Dingus/Gay

[tnbeagler21]

Hows the line control of these bloodlines? Do they run close line or swing and skirt? Also, how do most work a check, inside out or reaching out?
If you were going to trial them what would they go in? PP, LP, SPO, or what?

[brush_hog]

I can't speak for all, just one Gay bred male in my kennel. Gay bred almost excluseively on dam's side. He is from successful Western Pennsylvania stock, called Big Meadows, on the sire's side. He is my very best hunting dog, btw and has more hunt than any dog I have seen. With that being said, he may be the worst dog I have for trialing. Very fast, nice on the line. Very rough on check. Seems wide a lot, like he is trying to get ahead. He also is big-nosed and doesn't have that me-too mindset that a lot of trial dogs have. He will let the other dogs run if he is getting rabbit-scent. Seems to love jumping and pounding the rabbits. A little mouthy, but very thorough, and a little slower working the brush. Just another downside for trialing. He is the most intelligent dog of any breed I have been exposed to and jumps a ton of rabbits other dogs pass up. Kinda funny he runs fast and clean when soloed. Must be a pack pressure thing. This dog produces when other dogs can't. I mean dry snow, ice, freeze-over. He gets slowed-down some, but he runs rabbits when other dogs are kenneled up. The Branko dogs I feed were based off of Dingus, with him as the keystone to their creation. However, it is diluted enough that it would be a stretch to use Dingus in evaluting them. There is more Jack of all Trades, much closer in the ped, that I would want to use him as a reference point. So I am telling you what I have seen with my half-Gay dog. I run LP only because it is the only format in our area. This dog is much better suited for UKC PP. He runs the front all day long in LP, but it means nothing there. Gets jump/strike points, but nothing for line control/speed. That is why I say he is my worst trial dog. I will be watching this thread to see what others experience has been with these breeds. I am a huge fan of both.

[thornie]

You might want to take a look here, Dingus- Yellow Creek. I've had the pleasure running with their dogs.

http://www.lanelinebeagles.zoomshare.com/4.html

You can watch our little get together here. Just a bunch of guys running dogs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmDF9vvyD5I

[BCBeagles]

I have that in my kennels and I would say more toward SPO midwest. Pretty close in the check with speed ranges of 6.5 to 8 for the most part. Extreme hunt in most cases with just well rounded skills. Again this is my opinion as my dogs don't reach in the check and I have only seen one with reach and he left for it. Most are point of loss type dogs with average noses, some a little better in this department. I have seen video of more heavily Gay bred hounds and they seemed to be a step slower than the hounds I have combined with heavy Dingus, IMO. Hope this helps!!

[Shady Grove Beagles]

I've had the opportunity to see quite a few hounds bred this way here in Tn. and have also had the opportunity to run against many and judge a bunch at the Little Pack trials.
Everyone has an opinion and this is mine.Exceptionally good track dogs with superior line control and they stay very close in the check area.Appear to have plenty of nose to run in some of the hot and dusty conditions we can get here in the south.They excell on those cottontails that creep and dodge and play games in the thickest of thickets.I've seen several that gave more mouth than I like. Bob and Pearl Baker former owners of Better Beagling magazine told me that years ago Frank Reese came up to Vermont with a bunch of his hounds and spent a couple of weeks running with the Vermont beaglers.They told me that most felt the Gay hounds he had with him were a bit on the mouthy side.
For me the hounds bred this way lack enough foot to successfully compete in say the Mid-West Assoc.,Large Pack on Hare and some of the areas that run Little Pack. I would guess Progressive Pack would be more suitable.I don't know anything about the U.K.C. formats.I prefer a hound that comes out of a check a little quicker /harder and a harder hitting dog over all .
In thick cover and tough conditions I think they can hold their own with most any hound.On a high scent day and /or on a big hard running swamper or hare I think you'll find they can't run up with hounds bred say like Reggie,Primetime,Junie,Pacesetter,Greenbay,Viagra, Northway or Branko's hounds,etc.
Again this is just my opinion and observations.

[Jwagner]

My hound that is heavily gay breed and a great grand pup to dingus. Has what I would call exceptional hunt. He has a big nose, handles great. Is he a world beater probably not. But know dollar amount could buy him. I would not hesitate to get more of that breeding i like it. some call gay stuff to conservative, but I have ran with a lot of other lines of beagles that were suppose to be barn burners and they could hold there own. the ones I own and have seen go have been able to run hare all day long in the cold and deep snow. I would call them medium to medium fast. what I have noticed the faster they are, the wider they tend to get in a check. but in general most work a check inside out.