GIVING A KID A BEAGLE OUT OF EVERY LITTER

[dhoundman]

I THINK IF US BEAGLERS WHERE TO START LOOKING FOR A KID TO GIVE A PUPPY TO IT WOULD MAKE THIS SPORT TAKE OFF.
NO I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT POSTING IT ON THE BOARD JUST LOOK FOR SOME ONE THAT YOU NOW THROUGH YOUR CIRLCE OF FRIENDS. NOT THE HOLE LITTER JUST ONE PUP. NOW WOULD THAT REALY PUT YOU IN A HARD SPOT. COME ON GUYS THIS SPORT IS DIEING FAST AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING IT WILL GO OUT JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE.
SO START LOOKING FOR A CLOSE FRIEND THAT YOU RUN WITH THAT MAY NOW A KID THAT WOULD LIKE BEAGLE PUP. SO WHAT IF HE NEVER DOES ANYTHING WITH IT THAT SAME THING COULD HAPPEN TO THE PUP YOU SELL. BUT THIS WAY YOU ARE HELPING BRING YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE SPORT THAT YOU ENJOY TO.
--------( THIS SPORT IS DIEING BECAUSE OF SELFINESS NOTHING ELSE IF YOU THINK I AM WRONG START LOOKING AROUND WHERE YOU LIVE) THIER MAY BE ONE OUT OF A TWENTY OLD GUYS THAT IS UNDER THE AGE OF 35 RUNNING DOGS. FOR A SPORT TO GROW THIERR MUST BE SOME THING PUT BACK INT TO IT. SOMETING UNSLEFISH. JOE CLARK GOT IN TO IT BECAUSE OF HIS GRANDFATHER (CARL JOHNSON) I GOT INTO BECAUSE OF MY FATHER IN LAW AND I WAS 24 (ANY BODY ELSE GET IN TO IT BECAUSE OF SOME ONE YOUNG -------------

[patchgirl]

I like the thought. The next step would be to make it a point to bring a kid with you as many times as you can when you're running dogs or rabbit hunting. Clubs should consider doing a couple of fun youth hunts or trials every year. I know my boys would love to do a youth trial. They'd bring friends too!

[Lone Pine Beagles]

I agree that Beaglers should get youth involved and interested in this great hobby.
But I disagree that greed has caused a decline in youth participation.
If a kid wants something bad enough, they'll find a way to get it.
Look at the kids with the phones, and games, etc.
They spend money on that ...and actually prefer it over spending time outdoors!

I think the main ingredient here is Quality Time with an adult.

[sammiller03]

I agree that Beaglers should get youth involved and interested in this great hobby.
But I disagree that greed has caused a decline in youth participation.
If a kid wants something bad enough, they'll find a way to get it.
Look at the kids with the phones, and games, etc.
They spend money on that ...and actually prefer it over spending time outdoors!

I think the main ingredient here is Quality Time with an adult.

Agree 100% and i have seen many beagles go to waste becouse a kid has lost intrest in it. i think its much more fruitful to take the kid with you and teach them things about the outdoors and sportsmanship.

[Casey Harner]

I believe our sport is just fine.

[BCBeagles]

Just be sure to give it to the right kid, JMO.

I have no problem with this. I have given some away some to the right situations, and will do it again, not in this for monetary gain or any gain for that matter, just a few decent dogs to enjoy a race with.

[bopar8454]

if the parents are able to get the child a dog and just wont there is not much of a chance they will help raise and hunt the pup so it mite be a waist of time and dog , but if there not able to get a dog for a youth and willing to help raise and hunt the pup i would be all for it , i gave a dog to a boys uncle to keep for him just because i dont trust the boys parents to keep the dog and treat it right we take the boy hunting every chance we get and his father never goes.

