Strike Dogs! (The most sought after trait)

[skunkhounds]

it wouldnt be much of a dog id have to start trapping to catch hogs

[redneckrob]

You now THD i got back into hog huntin cause i could never get those dogs to use a rod and reel

[TexasHogDogs]

Lmao !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I want one if you ever get them trained ! ahahahahahah

[YELLOWBLACKMASK]

Haha. That's why I structured the question so open ended.  Its to easy for someone to say I want em all in my strike dog. Without a doubt the best of the best usually possess multiple traits that are utilized in combination. But if you only get one choice it makes you scratch your head a lil more and put a lil extra thought into your answers.

I am big on independence but a close second would be intelligence. 



Tony

You are correct my most sought after trait will always be Yeller. Don't know how many hogs have just thrown their hooves up and marched out of a thicket without a fight. Think the Yeller just blinds them. Hehe 

Great opinions from all. There are no wrong answers and also if you have another trait not listed feel free to share it. The traits was just meant as a list of possibles.

[reatj81]

If only looking for one trait it would have to be DRIVE, or HART.  I have seen dogs that I new didnt have much nose, but tried hard!  The drive can way excede their ability!  ex a dog with little nose hunting hard for hrs trying to find a hog just for a little pat on the head,  A loose baying dog catching a hog just to try and protect his owner from the hog. 

[M Bennet]

nose, and smarts. dog can wind one a long ways. most dogs have hunt in them already.

[T-Bob Parker]

Brains and speed. I once saw a TV show where a dog pound dog had been trained to sniff out cancer cells and a collie could detect the smell of oncoming seizures in her owner. If these dogs who aren't bred for nose can smell these minuscule scents, then hog dogs have no excuse for not smelling hogs. The brain comes in because I want a dog to know with certainty that their only job in life is finding hogs for me. Screw his agenda or the day, he works for me.

[Reuben]

Brains and speed. I once saw a TV show where a dog pound dog had been trained to sniff out cancer cells and a collie could detect the smell of oncoming seizures in her owner. If these dogs who aren't bred for nose can smell these minuscule scents, then hog dogs have no excuse for not smelling hogs. The brain comes in because I want a dog to know with certainty that their only job in life is finding hogs for me. Screw his agenda or the day, he works for me.

T-Bob, I believe that quite a few dogs have a good nose. The difference I believe has more to do with genetics. Some dogs do not respond to a 6 hour track and yet others do. Something in the brain has to trigger for the dog to respond.MO

[T-Bob Parker]

Yes sir, agreed. I prefer not to have to take a dog hunting, so much as he takes me hunting. Know what I mean

[YELLOWBLACKMASK]

Gonna play a lil devils advocate. 

Downfalls to specific traits without combining with others

Heart/Bottom.    Usleless if they cannot smell the hog or be smart enough to trail and bay.

Range.  Usless if he never knows or cannot distinguish what he is looking for.

Nose.    Usless if he cannot apply and utilize what he smells.

Speed.   Doesn't matter if they are first to the bay if they quit.

Independent.  (My personal favorite) but doesn't work if they are focused on bad habits and wont work with others.

Intelligence.  Just about covers all the bases except nose. (Probably the best choice ) but again my second.

Anyway Jmo sitting here brainstorming. 

Opinions ?

[Mike]

Nose, nose, nose and more nose... with the heart, brains, drive, determination and bottom to finish the track.

I like to see a dog you can put on a track, turn out in sign or at a feeder and cold trail that hog to where ever it may be. A dog that takes a track that 5 others just passed up acting like they couldn't smell it. One you can watch on a Garmin, grind that track out a 1/2 mile, a mile or more and bay or jump the hog. That's what I want in a dog.

Range is good, but lots of rangey dogs wander around aimlessly in the woods, bumping in to one here and there. Same thing with hunt and hustle... what's the old saying, "A blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then".

[Reuben]

Independence:

a dog with too much independence will hunt only for itself. he will take his own hog track and may not honor a bay. This is still a good dog but works best leading some me too dogs around. These me too dogs that look good hunting until the good independent dog gets killed, sold or whatever...but is no longer in the pack... Probably one reason folks sell good hog dogs cause that dog was good with that lead dog leading him around...and the seller hasn't figured out the real truth.
This type of dog can be a pain in the rear if he is in a pack of good strike dogs.

The other independent dog hunts well as a lead dog or as a team player, or alone...If he is good in the other departments then he should have the priviledge of stud dog...

Intelligence:

a dog can hunt hard and look busy but just can't find a hog very often and when he does he loses it in a briar patch or makes a lose thru thick brush etc. etc. This dog lacks intelligence.

a dog can hunt hard when he smells hog and finds a hog pretty quick or the same dog can make a quick round when the tail gate drops and he will come back and stick close while the other dogs hunt...he has done this many times and this dog knows there are no hogs in the vicinity...but as we get deeper in the woods this dog is starting to smell hog and this old dog leaves out and he will be bayed in a little while. He outstrikes the good dogs 9 out of ten times..

.or the dogs are drifting around where a bunch of hogs fed all night over a 20 acre plot or bigger and these dogs will take a few minutes to find the exit track but the smart dog makes a big loop and he is off to the races on the exit track...This is intelligence.

Nose:

 a pack of dogs just passed over some hog tracks that were made several hours ago and that pack just keeps moving forward and that dog comes up a minute behind them and then trails thru the horses and dogs and bays up quarter a mile ahead...

I like a good nose and a dog that winds long range but do not like a real cold nosed dog...almost as bad as a dog without any inclination to use their nose...

Range:

not enough range and the dog is underfoot or only hunts 50 yards ahead. Also have dogs that hunt too and from in straight lines...

To much range is when a dog kicks rocks in my face on his way out and goes almost a mile before he settles to hunt...Some of these dogs can be awesome hog dogs but he sure passed up some good tracks before he starts to hunt. I want to hunt hogs and not hunt dogs...

For me I like a dog that circles around me...a dog that covers about a 600 yard loop or circle around me. meaning 300 yards in any direction from me...and this is if I am moving slowly.. if not moving these dogs will go further to find a hog but that is what a hunting dog is supposed to do.

Bottom or SticK:

dog can start and run the hog as long as it can see it or hear it...or a dog can run it a mile and if not stopped in that mile will quit and come back...

Then you have a dog that once he locates a good track will stick with it until he sees a hog at the other end of the tracks..and I like a dog to stay bayed 3 or 4 hours and if I can't make it to him then he needs to come back but most of these type of dogs won't come back till the next day...

We might not own this dog but it is a goal to shoot for....Got to see it in our heads before we can make it happen...

[katchumwcurs]

I think the most saught after trait would be 100% smell, find, wind, a hog and have enough heart, grit, bottom, to keep that hog there until I get to the dog with some help. JMO,,,

[YELLOWBLACKMASK]

Nose, nose, nose and more nose... with the heart, brains, drive, determination and bottom to finish the track. ;".

Cheater! 

[Noah]

If I look at it from the perspective of what trait I HAVE to see in a dog to justify investing my time.....

SPEED.

[Reuben]

If I look at it from the perspective of what trait I HAVE to see in a dog to justify investing my time.....

SPEED.

Noah,

I thought you would say conformation...but just about need conformation to have speed...