Time to Solo?

[summs]

I have been working with two pups, now almost 6 months old. I have been taking them with an old puppy trainer. Ash is starting to talk. She has jumped one and taken it for about a half circle, she occasionally will get out in front of the puppy trainer for a 100 or so yards. The other pup is still following pretty close. I've been thinking of turning Ash out on her own. When do you "cut the cord" and let 'em start going on their own? Thanks for any advice.

[don nash]

The most importent thing to do is keep them in the brairs and put them on plenty of rabbit tracks.when a pup starts to run track on its own its time to solo them and let them progress at there own pace.The first few times they might only run 10 or 20 feet but with good bloodlines and gods will they should get better with every track.what i do is mix puting them with an old dog one day then solo them the next or what ever works best for the pup.The important part of soloing is it teaches a pup to be independent and run its own rabbit.

[coolbrze]

Now is the time. Although, if your puppy trainer is close, clean, & not too fast, it wont hurt one bit to keep running them w/ her for another month or so. I've got 3 7 mo. old pups that are circling on their own now, but I'm still running them w/ a real close & clean gyp I have.

[summs]

The old puppy trainer has been excellent. Runs no junk and pretty clean line. The pups have no trouble keeping up with him. In fact one of the pups will straighten it out and get ahead of the old dog. Will run this way for up to about 100 yds, then old dog will catch up and take over on a check. The other pup still likes to play some but is starting to keep her nose on the ground. I believe I will keep this pup with the older dog for a while longer.???

I solo'd the pup that is picking up track and carrying for 100 or so yds. She did pretty good. In about an hour she jumped 2 rabbits took them for about a half circle each. One thing I don't understand, after loosing the second rabbit she just totally quit. Came back within 20 yds. of me and went in the briars and stood in one spot for a while. I didn't bother her for about 15 or 20 minutes and she never moved, I would even walk out of her sight for a while, still didn't move. After about 15 or 20 minuteds I went and got her, I saw nothing, no hole, no rabbit fur, nothing, she didn't act scared like a coyote around or anything. Really didn't understand what happened.

[coolbrze]

The old puppy trainer has been excellent. Runs no junk and pretty clean line. The pups have no trouble keeping up with him. In fact one of the pups will straighten it out and get ahead of the old dog. Will run this way for up to about 100 yds, then old dog will catch up and take over on a check. The other pup still likes to play some but is starting to keep her nose on the ground. I believe I will keep this pup with the older dog for a while longer.???

I solo'd the pup that is picking up track and carrying for 100 or so yds. She did pretty good. In about an hour she jumped 2 rabbits took them for about a half circle each. One thing I don't understand, after loosing the second rabbit she just totally quit. Came back within 20 yds. of me and went in the briars and stood in one spot for a while. I didn't bother her for about 15 or 20 minutes and she never moved, I would even walk out of her sight for a while, still didn't move. After about 15 or 20 minuteds I went and got her, I saw nothing, no hole, no rabbit fur, nothing, she didn't act scared like a coyote around or anything. Really didn't understand what happened.

I'd venture to say it's b/c she's still real young. Thats what mine usually do also. No sweat, dont worry about it. Keep running her. In fact, I'd keep running them w/ the older puppy trainer for another month, then do some solo then run w/ the pup trainer, then solo...

[summs]

Thanks for the advice.

I ran them for about 3 hours on Sunday, wow what a time. Four minutes after I cut 'em loose they jumped a rabbit and never quit barking the whole 3 hrs. Even the "playful" pup opened and ran one on her own for about 50 to 75 yds.