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[Daniel DeGrazia]

I have a question that some of you more experienced hog doggers can probably help me with. I have a cur dog/ridgeback mix that is without a doubt the hardest hunting and most experienced dog I own. 2 1/2 years old. (I have not owned him since he was a puppy.) He has plenty of drive and in most cases can shut a hog down pretty quick, well mannered, trash broke. The problem I am facing with him is that about 1 out of maybe 10 or 12 hunts I have a hard time getting him to come back. This is almost always when he has got on a runner that he did not stop. I can track him to get within 50-100 yards of him and call to him but he simply does not respond, its like he gets in a trance just working a small area of woods over and over, usually where he lost the hog. 90 % of the time, I holler for him to come back and he comes back right away as long as he can hear me.

When he does this, I have never seen him pick up the trail again and finish it out. It always ends with me just about having to get on top of him and lead him back to the truck. So my question is whether or not this dog is worth keeping? Have any of you been able to correct this problem with much success? He is no problem at all 90% of the time, but that other 10% is about to drive me crazy. Any advice is appreciated

[Billy F Hillgartner]

keep him!! put a training collar on him for that 10% of the time when he has basically run out of a track. don't fry him. just give him a little bump to redirect his mind from a lost track back to you. the best of dogs will often keep trying to reloacte a lost track. but when your ready to move on the dog may need a little assist to get him back to you. More often than not, it will only take a few time for your dog to associate your call with the little bump, and he"ll move on back to you.

P.S. - I learned a long time ago "As a dog owner or handler, you must to be smarter than your dog." When your dog is doing everything he can to relocate the track, without success. He's telling you, "Hey boss, I'm trying my darnest to find the track, but it just ain't here." Then YOU must be smart enough to break him off the track and move onto another area. If you send him back out into the same area your basically telling him, "OK, I know you lost the track, so go find something, I don't care what, a deer, coyote, skunk, or porky pine, (God forbid). And if he's as good of a dog as you've described, he'll do just that, and it's your fault not the dogs.
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Billybird
"The size of your kill don't matter at all. Just as long as you make 'em fall."

[Buddy Goatcher]

I agree with Billy. I would rather have a hard head like him than so many curs I have seen tha tare under foot and expect another dog or even you to jump them up a hog....

Next time he does this, if you have the time and space, don't call him, but walk him down, leash him and them walk him in ever widening circles around the spot, or "lose." Go out 50 yeards, then 100, than 200 yards in a big circle around where he was messin around. See if you can get him back on the track, but also see if you can see the track (hoof print) of the animal too. Some dogs, like our hounds will do this instinctively, others can be taught. It would be worth knowing and he might learn the trick.

Hogs can be smarter than you think. I have seen them run to a bed where they and ten of their buddies were bedded down an hour before then sneak out the back door so to speak while the poor dog gets his nose full of all that scent. I have also seen dogs lose a track whehn it hits a new vegetation type, or where the hog leaves enclosed marsh or forests/swamps out into full sun on pipeline ROWS, cut overs and closely grazed pastures where scent scatters or is lifted high in the air by the heat of the sun.

Overcast days tends to hold the scent down on the ground, whereas sunny days lifts it away from the dogs. See if this conditions correlate with his loses.....

[Scott Penick]

I would have to agree with Buddy and Billy here too. They said it very well.
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The oaktreeplanter: planting for a great harvest. Isaiah 61:3 "that they may be called oaks."

[nosightsneeded]

yeah get rid of him no doubt. Where do you live Ill come and get him.

[Billy F Hillgartner]

Hey! I got the first reply to Daniel's problem, so I claim first dibs on his dog. But I'll allow you to hunt him for till I can get back to Texas this fall. HaHaHa!!
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Billybird
"The size of your kill don't matter at all. Just as long as you make 'em fall."

[Colby Thorson]

To bad he's in Florida

[Daniel DeGrazia]

It would be a long drive to come get him! To tell you the truth I think it may be a little worse than I thought at first. Its looking like the dog just cant back trail. The problem I'm worried about is if he rides out a good distance on a pig, gets out of range on the tracking unit , and then pulls one of his stunts.

