Need advice please!

[gcarmouc001]

Guys I have a 11 month old plott hound, built well loud mouth and lot of energy.  She's out of sizzlin heat/alabama hammer line. Barks at anything in the yard. 

My problem is that she is not showing as much interest in a hog as i like.  I got her to catch a small pig when she was around 6 months old but she will not look at a hog in  a pen.  She has ran with my older dogs and been in on a few caught hogs, barked a few times and just wondered off showing no interest in a squealing hog.  She does A LOT of playing in the woods. But sometimes goes of on her own not far but with her nose on the ground.  My question is should i cull her or wait a little longer? I was told plott hounds mature later than other dogs and usually are late bloomers. Really would like to see her turn on, just something about plotts that i love.

[SwampHunter]

Where you located ? Some times it just clicks one day an they turn on ,
She might not be a hog dog she might be a coon or squirrel dog , maybe try that

Do you hunt open dogs ? Mayb let her hunt by her self an see what she wants to hunt

[justincorbell]

I personally would not cull her yet, regardless of what anyone says an 11mth old dog is still a pup, let her grow up a bit and keep takin her to the woods and feed her tracks......this is what I would do anyhow. I have had pups that turned on and were catchin small hogs in the woods at 7mths old and then i've had some good dogs that didn't turn it on til 14-18months. A year and a 1/2 is about all the patience I have with a dog though, thankfully I have owned very few that didn't fire off by that age.........just lucky I guess.

[KevinN]

In going to "borrow" this thread as well if you don't mind G. "My" rag eating Blue Tick is 5 months and yet to show any interest in a pig....heck...till just yesterday he hasn't showed any interest in anything.....yesterday, he did chase some birds and has been staring at the chickens lately. Maybe he's getting ready, lol.

I have ZERO experience with raising a full blooded hound. Are they typically slower to turn on or is it just a line thing and like all dogs...some start early...some don't?

[rdjustham]

Both of yalls dogs are young.  I like mine to be doin somethin by a year old, BUT if you like the dog stick it out for a bit and let them get outta the pup stage.  Also if your runnin them with another young dog this may have somethin to do with playin.  Pen them with an older dog and let them "buddy" up for a bit and take them two to the woods and see if theyll stay with their "buddy" then slowly introduce other dogs in the woods instead of the buddy and then slowly remove everything other dog all together.  just my .02

[justincorbell]

Both of yalls dogs are young.  I like mine to be doin somethin by a year old, BUT if you like the dog stick it out for a bit and let them get outta the pup stage.  Also if your runnin them with another young dog this may have somethin to do with playin.  Pen them with an older dog and let them "buddy" up for a bit and take them two to the woods and see if theyll stay with their "buddy" then slowly introduce other dogs in the woods instead of the buddy and then slowly remove everything other dog all together.  just my .02

I agree with you 100%, this post is some good info, alot of the time the buddy system works, I have seen it help young dogs more often that not. I think we owe it to ourselves to strive for dogs that start earlier and hunt harder, after all isn't that whats its all about? strive for perfection and try to have a little fun along the way!

[KevinN]

Heck...I ain't even messed with him much...he's more my girls dog than mine...he won't be seein the woods for a while. I'm pretty confident on starting pups...never had issues in the past. Like I said...just don't know much about hounds.

[hoghunter71409]

G,

Did you get this dog from Marty down in South LA.  If you did, I have her litermate.  Marty told me that he sold a dog in the Alexandria area.  I'll tell you this...my litermate to her has made four our five races of 5 miles and more and she is focused on cathcing hogs.  She runs and bays by herslef and is almost silent.  She also has a lot of play in her, but she works through that becuase she is hunted with other dogs that are older and dont play back.

Something else to remember about the Sizzling Heat dog.  Sizzling Heat was a coon dog, not a hog dog.  Hammer bred dogs are known for nose, not being overly gritty and rough.  I know Marty's dogs are suppose to be rough, but sometimes pups will take back after 4th and or 5th generations.

If you do decide she is not for you, let me know.  Knowing what I do know, you should hang on to that dog and give it a lot of exposure with other mature dogs.  I never once put her litermate in a bay pen.  She learned to run game by running loose.  I had to chain her up at 6 months old becuase I found her hanging off of a horse tail.

Jon

[gcarmouc001]

Yea I got her from Marty, good to hear about her littermate man. I hope she follows her progress as well.  Where u located? I'm thinking about getting a male from Marty on his next litter.

[hoghunter71409]

I am in Central Louisiana also

[lil wasper]

Jay Waltz is a really respected plott man in wisconsin he told me one he didnt really start them on bear till they was 15 months old and did not want them on a mean bear till they was atleast to if she acts good and gamey just give her time you never know when she will flip a switch just my opinion

[gcarmouc001]

Thanks for the advice guys, really appreciate it. I will just be patient and hopefully it will pay off