QUESTION
Moderators: Pike Ridge Beagles, Aaron Bartlett
I wish you hadn't posted that opinion. That is another excuse dog jockeys will use to explain the poor performance of a worthless dog. 
I think the Ole Timer should have spent his time looking for better dogs. When I first got into beagling, 1970, my beagling friend and I ran our dogs almost every Friday night from the end of rabbit season until the next. During the season we hunted these dog almost every weekend. It never affected the running ability of any of them. I think running at night in the summer time closely resembles the scenting conditions in the daytime in winter.
Just another Ole Timers opinion.
I think the Ole Timer should have spent his time looking for better dogs. When I first got into beagling, 1970, my beagling friend and I ran our dogs almost every Friday night from the end of rabbit season until the next. During the season we hunted these dog almost every weekend. It never affected the running ability of any of them. I think running at night in the summer time closely resembles the scenting conditions in the daytime in winter.
Just another Ole Timers opinion.
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wingmaster
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:45 am
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Randy Phipps
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- Location: East Tn.
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wingmaster
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:45 am
I run my dogs so much at night, I often wonder if they can run one in the daylight 
I run my dogs all year round, different conditions, different cover, different weather, different places, day, and night.
The more experience a dog has under different conditions, the better they will be. I think you would hurt a dog more by running in the same place over and over opposed to running at night at different places.
I have seen dogs (mine included) that know where the rabbits usually hang out in a place where we run frequently. You can cut the dogs looose, they run straight to the spot and then start to hunt. I tried to taking them to the opposite side of the property and they still run straight to the spots that they remember jumping the most rabbits.
I have heard people at trials say, "Oh great, we are going to that place. My dogs don't run brush too well because where I run is mostly open country." That should tell them they need to start working with their dogs in different conditions. I hope my dogs have just a good chance running anywhere instead of one type of condition.
I know my dogs can run sun, wind, rain, snow, in fields, briars, pines, hardwoods, clearcuts, and everything in between.
I take my dogs places with lots of rabbits, and places with few rabbits.
My dogs aren't the best, but they can run it where ever I take them.
I have seen dogs, particularly pups, that don't have good check work because of running too much in areas with lots of rabbits. The dog will hit a hard check, then start to go wide looking for that rabbit, or any rabbit to run.
A buddy of mine was cussing the other night because the scenting conditions were terrible. My response was, "Hey, the dogs will probably learn more tonight than last night. They have to slow down and really dig on the track instead of hitting it in a dead run."
Experience makes the dog.
How good of a driver do you think you would be if you only drove on dry straight roads in the day light? By experiencing different conditions as a driver makes you a better driver as a whole.
One downside to running at night is recognizing an off game chase.
When I have a young dog that I am not confident that will refuse off game, I only run daylight hours or in areas that I can closely monitor the dog at night (small brush piles with my tattle tale gip).
Another downside it that you can't see what the dogs are doing (faults like back tracking, mouthing in a check, etc.), but it still gives them more experience than sitting in the kennel. I work normal hours and can't run daylight hours during the week, so I run at night.
I run my dogs all year round, different conditions, different cover, different weather, different places, day, and night.
The more experience a dog has under different conditions, the better they will be. I think you would hurt a dog more by running in the same place over and over opposed to running at night at different places.
I have seen dogs (mine included) that know where the rabbits usually hang out in a place where we run frequently. You can cut the dogs looose, they run straight to the spot and then start to hunt. I tried to taking them to the opposite side of the property and they still run straight to the spots that they remember jumping the most rabbits.
I have heard people at trials say, "Oh great, we are going to that place. My dogs don't run brush too well because where I run is mostly open country." That should tell them they need to start working with their dogs in different conditions. I hope my dogs have just a good chance running anywhere instead of one type of condition.
I know my dogs can run sun, wind, rain, snow, in fields, briars, pines, hardwoods, clearcuts, and everything in between.
I take my dogs places with lots of rabbits, and places with few rabbits.
My dogs aren't the best, but they can run it where ever I take them.
I have seen dogs, particularly pups, that don't have good check work because of running too much in areas with lots of rabbits. The dog will hit a hard check, then start to go wide looking for that rabbit, or any rabbit to run.
A buddy of mine was cussing the other night because the scenting conditions were terrible. My response was, "Hey, the dogs will probably learn more tonight than last night. They have to slow down and really dig on the track instead of hitting it in a dead run."
Experience makes the dog.
How good of a driver do you think you would be if you only drove on dry straight roads in the day light? By experiencing different conditions as a driver makes you a better driver as a whole.
One downside to running at night is recognizing an off game chase.
When I have a young dog that I am not confident that will refuse off game, I only run daylight hours or in areas that I can closely monitor the dog at night (small brush piles with my tattle tale gip).
Another downside it that you can't see what the dogs are doing (faults like back tracking, mouthing in a check, etc.), but it still gives them more experience than sitting in the kennel. I work normal hours and can't run daylight hours during the week, so I run at night.