Tell me about blood tracking dogs

[KellyG]

Jeff,
Thanks I am currently trying to make a mine bow out of the wood to test it out. A member on tradgang said that would be the best option. I am working on making it 34" long with a 2" long handle and 2" wide at the fade out going to a 1/4" tips. Pulling 25lbs at 13.5" this would be a true half size of the bow I want to try and make. I really have not choice to use the wood under the bark the middle is softer and the outer almost rock hard. The checks on the end are pretty bad. I hope that I will have a stick that is shaped like a bow tomorrow. I am trying to go slow that way if the wood does not hold I be fairly sure it is the wood and not me. I that case I will have a really nice smelling fire with the cedar.  
No matter if it succeds or fails I will post the results here plus pics of the live and dead tree. You never know it maybe down under. If it work you might find a new local wood. If it fail someone might be able to identify why for me also.
thanks again,
Kelly

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I'm bringing this back up, as it's time to consider a pooch. Like to know all the people that were just getting started how well their dogs are progressing. Or if there's maybe any new members that would like to share their comments and experience.

I would like a dog that I can train to track, but can't imagine he'll go on more than a couple per year at best. Ultimately 95% of the time he would just be a pet, and anything else I can train him for.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I need to add, whatever dog we get for lead to be hypoallergenic. Looking at the Wheaten Terrier or the Wheaten Terrier poodle cross. My understanding that they've been bred to be pets in that hunting dogs but part of me feels like there's got to be some Frey Drive left in the breed. I would really like to get a lagotto romagnolo. But so far the praetor's within driving distance haven't returned my calls oh, not to mention they may be a rich man's dog

[fujimo]

i got a Teckle from a breeder in the Carolinas.
She is a phenomenal NON "puppy mill" breeder who breeds the very best working dogs out there. she too is a bow hunter, and has placed some incredible dogs with many "pro-trackers"
The dog i got from her is one of the smartest, quickest learners and has one of the most developed prey drives i have ever seen in a hunting dog.
i have seen him track, and track and hold so many deer for folk over the years.
he tells me when there is bear in the area, and he will tell me when a deer is coming into the my call, so i can be ready.
i can call him off a running critter, and a schnozz par excellence!
the stories about his hunting and tracking prowess abound.

i have been running working dogs all my life, as did my mother and my grandfather before her. Cattle/ herding dogs, hunting dogs and guard dogs.
All the different breeds have idiosyncrasies, but this Teckle is one of the best i have had, in probably well over 30 dogs by now.

When i need another tracker, i will, without a moments hesitation,  be contacting Sian Kwa again!!!!!

[Mikewarren33]

I got a street mutt Pitt bull type and he does a pretty good job. But He lacks the drive that would be needed to make him great. If he doesn’t pick up scent in 10 minutes he just comes back to me and hangs out. Like someone mentioned previously, I think you can train any dog to track. But I don’t think you can train a dog to have drive. Whatever my next dog is, I’ll do my best to get one with passion. My dog, cane, has still been a huge asset and this is only his second season. Here’s a buck he ran down and bayed at almost a half mile that had been shot in the knee.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Fujimo, Sian is Oskars mom, too 

She just sent me a pic of one of Oskars daughters, and we have a pup coming when we are ready.  Still just enjoying our dog, time will eventually come for getting the pup.  Her dogs are something else.

Oskar is 11 years old now, still LOVES to track. Hes up in the 60's now for deer recoveries. We dont track with him for random folks anymore, we and he are too old for that...but I shoot one now and again to keep him in practice.

R

[fujimo]

Ryan, I know all about Oskar ( and you!)
Sian speaks very highly and fondly of both of you.👍👍❤️
I had trained many different dogs in different disciplines but never a tracking dog when I got my dog, Nexus.
Sian was incredibly helpful and instructive.
I learnt so much from her.
You are right? Her dogs are something else!
I really liked how she was so attentive in how she place matches the dog to the owner, her dogs are definately her priority,over everything else.
She cancelled my first dog, I had to wait about a year until she had the dog that best suited me.
I have a lot of respect for her!!


Mike, a lot can be done to increase the prey drive on a dog.
You are correct, it’s a lot easier when it’s just naturally there, but fortunately a lot can be instilled with some very simple training exercises.
But, it is a double edged sword, the greater the prey drive, the better the handle you have to have on the dog.

So many breeds are excellent, and I agree it’s all in the dog  as an individual, it’s just easier whith some breeds.
Heck, I saw a video the other day of pugs working cattle😃😃😃

[hessian]

if this pup tracks as good as he sleeps, we'll be in good shape!

[Doug in MN]

Best one I have been around is a Jack Russel Rat Terrier cross named Bob, no quit in him at all he is on call all season when needed.
Does not hurt you can send him into a grain elevator as the rat exterminator, it is amazing how many he can kill in a short period of time.
Been around one Wheaton, not sure if it would track but is a great dog.

[Zbone]

Hey Shaun, ya out there? If so Hi... I still have Elsa, she's laying here beside me as I type...

I got my pup Elsa from Shawn in 2017, I believe her mother Graetche is out of the same bloodline as Ryan's Oskar...

[Bisch]

I have a Jack Russell, Zeke, that I am working with. He is a crazy nut, and smart as a whip. He does real well tracking some, and not so well on others. “We” are a work in progress. There is nothing cooler than seeing him work when he gets it right! I will probably never not own a JRT as long as I am alive and able to care for a dog!!!!! The only downside to this breed is they shed like crazy!!!!

Bisch

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Good stuff fellas.

[Bisch]

Zeke found 3 deer and a scimitar oryx today at the ranch I work at! He is having a ball, and getting a belly full of meat treats!!!!

Bisch

[Friend]

My partner and his wife let me know this season that are giving me hi end bred beagle tracking pup for Christmas.  She is 10 weeks old now.

What a wonderful gift...

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Congrats Friend. 

For all the people who are really into tracking.... how often do you work your dogs training wise in the off season?

[Ryan Rothhaar]

"Look what I caught, Daddy!"

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Travelling to an out of state hunt.....

Oops..sideways

[meathead]

This brat is Yogi. He is from Jeanenay’s kennel. He is a 4 year old wirehaired dachshund. We have 30+ recoveries under our belts so far. We (usually me) are still making some mistakes but are learning. He’s a pretty fair rabbit dog as well and we kill quite a few rabbits as well.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Ryan, clever name for a dog. "Deer Lover" seems fitting

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Charlie 

To your questions....we worked with Oskar alot in the first couple years, and I was fortunate to get him in on a doe culling hunt when he was about 6 months old (with a couple of not great shooters) so he got to track and find around 12-14 deer by the time he was 1 yr old.  Several gutshots, and a couple live finds, that really hits the "on" button!  From 3-5 we did maybe a handful of training tracks a year. Since 5 we haven't trained much or at all. He doesn't need it at all.  That said, the bloodline is exceptional, and Oskar was a natural, and my wife is a dog whisperer.  We had Austrian and German breeders wanting us to fly him to Europe for breeding and he was the first Dachshund  (teckel) in the United States to earn 1st place awards in both 20 hour and 40 hour DTK VSwP blood track testing.

If you get a dog, like you are talking, with less hunting bloodline it would likely take more "tuning" year to year. It's a big commitment, but if you are getting the dog anyway what do you have to lose to try?  I would never recommend someone get a dog for tracking only... hes gotta be a pet 1st and foremost, the tracking is bonus.

R