[TallPaul]

I believe the sport is dieing due to the times, urban sprawl, fragmentation of land. There are some areas where the opportunity for a youngster to take a hound out back or down the road is not an option. Home owners are less understanding, due to the generations removed from the time of the family farm, and deer hunters believe their trophy buck will be run off to the next county.

I grew up not minutes from a club, but membership was nearly closed by the old farts that ran it and if they did permit you in, the cost was a small fortune.

I ran with a young man last week, up here in the Western UP, As we ran he mentioned how it didn't matter if the hound went across the road or on the neighbors, he knew them and everyone around were fine with us hunting. It was like I stepped back in time, I remember some of those times back in mid Michigan.

He told me a few times, He didn't have a hound, If a liter comes this year he'll get one, but I don't give it 2 years before it's killed, due to a growing wolf pack in his area.

The electronics or screen time is just as much the fault of parents.

[S.R.Patch]

I never had anybody give me a dog & I been dog crazy forever. I think it's in you or it ain't.
I was probably 8 yr old when i seen my first full blood beagle and I fell in love. I was mowing yards with an ole reel type mower and I'd stop to scratch that hounds ears every time he come near the fence. A bunch of yards and $25 latter, I had me a hound. Two yr I drug that hound around trying to get out what was in him and finally he stepped on a rabbit. Sweet music come floating on the breeze from the woods and I tell you water welled up in my eyes, for the last few times out I had pulled down on that hound threatening to end both our aggravation but the money had come to hard to waste a shell.
Ole Ben died at 10 old and I was in the barn with him in the hay when he went. Six yr we ran together and the soft spot for him in my heart was as soft as the ears that covered his cheeks.
Happy days with little Ben...

I agree with ya TallPall, going to UP is like going back in time 40 yrs, when you wave, everybody waves back. No 7 day-a-week stuff up there, get it when you get yur check on Friday cause folks is home with their family on the weekend. What a strange concept...

[mybeagles]

From my experience kids want to go hunting with broke dogs in spots with lots of rabbits. Once you take a kid couple times and they show strong interest, give them a pup and continue taking them couple times a week until they have broke dog.

Some of us have done that but easy to get discouraged when they lose interest and the dog just sits in the kennel. They likely won't give up the dog and just keep as pet.

As Andy stated the quality time is what makes the impact.

I worked part time job in high school to buy a pup and gave up varsity basketball because it interfered with rabbit hunting. Like Patch said if it's in there it will come out.

[Huntin54]

That's how I got started. My cousin gave my brother a pup for Christmas and my brother lost interest after the pup grew and than I took him over and haven't looked back since. Not to many kids around here have any interest to many sports, and video games.

[northdog]

thought I would never be a houndsman until my friend gave my son a beagle. That dog has been an awesome dog. Every time we take him out we bring at least one of his friends.I would dare say we have had at least three of his friends kill their first rabbits with us which is not bad seeing that I just like to run the dogs and save the rabbits for the new kids. Got a pup for my daughter out of nek tipper mack this summer and that got her in the wooods what a dog!!! Thanks for long talks with Doug I have learned so much.

[Rcoff]

Kids handed something for nothing don't appreciate it. I worked hard for most of what I've got. Seems like today spoiled brats have everything they want because mommy and daddy give them anything their heart desires. I have given free pups to young kids who really want to hunt and cannot afford to buy. These kids have a real appreciation for the sport and are the kind of men who will keep it going. Like has been already posted, pick who you give to; some will just be a passing fad. JMHO. I probably will give pups away to more deserving kids in the future, but not one out of every litter.
Thanks,
Bob
P.s. I have been blessed to have friends who have given me pups in the past, and I really appreciate it but more than that, their friendship.

[eddywilliams]

[shawnfrazier]

I plan on giving one to a boy down the road he traps and loves watching the dogs but his parents think anything more than 30$ for a dog is crazy so I'm giving him one and we will run it every time he will come out my grandpa took me every weekend plus coon hunting and I couldn't imagine missing that becuase of the price I can't wait till next season