The American Beagler Forum

likeemfast wrote:Im personally mostly a pack runner, and dont trial, but if i were campaining a hound for trials i thought had the "IT" factor it would be solo, solo, solo, then pack and repeat. I personally like to keep 3-4 hounds and only solo pups when starting, or a version of FASTTRACKPA's training regimen. Its to the point where i just have females so i dont have to worry about keeping one at home when she's in season cause i have a male that would be all over her. When i go they all go.

Were Kickaz, Mt State Blue Bud, Kick em up Kane, Forest Pond Slick, Captain Pickard, Butkus, and Pawking soloed much, or just ran in packs??? I think it depends what your actually trying to accomplish with your hound or hounds.

Kickaz seen enough packs in his life. To prepare for trials I never ran him with another dog. Why not let him do all the work and not pick up another dogs bad habits? I believe a dog has to solo to be on his best game

mybeagles wrote:What's worse is the idea that you can breed for dogs that don't need solo time to be as good as they ever could be.

Can you breed for independence? Can you breed for intelligence? Can you breed for checking ability? Can you breed for a better nose? Can you breed for jump dogs?

If you can breed for these traits, you are breeding for dogs that can do well in a pack.

ray s wrote:Very good question. My opinion is... And it's just an opinion, most beaglers with multiple hounds really only have time to talk about soloing but, not actually do the solo training.

So are you saying that if those that advocate soloing would quit arguing for it on the Internet they would have time to solo their dogs?

JCM wrote:

ray s wrote:Very good question. My opinion is... And it's just an opinion, most beaglers with multiple hounds really only have time to talk about soloing but, not actually do the solo training.

So are you saying that if those that advocate soloing would quit arguing for it on the Internet they would have time to solo their dogs?

Yep. Talk is cheap.

JCM wrote:

mybeagles wrote:What's worse is the idea that you can breed for dogs that don't need solo time to be as good as they ever could be.

Can you breed for independence? Can you breed for intelligence? Can you breed for checking ability? Can you breed for a better nose? Can you breed for jump dogs?

If you can breed for these traits, you are breeding for dogs that can do well in a pack.

How would you know if solo time could possibly make them better if you never do it? I've never said, nor to I believe you can't get a good dog without solo time. It's just a tool. I do more bracing than anything, not sure it's the "best" training method but I like it best. Solo and pack are utilized as well.

I NEVER SOLO IT WONT B LONG BEFORE U WILL KNOW WHAT DOG IS ARABBIT DOG AND WHAT DOG IS JUST ME TO AND NEEDS TO B CULLED I CAN SEE SOLO IF U HAVE SAY 4 DOGS BUT I LIKE ABIG PACK 8 TO 10 OR 12 . THERE IS SIMPLY NO TIME AND IM RETIRED .BETWEEN CHURCH BALL PLAYING DANCE FOR THE GIRLS HONEY DO IM LUCKY TO HUNT 3 TO 4 DAYS A WK

If you can't tell which dog is contributing in a pack, how do you judge a pack of dogs.
There never was a pack, at some time/days, that didn't make a mistake. If I take a pup or young dog and I never hear it open until the others have opened, I get concerned. If that young dog gets a check, or gets a check and moves it out, I smile. If it does it often, I've got a keeper. If it opens and doesn't move it out I take notice. If it opens and doesn't move it out, or goes the wrong way often, I've got a cull.
I expect my young dogs to run the line, even if they are running behind the pack. At a breakdown, they have an opportunity to score points with me. If they don't make use of their opportunity, I don't need them.
If they are keeping up with the pack, just barking, they don't have much of a chance to become a part of my pack. Why feed "me too" dogs.

You can judge dogs in a pack and see quite a bit, you can judge dogs in a brace and see even more, OR you can judge them solo and see everything.

It's not Solo OR Pack, it's Solo, Brace, and Pack. Pick your poison....the more you run them the better they will be!

I guess I just hate to get my feelings hurt so I run a pack. If I cannot see a dog shine in a pack of five or a dozen I know what kind of work I have in front of me.

LOKING A REPLACEMENT

heres one more in case something was not covered in last 3

Lee Cockman wrote:I guess I just hate to get my feelings hurt so I run a pack. If I cannot see a dog shine in a pack of five or a dozen I know what kind of work I have in front of me.

