Coon hound/ Bloodhound
- Thread starter sam84
- Start date
Dunwaters
Well-Known Member
They’re really not a beginner dog, none of the HPR breeds are to be honest like, if you do decide to go down that route, join a local HPR club and pick brains. HPR’s are slower to mature than some others, a 2 year old is about where an 18 month springer or lab would be. A good GWP or other HPR will probably suit if you train it right.
The best advice I could give you would be to sit down and define what you want the dog to do, then pick a breed that suits the job description, if there are lots of a particular breed performing that role, then that would be a good place to start.
If it's your 1st working dog, as others have said it will be a safer bet to start with a labrador. Of all the working dogs they will be the easiest to train and work.
Remember it's important to be in full control of the on/off switch. The one thing where this is easiest to explain is retrieving ONLY when commanded. Only give the dog 1 retrieve in 5/6 or the dog will end up like a typical pet pooch on the beach where the owner still is in the process of throwing a stick and the dog is running to where the stick is going to land
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
As others have said, get a lab. Hounds are designed and bred to follow sent trails and bring animals to bay. They are independently minded as they often work outwith the immediate command of their handlers. Coon hounds, Elk Hounds, Drahteers etc are often just let go on a scent and the hunters eventually catch up once they corner or tree an animal.
For most UK stalking you want a dog that is with you, that will scent deer fir you and indicate that they are close, but lazy / biddable enough that they don’t want to immediately go and catch it. And if you are sitting up, or in a highseat they are quite happy just sitting up or curled up.
Yet when the time comes to find something they can very easily follow a sent trail, find something and either bring it back or show you where it is.
Most labs can do this all day long.
I have a lab cross bmh. Love her to bits and she is a good working dog, but the hound in her does give her a stubbon and over keen streak. And the look when you don’t shoot something has to be seen to be believed.
For most UK stalking you want a dog that is with you, that will scent deer fir you and indicate that they are close, but lazy / biddable enough that they don’t want to immediately go and catch it. And if you are sitting up, or in a highseat they are quite happy just sitting up or curled up.
Yet when the time comes to find something they can very easily follow a sent trail, find something and either bring it back or show you where it is.
Most labs can do this all day long.
I have a lab cross bmh. Love her to bits and she is a good working dog, but the hound in her does give her a stubbon and over keen streak. And the look when you don’t shoot something has to be seen to be believed.
Texas Pack Hounds Charge to the Rescue for Rhinos in South Africa, Nabbing 145 Poachers So Far
(EnviroNews World News) — Kruger National Park, South Africa — Between 2008 and 2018, poachers killed about 4,000 rhinos in South Africa’s Kruger National Park and its surrounding private reserves. These thugs typically take only the horn to sell for unfounded medicinal use in Asia. They...
www.marleysmutts.org
Lots of articles on coonhounds being trained for poachers on Africa, with that type of prey drive you will have nothing but trouble for your desired outcome.
As said lab or even or border terrier both very trainable and won't necessarily be one trick pony's
sam84
Member
Thanks rem284 much appreciated
stalker.308
Well-Known Member
I like HPR’s. Although I’ve always been told they mature slower I’ve never found it to be the case. I’ve been lucky to take advice off a variety of different people amongst different breeds of hpr’s whose dogs I admire working, and that advice has generally been expect more than you naturally expect.
My current hpr had passed her puppy tracking test at 6 months and her adult 20 hour test at 12 months.
It never ceases to surprise me someone telling me their 12 month old dog is only young and they’re about to start training.
My current hpr had passed her puppy tracking test at 6 months and her adult 20 hour test at 12 months.
It never ceases to surprise me someone telling me their 12 month old dog is only young and they’re about to start training.
Gelert1416
Member
Really interesting thread. Any recommendations on books for training dogs for deer?
sam84
Member
what age did you start to train your newest puppy?
stalker.308
Well-Known Member
I took hooves, blood and skin to the breeders place when they were 4 to 5 weeks old and did a short track. Unlikely to have done a lot at this age, however she never stopped wanting to follow a scent after this.