[Billy F Hillgartner]

1. Colby, you can air freight a "GOOD" dog anywhere, for a price of course.
2. Daniel, bless your soul. You can "what if" your dog to pieces. But here is how I see it. (with all due respect).

a. A good houndsman will, whenever possible, keep up with his dog. Be it with a tracking collar, or be it by trailing the dog on foot, or in a vehicle, or on a mule, etc..

b. It's always best to hunt in areas that the hunter knows, and thereby allowing him to "GUESS" which path the critter is leading the dog on. And also allowing the hunter to avoid areas containing danger. (highways, shoot first ask questions later land owners, quick sand, badger holes, alligators, etc.). This gives the hunter a chance to cut off, or at least catch up with the dog.

c. If you are getting ready to hunt an unknown area. Try to find a hunting partner that does know the area and will go with you, to keep both you and your dog out of trouble, and show you shortcuts in the respective area.

d.If still dought your dog's honesty on track, and you want a dog that is guarenteed, upon loosing a track, to circle back and pick up the track again. You've got two choices: 1. Invest in a certified and proven dog with at least 4 years of actual hunting experience. (be prepared to pay big bucks). 2. Pay for your dogs transport to Texas nad I'll teach him too run armadillos and tree squirrels. (cause I'm old I longer have traveling legs, but I still enjoy watching a good dog work.)

e.Stop trying to second guess what your dog is, or is not doing, unless you are in a position to actually see whats happening. Your dog may very well be circleing to try and pick up the track. But if your not in a position to actally watch what the dog is doing, you shouldn't judge him.

4. Yep, there will be times when the dog and critter will move so fast and far that your gonna loose all contact with them. This is when you'll burn up a bunch of shoe leather and gasoline, as well as asking the Almighty to forgive you for all of your transgressions and help you to re-establish contact with your four legged hunting buddy. (just ask any bear or lion hunter about the truth in this statement).

5. When number 4 does happen, and it will. I've ALWAYS found it best to leave a piece of your scent covered clothing at the place that you dropped the the tail gate for your dog. Eight times out of ten, the next morning when you return to this location, your buddy will be laying on top of the article of clothing waiting for you. One time out of ten, the next night you'll hear him still running a track. (had two of mine run for three days before I could get into a position to recover them.) And one time out of ten, the worst will happen:

*You never see or hear from him again. (I've spent fifteen years hoping that I'd someday at least find a skeleton with my collar on it, of the finest dog I could have ever wanted to own.)
**You"ll find him splattered along a highway or road, or shot in a field. ***Or some animal lover will have picked up your poor lost puppy and hauled him off to Oregon, (justification for spending money on collar name tags). (Luckily, I found four of mine, after two days of recovery efforts. In the back of a very nice young lady and her children's pickup at a picknic area, pulling out onto the highway headed to California.)

In conclusion, the worst thing you can do to your dog is try and second guess him. Cause nine times out of ten your gonna be wrong. If he's starting to get out of your reach, use whatever tactics you have to return him back to you. As a good houndsman you can not just kick the dog out and sit on the tailgate expect him to know when he's ran the track to far and return back to your truck. If you want this kind of dog you had better get you a lap dog, or trash digging reservation mutts.

As good dog will run the pads off his feet if he thinks he has half a chance to catch a critter, just like he's been bred to do. And by golly that's why you feed him, and that's what I think you have on your hands, Good,Bad, or Indifferent!

One after thought, if you still question your dog. Find another hunter that has reportedly top quaility dogs, and without your dog, go on a hunt or two with him and his pack. If his dogs perform like you would like your dog to do. Ask if on the next hunt you could run your dog with his. If for no other reason than to add to your dogs skill and ability.

How about posting a pic of this dog. If he's ugly enough, I might just pay for the air transport to Texas. C'Ya
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Billybird
"The size of your kill don't matter at all. Just as long as you make 'em fall."

[Daniel DeGrazia]

Thanks for all the advice and information. If I hunted large pieces of property (where you can drive to most areas), I think he would be no problem at all. But, most places I have permission for are just small abandon groves or overgrown cow pastures. Taking him and the pups tonight so we'll see![/img]