my dogs suited to be catch dogs?

[socalhogdogwannabe]

Hi I am new here, I live in southern california and would really like to hunt hogs with  my dogs but there are no hogs here. I was thinking about paying money to go hunt some hogs on a ranch in california but before I do that I would need to train my dogs, and beyond that I would have to see if my dogs would even be suited for catching. They have a strong prey drive and IMO i think they would be suited for it. My dogs are what you would call an "american bully" or pitbulls, but they are not the true original apbts, dont know if you guys are familiar with american bullies or not but they are basically bandogges, or pits crossed with mastiffs etc. I have had people tell me my dogs wont make good catch dogs when they have never even seen them in person or even a picture, they hear the breed and that is their automatic answer. So long story short I came here to see your guys opinions on my dogs, and also to get info on how to train them to hunt hogs.


heres some pics.




also a quick vid, (this isnt to show their working abilities as they are just goofing around) also, i would only be using 2 of the dogs as the dog with the mostly white face does not have a high prey drive and not very confident, scares easily.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdpRpapzxhU

[dub]

Pics don't catch hogs. I am not trying to rude at all just real. There is no way to know until they get out there. I had a dog that looked real good and another that I thought would not be worth a flip. That worthless looking dog is the best dog I have. The best looking dog got out and hunted with the other dogs. When we got to the hog we could not find him. We went back and there he was sitting under the truck. Either the dog wants to hunt or it does not. You turn them loose in the woods and they will hunt or not. If they don't like you they won't come back. If the dog is people or dog aggressive they are not good at all for hog hunting. Good luck

[leonidas]

So right dub. I agree 100%

[socalhogdogwannabe]

they are not people aggressive but they are dog aggressive with strange dogs. i walk them regularly off leash and they listen real good. when i take them out hiking they hunt for stuff but they only things they have gotten are rabbits, mice and skunks, they will eat the stuff they catch if i dont take it away from them but they very much like to hunt things. i have no doubt in my mind they would go after a hog if they saw one but theres none out here unless i go to a ranch. but basically what you are saying is the only way to find out is to just take them out and go for it?

[Peachcreek]

yep u wont know till they are looking at a pig. good lookin dog btw. but as they say looks dont catch hogs

[socalhogdogwannabe]

well i guess theres only 1 thing left to do and thats takem hunting. thanks for the advice.

[CENTEX FINDER/HOLDERS]

might wanna get em some gear, dont want make em ugly when they prove you right. looks like a good cross(pit/mastif) good luck

[tnhillbilly]

 
1st of all let me say, i mean no disrespect, or to be rude in anyway, but you asked for opinions,  heres my honest opinion,

I wouldnt give you .02 for all of them, as a catch dog. Thats my opinion, but that dont mean you wont find some that will catch hogs. Thing is they were bred for looks, not catch.

The dog aggression is a # 1 no, no. I dont want that anywhere near my baydogs.

Having said all that, I think you have some nice lookin dogs there, But as stated above, There is only one way to find out if they are suited to catch, and that is to put them on hogs.

Hope they work out for you.

[TX HOG]

Man I don't know.... They're blue AND from Cali..... 

[BULLMASTER]

Those are some really good looking dog but I agree with Hillbilly,I dont fool with aggressive dogs,one attack fom an aggressive dog can ruin your pack.It happened to me 5 years ago and I still havent found a dog that I really like.2 of the best dogs I have ever owned were attacked by an idiots CD and the dogs were ruined after that.

[make-em-squeel]

They have as good of a chance as any to make a catch dog. I would handle up the dog agression and dump em on pigs asap

[HS]

They have as good of a chance as any to make a catch dog. I would handle up the dog agression and dump em on pigs asap

x2 I got an american bully,he is 6 months old and he has only seen a hog from the outside of a pen and he just went nuts,there was a 100 lb boar  in there and I bet he wouldve tried catching it ,if i wouldve thrown him in there...while my main catchdog rite now didnt want nothing to do with a hog till he was a year old.every dog is different of course ,but if I was you I would try em,I mean like the rest of the people said looks dnt make a catchdog but like Grant said they have as good of a chance as any to make a catchdog..just my .02!

[mex]

I'm no pro but when I just hear American Bully I think of short wide and potential heart attack.Your dogs seem like the breathing issue would be ok.Dog aggression=I'm not hunting with you ever!Try'em out bro ya never know and that second dog looks real athletic.

