Hog dogs...How do you evaluate a good Strike Dog???

[TexasHogDogs]

Yeah that is just a young dog still finding his way.  You know if I got a younger dog getting out and dont hang around and is with the big dogs and is out hunting some on his own he dont nessearly have to be the main finder dog to stay with me .  I say this because most dogs have a pack leader are two  and its hard for another young dog to find in front of the main lead dogs and he may not for a long long time .  I think a person needs to leave the main find dogs at home sometimes and take your up and coming dogs the ones that go out with the main dogs and give them some experince on their on and give them a chance to find themselves and see what its all about .  Just give them a test now and then when you think they are ready . When you think that dog is ready to find a hog on his own leave your main dog at  home and see what happens a few times maybe four five times this is gonna tell you what you want to know.

[blakebh]

When I can take a dog hunting and he is leading the pack and when its time to go home and I can say well there were no hogs there today and say it with confedence and know in my heart we did not miss any then I know are you should k now that dog is for me.  If you cant leave that place and say with out a doubt in your mind that you left no hogs on it then you should be feeling pretty dang good about your dogs.

I have several dogs like this one goes down the other takes over.  I can take a set of dogs Horn , Blu, Penny and Bell and when we leave if there is no pork in the truck I can tell you there was no hogs there on that proptery.  If there is hogs there we find it I have no doubts this is how I know when my dogs are finished and are my kind of dogs .

Horn goes down Bell takes over Blu goes down Horn takes over Bell goes down both Horn and Blu take over the Penny dog is almost there with them as far as finished goes and this little young Ranger dog I have is only 14 months are so and by the end of this year he is gonna be real real close he is the out hunting'est dog I ever seen for his age and only been in the woods five six times foound two by hiself and dont need nobody with him he goes .  I would bet the farm he has it I can  just tell.


The main thing I look for the first few times out with a young dog is will he get out on his on ,  how far will he go by himself , how far will he go with the pack .  If my dogs show me this the first few times in the woods the rest is there and then it is just the matter of  time and hunted to bring the rest out ,  feed these dogs hogs when they are young they will crap hogs when they are older !.

Great post!

[Black Hog 69]

x2

[reatj81]

If in dought with a young dog take them by their self,  put them on hogs, and watch it unfold!  Its easy to loose a couple leed dogs, do the homework, have the others steeping up!  Im nobody but I catch a few with my souphounds, The oldest dog I have is 19mo, and they satisfy me.  Im sure they are just junk to most, but im pleased, and thats what matters.  And yes I do get to hunt them with two great dogs from time to time, this is a great way to see how they are really doing!  I am proud to feed the 4 I have 2 that are litter mates that are 19mo, one is 14mo, and one 10mo, and they have all found their owen hog by themself and stayed long enough for me to get their and catch the hog.  They will honer another bay, and they will also stay there solo.  Often I do have splits, and for this reason when I hunt by myself I only take two dogs, I dont need three diff bays at the same time.  And yes it can happen, and that takes the fun out of it in a hurry for me when im buy myself..... But are they great dogs, or finished dogs, NO and a long ways from it so dont think Im tooting my horn, I know there are lots of better dogs around.   I have the privilige to hunt with some great dogs!