How much running time does it take to "Compete" in trials?

[Mo. Beagler 5000]

My beagles- Ya, I know what you mean.... I just figured in a trial that my dog will shine or won't.....I'm not complaining.. nor will I think I got screwed even if my dog is picked up first....

It sucks to think maybe I have this super awesome dog who has her abilities taken away because I don't have enough time in the field... From what I have seen from my dogs is my good dogs pretty much always do good even after long breaks from running and my dumb dogs are always under performing and they don't get better with time....

Stamina will be my biggest problem (hopefully) but as far as hunt, speed, gun shy, desire, running, picking up checks, not backtracking, no off game, using the right amount of mouth will be pretty competitive.... Although I think they only run an hour right?? anydog should be able to do that....

[SilverZuk]

Your dog will do fine, just don't expect it to win.
Running 1 hour at a time this time of year is no big deal. If they get into a big running rabbit (one that ranges way out), your dog may not have the speed to keep up with an ARHA Little Pack style pack. However, if your dog is a little older it will have an advantage of several hunting seasons.
Most of the Open dogs in ARHA little pack are less than two years old.

If you get into a "cutting and diving" rabbit in tight cover, your dog may smoke the competition by being rabbit smart and working checks.

You will never know unless you go try it. The worst that can happen is that you lose. You will probably meet some really good people that are knowledgable and it still be worth your time and effort.

Once you get into warmer weather, especially spring when the temps warm up and the buck rabbits are running big loops - conditioning will play much more of a factor.

What club are you looking at attending?

[SilverZuk]

ARHA little pack dogs that I have seen and judged tend to be hard hitting, fast dogs, that usually don't run really clean on a line. They aren't penalized for missing the line, so you tend to get some dogs that are very competitive and "run the front at all costs" even if they can't run the track at the speed they are running. On a day when the scenting is good, they will flat out smoke a rabbit. If the scenting gets tough, they will sometimes make a mess of the race.

There is a format for about each style/type of rabbit dog. If you run more of a line dog that keeps the track between its front legs - then you might want to trial a format that penalizes dogs for not running right on the line.

However, that style of dog will smoke a pack or rough, fast dogs on days that the scenting is tough and they really need to knuckle down and work a track. Every dog has its day, and Saturday may be your dog's day. You won't know unless you go.

My first trial was with my dog that had never run in a pack. He should have been scratched the because he didn't hunt. He was reluctant to hunt with the pack. After a chase started, he fell right in did a good job running with the pack.
So don't expect your dog to go out and hunt with the pack unless it is use to running with a pack containing 4 other dogs it has never been around.

[Mo. Beagler 5000]

UKC trial in MO- I don't understand the real difference in the performance pack and the hunting beagle format although the sire and darn are both grch hbch and the sire just qualified for the 2011 world hunt last weekend....I think its the hunting beagle i want to run in though.... the guy i bought her from is gonna call me tonight and he is gonna give me the ins and outs...

This dog is a female who I consider faster than any dog i've owned but not a 10 maybe 8.5 or so. She will skirt the line when the rabbit runs straight and she turns on the afterburners.. she holds the lead regularly on the few times I've ran her with other packs but she is young and she opens only when the rabbit is hot so she will be off and running on a check before she opens and then dogs won't come to her but she got a lot better at mouthing the last 4 hunting trips and is using it right now.. Her hunt depends on her mood.... sometimes she stays close and other times she dashes into brush fast..

Mostly I just want to meet some beagles who can flat out run a rabbit to death and see if my dog can even hang...and exchange some numbers to hunt with people...

[sbeagler]

It depends on the hound, cottontail or hare, and format. also are you running mostly spo-h and half day hare trials. several of my friends who have had the high hound in LPH solo run on hare all day 3 days week for 4-6 weeks before their first trial. once the trial season is in after 2-3 days of rest after the trial a half day of solo running with 2 days rest going into next trial minimum.if enetering more than one hound he has makes one day a pack run with the other hounds he enterrs together to push them. spo- ct 3 days week solo 2 days in week 2 -3 hours weekend running half to all day. once trailing and in shape 2 days week 3 hours solo if possible need plenty rabs or a large running pen.again every dog needs varies this is common with many beaglers I know.Steve C NC