I did a track each week at the breeders until she was home, then just carried on in the garden until vaccinated, then we started going out. Short and sweet sessions with her dinner at the end and sometimes treats along it, which helped keep her from getting distracted. If she got distracted I just ended the session.
At such a young age hey have a short attention span, keep it short, big fuss and reward when they do it and don’t worry if some days they just don’t want to do what you want to do.
I did a track each week at the breeders until she was home, then just carried on in the garden until vaccinated, then we started going out. Short and sweet sessions with her dinner at the end and sometimes treats along it, which helped keep her from getting distracted. If she got distracted I just ended the session.
At such a young age hey have a short attention span, keep it short, big fuss and reward when they do it and don’t worry if some days they just don’t want to do what you want to do.
Cootmeurer
Well-Known Member
Began my dog life with coonhounds. I had them, friends had them, we all ran them.
They are not what I would choose for a deer tracking dog. They are loud, they are loyal, they are fast moving and the choice of breed determines how “hot” or “cold” nosed they are. The other reason I wouldn’t choose one for deer is that from the better lines are bread to be “straight” - that is run only coons (or if you go for other games, there are straight bear and cat lines as well). In all cases a dog that runs deer is considered a defective dog.
I could go into a lot more details, but at the end of the day a lab, or gsp, or teckle, or bmh, or pretty much anything would serve your purpose better
They are not what I would choose for a deer tracking dog. They are loud, they are loyal, they are fast moving and the choice of breed determines how “hot” or “cold” nosed they are. The other reason I wouldn’t choose one for deer is that from the better lines are bread to be “straight” - that is run only coons (or if you go for other games, there are straight bear and cat lines as well). In all cases a dog that runs deer is considered a defective dog.
I could go into a lot more details, but at the end of the day a lab, or gsp, or teckle, or bmh, or pretty much anything would serve your purpose better
Whv are an easy dog to live with and capable of following a sent.
Some can be a bit soft but that can go a long way towards vet bills and not getting bust up.
My first deer dog was a lurcher. She was ace. Strong prey drive but a great dog to have around. 2nd whv, she was a little slow on the uptake.3rd was a gwp, great to work with. 3rd gwp still only a pup and it's a right little bugger.
I would also get in contact with ukdtr to help with training. There's a wealth of knowledge within the organisation.
Some can be a bit soft but that can go a long way towards vet bills and not getting bust up.
My first deer dog was a lurcher. She was ace. Strong prey drive but a great dog to have around. 2nd whv, she was a little slow on the uptake.3rd was a gwp, great to work with. 3rd gwp still only a pup and it's a right little bugger.
I would also get in contact with ukdtr to help with training. There's a wealth of knowledge within the organisation.
sam84
Member
sam84
Member
Thanks for the info, what were you using coonhounds for?
Scotty99
Well-Known Member
Cootmeurer
Well-Known Member
Coons (raccoons). I ran Treeing Walkers, another buddy had Blueticks, and another friend had Black and Tans.
The other major breeds were redbones, plotts, and English.
The other aspect that does not endear them to deer tracking is they really are a pack animal. A single dog will never do as well as that same dog running with at least 2-3 other dogs.
My buddies in North Carolina that run bears consider a pack to be at least 6, and sometimes as many as a dozen.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Exactly above.... rough pic pulled from video, four month old pups on the kill. These pups saw and were in on the kill of a shittload of deer before they were six months old. Had deer shot in front of them...right in front of them.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
If people really understood what a hound is bred to do and what they are capable of doing then they simply wouldn't entertain the idea of having a hound as a pet.
They are not ordinary dogs and have powers of endurance that will amaze those that don`t know. I have spent a lot of bush time with the hounds.
They are not ordinary dogs and have powers of endurance that will amaze those that don`t know. I have spent a lot of bush time with the hounds.
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