I don't get a lot of time to check in frequently enough to be short and to the point, so I'll put a bunch of stuff on my mind here all at once. If you can read it all great, it not, skip right over, its only my opinions.
ck, I don't read into you being an elitist or anyone else posting here for that matter. I for one appreciate everyones input. There is always something to learn if you keep your eyes and ears working. I think overall this has been a very good thread, certainly helpful to anyone that doesn't have much experience with hunting dogs.
What amuses me here though seems to be endemic in our society these days where everything has to be a specialty, analyzed to the nth degree.
Here we have yet another thread inquiring about deer tracking dogs where some spirited debate surfaced a bit and further fueled with an infusion of this dog and that. When in reality the vast majority of the dogs in everyday households could be trained to track game. The issue has more to do with the quality of the training than the olfactory differences between the breeds.
Personally, I'm not a scholar of sorts on the subject, I don't read or haven't read volumes on the matter of tracking. My perspective comes from 20 some years growing up into hunting deer and hogs with dogs in the Florida Everglades and areas slightly north and west of the Everglades proper. In our circles most of the "training" consisted of starting young dogs with other experienced dogs and let them figure it out that way. I can honestly say I think I've probably met the guy that coined the phrase "that dog won't hunt".
Anyway, as I said in a previous post, my dog hunting and tracking experience is mostly with the "conventional" hound breeds. Even there, I'd have to say I was the one being trained. I don't dog hunt anymore, but in my time I've seen plenty of grade dogs and other cross-bred neighborhood mishaps so to speak that turned out to be very good hunting dogs. Yet the UKC, AKC or any other "official" dog organization would never recognize these animals. But in the field they out performed many of the pure-bred's. Not always mind you, but enough for even a southern redneck to take notice and realize there's more going on there than a UKC or AKC certificate would have you believe.
Consider the cur breeds, catahoulas, etc that are rapidily finding favor with traditional houndsman over the "conventional" breeds for their blend of site and scent capabilities coupled with obedience to command in the heat of battle. Here's a classic case of "mutt's" being formulated into top rate hunting dogs and have evolved to being a "breed" of their own.
I liken the gravitation to curs to why German/Belgian Shepards are used so much for police work, where the capability of the nose is less of factor and the ability to train the Shepard to NOT attack at the conclusion of a track is more important than his nose. No doubt they have to have very good noses, but I doubt a Shepard has a significantly better nose than any number of other working breeds. Their real virtue is their obedience for "official" service work and with multiple handlers in many cases.
That kind of thing is not so easily done with bluetick's, redbone's, black and tan's and so forth with a bayed animal and could spell death to catch dog if you're not there to dispatch the hog before he kills your dog. These "conventional" hunting dogs invariably have to be captured, leashed and hauled away from the prey to stop them from trying to eat it. Cur dogs on the other hand are more prone to respond to commands, which can be really handy at times.
Then I read where dachshunds are being espoused for baying hogs. (ck, I'm not singling you out personally, only highlighting my reaction to the statement). My dad had 2 dachshunds when I was very young, so I don't remember much about them. But I do have vivid memories from some hog hunts not so long ago where an 180lb boar flipped a 60lb walker 5 feet in the air like it was nothing and helping hold skin and body parts together while my buddy stitched up dogs enough to get them to the vet. Not every hog hunt goes that way, but ain't a one of them that can't happen. So when I think hogs and dogs those are the kinds of things that come to mind.
Needless to say I was bug eyed when I read that comment about dachshunds and baying hogs. Personally, I can't fathom what a 20-30lb anything could do to get a scrappy hog to stop and fight, let alone a dachshund. But being open minded I did a little research last night and saw where there are references to boar hunting with dachshunds several hundred years ago. Although they seem to infer a larger version of a dachshund than what is prevalent today, I have managed to learn something new, so thank you all for that.
I also take a little exception to the sweeping "kennel" remark. There are heartless people that kennel animals like they were tools, but I haven't met very many in my time. So it seems to me for someone to make a statement like that they don't have much practical experience with big game hunting dogs.
If you are serious about it you will own at least 5-6 dogs at any given time. Several guys I knew had 15 or more. I guarantee you the missus was not gonna have 17 treeing walkers or black and tans scattered about the living room watching TV with the rest of the family no matter how much dad loved each and every one of them.
The kennel serves other purposes too. That is learning to be kept while waiting to be released and not fighting and/or other wise trying to kill each other to get out and hunt. They need to be taught very early on how to behave in tight quarters amongst other dogs. On any given hunt dogs are rotated for rest or to replace other dogs that have got off track and need to be caught without interrupting an otherwise active chase. Being put back in a kennel can't feel like punishment to them or you'd have to reprimand them every time you wanted them to "load-up".
Another reason for a "kennel" full of dogs is injury and death when hunting dangerous game like big cats, bear and hogs. It doesn't happen often but the potential exists for a dog to be seriously injured or killed on every hunt. Thats the main reason you hunt with at least 3 dogs on dangerous game so theres less chance that only one dog will have to confront a bayed animal. A pissed off hog, lion or bear can easily kill a single dog within minutes. No one likes it but its a cold reality with this form of big game hunting and you need to have multiple dogs in the hunt and back up dogs coming up through the ranks. Not many people can keep hunting dogs like this without kennels. Its not cruel as long as they're exercised and hunted often.
In closing,
I will re-iterate my "most any breed" sentiment for tracking wounded game, especially deer. Start them young, train them patiently and with praise and you'll have yourself a fine tracking dog for all but the most intense efforts and even there a mutt may surprise you. If it doesn't work out you'll still have a fine companion.
- eric
Topic: Dogs for Tracking (Read 2233 times)
