probably gonna break at least a couple times anyway.  you might as well save your energy.   if you're new, you'll probably need to catch a hundred or so before you can learn to enjoy the race more than the catch.  ive even learned to appreciate a good open mouth hound.

that's my take on rcd's.  nothing at all wrong with them, but be damn careful!

good luck and welcome to the board

[Bcox]

Thanks again yall.

[3-Bdogs]

i agree with jeff on the be careful part not sayin dont trust your dogs but what i have noticed with pitts and crosses with them isnt really that their not broke more often then not they know better but the one s i have are very very high strung and they get bored its just in their nature when i say them im reffering {to mine and ones i know} might be dif in every case it does make life easier when you got a set of sure nuff shut that long legged boar down but i would agree with everyones opinion really agree with hunt behind as many dogs as possible and dont start just buying dogs cause their cheap take your time be carful at lookin for what you want cause its hard gettin started but its real hard gettin started over and over agin JMO hope it helps 

[BoarBuster67]

My catch dog is 1/2 pit 1/2 bmc mix, he is 9 yrs old and is strictly a catch dog. He has caught me alot of hogs. Be careful with the gritty dogs unless you have an unlimited amount of dogs because one real aggressive dog will get your whole pack killed. Need to see what kind of hunting fits you best. Stand back and bay until catchdog gets there or rcd, which are dogs that grab when they get the chance. Not knocking either> I started out with rcds and never got to enjoy the art of watching your bay dogs work the hog and actually see the catch dog catch. Good luck