LOKING A REPLACEMENT

Most of us, me included, suffer from time to time with a disease called MBS (Multiple Beagle Syndrome). We love these hounds and always want to try just one more. But you'll have better dogs if you only keep as many as you can work. I'm down to three running dogs and a puppy and I'm going to try to fight my MBS addiction and stay with this number. Wish me luck!
Tim Broadwell
www.gundogmagic.com

I have said this before so sorry for being redundant but some of you might not know or saw my post a year or so ago. Bob Sweet back when he was trialing 15 inch bitches he finished 2-4 bitches a year. He had Better Beagling High Hound several years what years he didnt win it he was runner up. Bob soloed a ton but pack ran just enough so the hounds would know how to run with other dogs. As a young dog developed he soloed to build confidence, help them use their mouth right, and create independence and as a trial ready dog he soloed to keep them focused no heads up looking standing around skirting or hooking. No one dominated like he did in the 90's in large pack. Bob would put like 16 wins on Willow in 1 year. His bitches were incredible often he have 3-4 dogs on the podium.Some trials were a run away freak show. Myself Harry Snow Jr Ernie Weir and those at Edinburgs large pack trial in mid 2000 saw his bitches over power the pack and would hook up close in and be looking at the hare trying to run it down meanwhile the pack would be 75 to 100 yards behind everyone saw this were wowed for words.To this day everyone talks what a show was put on. There were top dogs from the US and Canada there that were soundily defeated at days end like 4 out the 5 on the podium were his. Bob had 2 large running pens on the side of the mountain in Vermont. Bob was also a member at 2 clubs i think Northfield and at Hardwick and had a lot free time he put into his hounds. His bitches were all muscled up were hard to beat. He raised each year 3-4 litters buy some pups too start gleen over them once started pack run to see the dominate ones and cull. Needless to say he had it together.Time and facilities were not a problem nor knowing his craft. Here is what I know about Reggie, Viagra, Capitan Pickard ,and Destiny. Art Beamer Viagras owner is like Lee Cockman said tossem in let the cream rise to the top. Monk had Viagra and his mates as pups. Viagra showed promise but John didn't like his being off sized. Monk let Art his cousin get him. Art soloed him some only enough too see how he ran from then on it was who come in last at the end of the day who crossed the path first as seeing in his cedar swamp was very very difficult. Art did know by what he could see and hear he was special .He knew Viagra was a tough customer as he was always the last one to come in. At Arts place it was like a circus a large pack trial. Viagra never blew up went on win the futurity one day took third champions the next at a derbys age. Next year he IFCed and was runner up Better Beagling high hound won the CKC NLPC took second on snow next at the Nationals at Sandy Creek. Reggie won one trial in SPO in the MWGDA that I know of getting his other wins in NYHA in large pack.He got a win in Canada but roughened up was sent home brung back the next season after Kevin Monroe had him soloed hard on cottontail to get his last win CKC trials. Reggie is a ARHA Little Pack style dog can be dominating but in open running (north country) any mistake you make is easily seen.He went on to IFC and became a top producing sire several years. Ros Dasno does a combination of things based on each dogs needs but does solo a young hound quite a bit and tests them too to see if they crack from pressure from pack mates and to get them in better shape. Usually he solos them for tune ups before trialing and to gt them honed in.rRos owned and finished Capitan,AMCA Max, and Destiny. All have placed in the big trials and are IFC.Justin (upstatenyer) owned Kick Azz Max's son He stated he soled Kick Azz a lot cant argue the hounds success had a great year with some big wins and places definitely one the best big males last year. I seen dogs that were faulty or lacking confidence changed dramatically from soloing nice to know they can run the pee out their own bunny too.

Well put... sbeagler.. If you want to get the very best out of your dog, you should incorporate soloing in to your training and conditioning regimen...

I soloed one dog and braced two last night. Both tracked and got rabbits up. One problem with soloing is having the place so you don't have to run the same ground with a different hound. I have my own land plus a couple of other places within a five mile radius. It takes time, but I'm going to be doing a lot more solo work. I also have a pup in to get started. He runs with the owner's pack fine, but he doesn't start his own rabbit. He will be soloed every time until he jumps and runs his own rabbit. Luckily, I'm retired so I have the time.