my dogs suited to be catch dogs?

[raider54]

You could always ship them to TX to a trainer to start for you but it would probably be expensive.

[Dogojones]

People hunt/start there dogs differernt depending on the area and the  style they like to hunt.
Most guys in TX, FL, LA. run bay dogs which is and art itself. Some dispatch there hogs with Knifes others with guns. Calif. law has prohibited you from using a spear and knife thus making it harder for you to use your dogs as catchers. Im thinking you risk shooting your catch dogs if you can't knife em.
You should look into hog catching tournments , or pen contest .   

[uglydog]

Catching in a pen is illegal in Texas,

[Texas_Cur]

Send one to Houston...I will tell you if they will make it. 

They are good looking!

[catch-n-tie]

i think you are misunderstanding about what these guys meant by "something smaller". i say this because you mentioned feral goats as being smaller. what they are saying is, if your going to start them on hogs you need to try them on a smaller hog. when i start a catch dog i start them on a pig they can easily over power. this builds there confidence. then as there confidence grows so should the pigs you put them on.

[Case]

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

socalhogdogwannabe  what a name bud!

If you search "vest" from the main forum page you will find many posts, opinions and sales of different styles and brands of vests. You can search GOOGLE beyond that. Just search hog dog cut vests and collars. Pretty pricey though for what may be only one hunt.

My opinion! Your in the wrong part of the country to try and start a hog-doggin addiction... Unless your financially able (300-400 a hunt) to go often your dogs wont get the training they need to be any good.

best of luck to ya!

[djhogdogger]

 Another thing to think about. Since it is illegal to use a knife in Cal. you could always do what we do....catch and tie or hobble the hog and bring it out alive. You can always kill it later to butcher it. IMO its more of a challenge than sticking or shooting a hog plus you have to work just as hard as your dogs and it gives you an appretiation for what your dogs do for you.  No matter what you decide as far as hunting with your dogs just remember that everyone hunts differently with all types of dogs, so in the end do what ever works for you and your dogs. GOOD LUCK! Be sure and post some pics if you get a chance to try it out. 

[socalhogdogwannabe]

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

socalhogdogwannabe  what a name bud!

If you search "vest" from the main forum page you will find many posts, opinions and sales of different styles and brands of vests. You can search GOOGLE beyond that. Just search hog dog cut vests and collars. Pretty pricey though for what may be only one hunt.

My opinion! Your in the wrong part of the country to try and start a hog-doggin addiction... Unless your financially able (300-400 a hunt) to go often your dogs wont get the training they need to be any good.

best of luck to ya!

you are right, its most likely going to be a one time thing. its just something I would like to do and accomplish, and if I lived somewhere else would probably do regularly, but not going to happen here in socal. Thanks to everyone for the replies and advice.

[Noah]

You never know... but me thinks they'd take to it perty quick like 

A word of caution however... once you turn a dog on... especially a "big" dog... you better have the training skills to "turn the dog back off"... otherwise, you have no business playing with fire.  Dog agression issues should be handled before teaching a dog to engage.

"Being good" at it is relative... but "being able" to do it is probably a given. 

[M Bennet]

GO TO A PIG SALE AND BUY A PIG PUT IN PEN AND SEE WAT HAPPENS.. PROB STRAIGHT CATCH BUT TRY IT. IF THEY KILL IT THEN U GOT BACON

[treeingratterrier]

Catching in a pen is illegal in Texas,

 

If i have 30 hogs in a pen i trapped on my ranch and use a dog to catch sows or shoats or boars to seperate them that is illegsal or do you mean it is illegal to hold a catch dog trial or something similar??

[bailey508]

You gonna get those dogs killed....my best friend moved from Cali to Texas and he has told me stories about those fast runing barley field hogs.....go with somebody that has a finished dog and let them help it for their first time....i hate to see a dog get hurt just because it didnt stand a chance to begin with....if you gonna do it..then do it right.

[sfboarbuster]

This isn't something that you just go do without any experience.

If you want to go and catch a hog, find you a paid hunt to go to and hunt with them and their dogs