Dogs for recovering wounded game

[Tedd]

Man it's nice to see a good dog work. He looks like a winner. I like the coat on those dogs. I bet he will have a good life! What is he like if you just want to go for a walk? Does he come when called? My old fat wirehair dachshund is such a good girl. But she can be a knot head when you go for a walk and she gets to smelling something. I would have trouble going on a hike with her. You have to keep an eye on her all the time.  She is just all nose, her life is controlled by that damn nose. She will just ignore you if she is sniffing around some holes or something. Once she locks on, you are not going to stop her.
She is right here on the couch beside me, snoring. Dang dog sleeps about 22 hours a day. My wife loves to feed her.

[Jerry Russell]

A very good training day with the pup. I laid down the toughest line I possibly could and aged it to 20 hours. Here is what happened. Enjoy.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLttGOG3Npk&feature=player_embedded

[Ssamac]

I think dogs are not allowed in Missouri to hunt. Not sure what they think about tracking dogs. Any Missourians here know the rules?
How do you keep the dog quiet? Training for one but dogs are notorious for barking and that can mess things up for other hunters as well as yourself.

[Firstlight]

Watched your video, that's really great!!

[arrow flynn]

kelpies are great on hogs they don't have the nose that walkers do they are head dogs now I don't want to sound like im an expert dog trainer but I observed walkers go in on hogs and get real hurt and the kelpies would not most of the time.mho

[Bear Heart]

his is my new girl. Picking her up on Saturday. She will be coming on many bowhunting adventures.

[Bobby Urban]

Great Video Jerry - thanks for posting the "real" time at the end.  Molly(Bears litter sister) is doing great and with the weather breaking up here her tracks will get longer and more difficult so it is nice to know she is doing things correct.  

Because I am so inexperienced with "dog tracking" I assumed these videos online showed the dog walking the line like an arrow shot while Molly stops, thinks, moves off the line a bit, circles back, thinks, ponders, and off she goes a few more yards, etc..  I thought she was slow but really she works like Bear although her confidence needs a little improving so she will lead and not follow me so much.  Tough to get her to track a deer if she is afraid to take the lead.  

I set a line last week that was with little blood on a hoof, and a few bounces of a piece of hide on a string that had multiple 90's and crossed a 40' wooden bridge.  She stopped at the bridge to do some thinking and then took right off across, nose down.  These dogs are amazing and so much fun to train.  I can't wait for fall!!

[Jerry Russell]

Bob,

I think it is the methodical process that this breed uses in tracking that makes them so powerful. I have a lab that can track at 50 mph but he overruns everything. Bear rarely passes the line by more than 4'-6' before slamming on the breaks and getting back on line.

You fear of Molly's timid nature will pass soon. When Bear first hit the woods he was very timid and had me seriously concerned. I even went so far as to call a guy that has a great deal of knowledge on this breed. He said it wall pass quickly and he was right. Bear now has nothing short of extreme focus on his job at hand and is fearless. He is a bit advanced over Molly simply because without snow, we have had much more time in the woods than you guys.  I look forward to hearing more stories from your training with Molly.

Our next training steps will be moving towards tracking in the dark, snake aversion and acclimation to livestock. This should be fun...

[Bobby Urban]

Well that is another obstacle altogether and should be exciting to get some night tracking later this summer.  She is more confident daily so I am certain you are correct and very diligent on the track.  You tip on getting her to understand the follow the DOTS is spot on.  Once she learned that one leads to two leads to.... she has really taken off.  

I am not worried at all that she will perform at the highest level and certainly well enough to accomplish the goals I have and the learning process for both Molly and I is a great experience.  

Good news for her and I is there are no snakes here in Michigan to speak of - at least the # of venomous species is so limited it is almost non-existent.  I lifetime in the woods as am amateur herpetologist and I have seen/caught two rattlers and both were within 20' of each other.  Just very, very rare.  

Thanks again Jerry - totally appreciate all that you have done in this process and look forward to sharing stories as these pups grow up together.  

at some point I will attempt to load some amateur video of her in action.  45 degrees today and 60 on Monday so the practice season is coming into full effect!!

[Jerry Russell]

TTT.  It kills me to hear the stories of heart ache when someone loses a big game animal. I wanted to bump this one to the top so that everyone is aware of the incredible power of a tracking dog. If legal, use one. We owe it to the game we pursue.

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[Bladepeek]

Tedd, sounds like your dog has you trained instead of the other way around. I'd talk to a good dog trainer about basic obedience. It doesn't stifle their hunting drive at all and makes it so much better when you can trust them off the leash.

They still have to be on a leash in Michigan when trailing (and just about everywhere else I know of), but that just forces them to slow down and work things out better.

[ChuckC]

OK Ryan and Jerry.  I have been reading these.  My ( recently retired) wife has been looking for a smaller dog to call her own ( I have a WPG that is MY dog).  

I suggested a wirehaired Teckel and that she could train it to blood trail and if I have a deer that I am having trouble with finding, she and her dog can come find it and we could do this together...  emphasis on the  "together".  

She started giggling, rather uncontrollably and asked... " where does one acquire a teckle?  At the Bait and Teckle shop?" Then she turned and walked away.  

I guess that means she wants a rat terrier or a poodle or some such.
ChuckC