What do you expect out of your dogs?

[Mike]

I figured with all this good discussion we've been having... we might as well keep it rolling.

What do y'all expect out of your dogs? This is for seasoned dogs only... not young up and comers.

Examples... range, nose, bottom, etc...

What criteria do they have to meet to earn their keep on your yard?

[t.wilbanks]

Range is not a big issue for me, as long as they don't hang around my feet..
I like them to consistently make loops 100-300 yards looking for sign and get gone on a track...

Nose should be pretty hot and can take a decently fresh track in the cooler months..

Bottom is what I want... I want them to run the hog till he gets too tired or finds a spot to fight.. That's more during the cooler months also... During the summer I don't mind if they don't run quite as long... But still give him a good run..

Also like mine loose baying...

But it all depends how I feel like training them that day...

[Tomball Dogos]

Range is not a big issue for me, as long as they don't hang around my feet..
I like them to consistently make loops 100-300 yards looking for sign and get gone on a track...

Nose should be pretty hot and can take a decently fresh track in the cooler months..

Bottom is what I want... I want them to run the hog till he gets too tired or finds a spot to fight.. That's more during the cooler months also... During the summer I don't mind if they don't run quite as long... But still give him a good run..

Also like mine loose baying...


But it all depends how I feel like training them that day...

That about sums it up for me I like a little more range 600 to 800 yards

[easttexasoutlaw33]

The range is the same not a big issue i have a few short range dogs and a med range male. The bottom is the main thing without that the dog is worth squat to me no matter how many it can find because as we said they run on me bad. I like just enough grit to get them to stop and fight and catch 125 and down. I expect my hounds to be able to take a 3-5 hr track and cur or cat 2 hr track

[jdt]

i want my dogs to make loops up to 1/4 mile , take a medium hot track and stay bayed till i get there . on cattle i want them to go to the front and lead , never bite anything that aint trying to get away . on hogs its o k if they catch one they can handle as long as it aint out of the bunch . i also want them to call of when I get ready .

[halfbreed]

heck i don't  know  hunt is a given they gotta have that . i breed for nose and a non suicidel amount of grit . but THE MOST IMPORTANT  ASPECT AFTER THAT IS HANDLE  . a trait wich i see little of these days . if i don't have a good handle on a dog he is useless to me . and that one attribute is a must have when working dogs on new small areas under the landowners scrutiny . there are so many [  hairy cairy ] dogs being turned loose these days , it pleases me to see and meet some-one that has takin the time to be sure they have a handle on their pack before they are dumped out to run amuck . like i said hunt is a given never had much trouble with that ,

[Peachcreek]

For a dog to stay on my yard it has to be better than a yeller dog. i have a yard full that get to eat with me using that logic.....

[Purebreedcolt]

I'm with half breed I have to have handle. Ill cull for that before just about anything other than aggression. I'm starting to switch up my pack a little so will see where I stand in a year from now on the rest.

[warrent423]

I run two stock bred, close range, rough cur dogs. If there are hogs within 300 yards of where I am standing, I want them to be able to wind, find and stop them . Once I get to them, they need to attempt to hold(any hog) as well as get out on my command. If hog breaks and they get beat bad(more than 300 yards), i want them back. I mainly walk hunt these dogs. I expect either one of my two to attempt to accomplish what I have stated above by themselves.

[bigo]

The number one one thing for me is finding. It takes a real smart, hard hunting, cold nosed dog to be a top find dog. Range is not important as long as they get gone and hunt. I like good trailers and dogs with lots of bottom. If a dog holds up to hard use and gets the job done in good style, he will have good feet and legs, good conformation, and be fast.

[KevinN]

I like a ... Oh, medium nose i guess. I don't want my dogs running cold tracks because of the areas I have access to hunt just aren't that big.
 I don't want a dog that ranges out 700-1000 yards. Again, most of the places I have access to hunt....they would be off the property if they go that far and then run a track. I like a short to medium range dog... Out to around 409-500 yards max.
Bottom is ...well, what I've had in the past and what I'm striving for now, is a dog that will flat sit a hog down. I'm not talkin bout a super gritty dog. I had a couple dogs years ago that would put teeth on nuts every time the boar would turn. Then they would back off and bay. They wouldnt try and catch until the bulldog locked down. I never got on runners, they didn't get the chance to run. If they tried they got their a$$ chewed off. That's what I'm hoping to have again. The pups I'm huntin right now are really too young to judge but I've got some really young ones that I think are going to bring that trait to my line.

[KevinN]

Handle is kind of a given to me.... I've never really had an issue with handle.

[Easttex91]

What are y'all calling handle?

[T-Bob Parker]

What are y'all calling handle?

Handle is a good amount of loose skin or a long enough tail to grab those skittish tellers of mine by so I can load em. Lol

I want them to find hogs and bay them as fast and near to where they started him as is possible given varying circumstances. Good nose good leg and overall good conformation in a dog whose smart enough use his genetic potential in a way that is pleasing to ME.
I've owned and known several dogs who had everything most normal hog hunters (not that I'm somehow abnormal) would love to see, who just didn't have their heads wired quite right and even though they got the job done and did it consistently, once you really started paying attention you'd find they were making it harder than it needed to be.

I would have never seen that however without being exposed to dogs who could do it and make it look elementary.

[KevinN]

Basic dog obedience is what I consider handle. They come when called, they lead easy, they listen and obey basic commands... Out, come, etc.

[halfbreed]

handles is the ability to control your dogs in any situation . being able to call them off a track or to tell them to load up while away from the truck and have them waiting on you when you get there . when i'm thru hunting and i give the command to heal up and lets go they should quit hunting and follow me out . handle in laymans terms is complete control of your dogs .

[KevinN]

Lol, some dogs, the skiddish ones can just be stand offish. I'm apt to be a little more lenient on the handle aspect with a skiddish dog, as long as they come when called or at least lay down a few feet away from me... I don't mind meeting a GOOD dog halfway, lol. If it ain't a GOOD dog it better damn sure come.

[rdjustham]

I run two stock bred, close range, rough cur dogs. If there are hogs within 300 yards of where I am standing, I want them to be able to wind, find and stop them . Once I get to them, they need to attempt to hold(any hog) as well as get out on my command. If hog breaks and they get beat bad(more than 300 yards), i want them back. I mainly walk hunt these dogs. I expect either one of my two to attempt to accomplish what I have stated above by themselves.

X2 except i like mine to try and catch anything with two there as opposed to just one..

[JoshStokley]

I have only been at this for 4 or 5 months now but I am quickly learning what I like and don't like.  A good dog to me will take a track and finish it.  If a dog can't find its own hog consistently I don't want it.  As far as range I like a short to medium range dog until he's on a hot track.  As for bottom they better have a ton!  I understand dogs get beat occasionally but it better have the heart and drive to finish the task at all cost.  In regards to handle as long as a dog leads well, comes in when I call them and is intelligent enough to stop what its doing and recognize its wrong when I tell them I'm good.  I also want a fast dog that will put teeth on a runner and then sit back and bay.  This is why I'm starting to believe more in stock dogs for running hogs.  I understand dogs like this can be hard to come by and I don't yet have the luxury of culling this hard but am working in that direction.  Finding these type of dogs and keeping that line alive is my goal and something I will strive for.

[txsteve85]

I expect my lead dog to find a hog everytime and if there's not one around I expect him to be a magician and make one appear!lol!
Stay away from me and not quit till I say its time to go, shut one down and stick with it!