[Purebreedcolt]

I woudent like the dog agression but would love to have that second pic dog.  Endurance wise they may not have what it takes for longer hunts and will over heat some faster but I would put money on them catching.  Like said earlyer get some gear vests etc 

[DangerZone]

I'd say from what you've stated and the video....   A weak maybe... One ?? how do they lead on leash without the choke correction collar on?    their all ready trashing on rabbit, rat, and,skunk.. It would suck to send one of them in from 50 yds out,, then go in too find him chasing a skunk,,, So first off to me they would need trash broke and get a handle on the dog aggression..  Cause it would suck even more than the skunk to go in and find him on yours or someone bay dog...but What do I know I don't even own a catch dog..lol..   they are good looking dogs though .never know till ya try

[DubbleRDawgs]

some fine looking dogs you have  i would give them a try ,just as was said suit them up and if possible have a backup just in case they get in a bind..jmo

[southtexasff]

Guess I am missing the dog aggresion part.  I didnt see where he put dog aggression or saw it in the video.  If your gonna use them as catch who's gonna find the hogs?

[Dogojones]

The dog aggression can be worked out in time. Depending on the the behavior of the dog. I have a alpha bitch who will not tolerate another dog who is not working meaning if the other dogs are in the woods and want to play grab ass then she will check them. I got her going late but I was able to soicalize her with a guy and his dogs everytime he went out. After awhile she knew what her job was. Anytime I take her around new hunters I get there early so I can let her be around the other dogs. try walking the dogs before you load up. The last thing you want is your dog attacking another mans hunting dog. I wouldn't put those dogs on a hog if it's never done it before no matter what the breed. Just because it has prey drive doesn't mean it will engage with a hog. IMO you should start them on something  small where you have some contol. If you put them on something to big the first time you risk ruining the dog or worst getting them injured. I don't know if you heard the sound of 250lb bore being caught but it's not for the faint hearted. And for god sake don't let those dogs get a sow corned with her babbies. Good Luck    

[raider54]

They have as good of a chance as any to make a catch dog. I would handle up the dog agression and dump em on pigs asap

Grant, you know as well as I do the dogs will more than likely catch a hog, 90% of bulldogs you get from the pound will but the dog aggression issue, in this breed of dog?? What are you gonna do about it? Its not an AB, or a APBT, or a Dogo, its a Bandogge! read the history on the breed, you will find they were bread for one thing TO KILL! No one in thier right mind would hunt with the guy and I would bet that as soon as his dogs caught a hog they would probably turn on each other. How many times have you seen these catch dogs get aggressive after they have caught a hog and believe it belongs to them?

To the Gentelman with the dogs:  They are beautiful and I believe they would catch a hog given the chance, but I also believe you are barking up the wrong tree. Most of us here use a breed other than a Bulldog to find our hogs, once they find them they bark at them, then we take our bulldogs to where they are barking and turn them loose and they catch the hog, then we go in and handle our dogs and the hogs. That is the basics. IMO your dogs would probably catch a hog but for more reasons than one I wouldnt think they wouldnt suit  very many Hog Hunters. I thought it was Illegal in California to catch hog with dogs???

[socalhogdogwannabe]

thanks for all the replies, the dog aggression is only for unfamiliar dogs, not their own pack. DA is there but if I introduce another dog to the pack, they will accept it eventually. and as for fighting eachother over their kill, i havnt had a problem with that. California law says you can hunt with dogs, but you cannot use a knife or spear, I was planning on paying around 300-400 to hunt on a private ranch. I do not know if the same laws apply on the ranch. if I cant use a spear or knife and my dogs I wont do it. The hogs here in socal are not as big as out in texas. They will pretty much go after any animal they see, they chase coyotes but they are way to fast for them to catch. I was thinking like someone suggested to start them out on something smaller, the only thing I could think of out here before i would pay big bucks to go on a ranch is there are some feral goats. but i dont know the laws on that, and dont want to kill just for sport. as someone said american bully typically means short wide dogs but if you watch the vid you can see even my big dog can is pretty agile for his size. american bullies really are nothing but bandogges, and IMO depending on what they are crossed with they can be workable or be the dogs that just look "cool"... I guess like most are sayingmthe only way to know is to do it as there is no way to tell what a dog will or wont do until it happens. and I think starting them out on something a bit smaller would be a good idea. thanks for all the replies, any advice on hog dog training?

forgot to mention i was planning on getting both cut vest and collar, any links to some good ones?