soloing ?

[sem]

At what age do you start soloing your pups? When should they be able to circle one by their self? How much do you run them solo compared to brace and with a pack?

thanks

[tommyg]

I like to start soloing around 1 year old for a year if time permits.

[sem]

I have a 7 month old pup that is doing a pretty good job. Would just like to know what some thoughts are on the best way to keep her going strong. Solo, brace, pack? just courious what some others do.

[DIXIEDOG]

I like to run in a pack a couple times then run solo once and repeat the process. The most important thing is not to run the pup in a pack of dogs that are going to blow it away speed wise, run it with a few slower dogs so you don't ruin it's confidence. Running a pup with a race pack is a good way to blow it up.

[sanfordssj]

I run my dogs in a pack everytime. I want good pack dogs. At first i thought that you always start a dog with a slower dog, then take them out solo. But, over the years of starting dogs and trying different methods, and listening to the guys who know what they are talking about i have came to my own conclusion. if the dog can keep up with the pack, and gives the right amount of bark (not being pulled) then i will always run them in a pack. If the pup can't keep up you should then pull it out and try solo time unitl it matures, or only run the pup with ONE dog. This is what i do. may not be the right thing, but i'm always trying new things and learning as i go. Hope it helps.

this is what RiverBottom posted on a different thread:
I want my dogs to work in a pack. I don't solo them. I don't want one that needs to be soloed. If running them in a pack brings out bad habits in them I want to know about it so I can cut them from the herd. I want dogs that run the line and only use the other dogs to call them to the line when the rabbit is jumped or a check is picked up. My best dogs run the same no matter how many dogs are down, they just run the rabbit. Those are the ones I want pups from.

[Nor' Easter]

I soloed my male pup from 4-10 months about every 2nd day for 1-4 hours and he steadly improved. When I took out 2 out of shape 8 year old males with him to the same area I was running him at, it took 3 times an hour each before he ran with them. I found that not too bad. Then I soloed him 2-3 times and put him in a pack of 2-3 other hounds of similar speed (he was decent speed by this time) and kept doing that. I started trialing him at 17 months old and he ended up Maritime top male at 23 months old, needs points to be FTCH now.
Also soloed another dog to FTCH and I find it gives them total control of the run without added interuptions from other hounds. These two hounds lead the runs in most cases all the time, so let 'em solo. I love to hunt with a dog that can run a hare steady all day and soloing will tell ya if they can, and they usually will.

[eddywilliams]

I feel you have to solo ,i always will ,i have an 8 mo old who can pound 1 by herself but is still not fast enough for the pack ,i would rather solo her ,i start all my pups out back .The young dogs are getting nothing but ground time running them in a pack too young they cant get a piece and will pick up bad habits and maybe even ruin them,dont push em is my motto ,my theory

[Anderson Upland Beagles]

im a solo man ...ive had dog about 7 years ago he couldnt run a rabbit around to the gun he would dig a hole from time to time put him in a trail in a pack he got picked up 7 out of 48 ...makes me wonder ...i like to pack them up after about 14 mouths

[khensler01]

I.M.O a pup has to have time to learn.After it gets started run it with dogs that are not to fast or they can't get any of the work.I would runtwo young dogs together so they have time to learn as they go and also solo them that way they can do it all there self.Allot of dogs can run in pack but when you run them by self it shows most arn't worth a crap.also the ones that have been soloed is the one who most of time keeps the race going by dominating in checks .Just the way I see it Ken