Where is all The Hunt Going

[MasonsBeagles]

Just to get some thoughts. It becomes harder and harder to find dogs coming out of AKC trialing kennels that will kill themselves hunting up a rabbit. It seems that alot of trialers are shooting for the running hounds and not the hardest hunting. Some of the more popular kennels (No Names), whose pups I have watched over the last several years seem to be producing hounds that have lack luster hunt but will dominate a pack once the rabbit is up. Makes me think as a whole is trialing really improving the beagle as a hunting breed or is trialing going the way of specialty hobbie hounds. Granted some of the bloodlines up North dont need a fence row or sinkhole hound to find a hare. But down in KY you got to find one to grub them out. There are a few GunHunter only kennels that I know of that breed for hunt first and foremost but it seems like the hounds that are Top Sires and really getting alot of exposure just dont throw the hunt.

[blackdirt beagles]

good post Will, glad to see some people realize this also. nothing at all wrong with trials but when guys start worrying about how "smooth" a dog looks coming out of the check or how fast a dog can take the front, then i dont think these kennels have the best interest of the beagle in mind.

[awful bawlin]

If they dont have hunt they are not worth breeding, some fellow called Bob Sheridan of Haunted Hill fame told me that and you can hardly go wrong on that premise.

[Buckeye Bob]

Good observation Will,I agree 100% and take it a step further to ask the question...what is the differance between breeding for walky- talky or speed at all costs track dog?I am looking for the COMPLETE dog that will consistantly put up a rabbit,account for it well,pack or solo,then do it over again and again.These breeders are out there and they are usually not promoting themselves at all.

[NSB]

If they don't judge it, people will not breed for it. I believe this is the problem about 75% of the time the other 25% is the way people train their hounds. Throw them in a starting pen with a bunch of other young hounds then graduate them to big enclosers with a large number of hounds and the quickly learn they don't need to hunt.

[swing]

Will,
Next time you come up with a question like that, sign in as guest.
Now you have gave away whats wrong with the dogs your hunting.
I hope Dexter dont take your post as a slam to his dogs. LMAO

[tbb37]

I entered in my first trial last Oct; I lost but had a lot of fun. My dog is the up most for hunting, so I can't really say what’s out there but here it has to be a good hunter first.

[MasonsBeagles]

No slam on Dexter his hounds hunt good. So do the Pine Mt. Dogs I have that go back to Wayne Gross's Kingswood Trex. I am sitting fine on hunt. Just looking at other bigger named hounds and it is just not there. The blood I am running is good to go. Not being kennel blind just observations Ive made.

[swing]

Maybe you need glasses then. LOL

[James Carman]

The UGBF, which is one type of AKC trialing organization, has a rule that a hound that does not hunt must be picked up. Of course, it is up to the judge to enforce this rule. That was my complaint about AKC hounds for years, but you see many fewer hounds today than say 10 years ago, that do not hunt at all.

[Jamie Rice]

On a norm I think the majority of the dogs hunt, some more than others. However personally I think one of the reasons you see a lack of hunt in some hounds is the fact some people are quick to try to speed trials up and finish them quickly. Therefore you see judges requesting handlers push the brush along with the hounds instead of giving dogs the chance to find their game by themselves.

[Incahoots]

Why do judges pick up dogs that hunt "too" hard at trials? I've heard them say that's not the way a beagle should run a rabbit etc etc. I run UKC trials myself. I've seen dogs dual reg where owner does well in UKC format with a really nice dog then he'll say how his dog gets picked up fast in AKC format. I think the formats determine what guys breed for.

[TickedDog]

I don't know much about the different formats in trialing but I think that the rules should benefit the "gundog" Just because a dog is fast doesn't amount to a hill of beans if it won't hunt hard enough to jump a rabbit. Now I do like a medium fast to fast dog but I will keep a medium speed dog that hunts hard any day before I would own a barnburner that doesn't like to hit the briers. And to me this is what hunting means- A dog that will explore promising cover and get in the thick stuff with the sole purpose of finding a rabbit. I have heard some people say hey that dog hunts good he never takes his nose off the ground. But what good is that if the dog is running around a mowed off field and the owner is walking the brushline to try and jump a rabbit. My opinion if a dog can win in a particular format but is not a good gundog than the format is WRONG!!! The first thing I want in my dogs is hunt.

[Guest]

BOTTOM LINE.....There are VERy VERY VERY few real deal jump dogs that are even out there. Just like there are not many ELITE dogs out there. Good hounds are few and far between. There are alot of average dogs out there, and even more below average dogs.

[Guest]

why do you need a jump dog in akc when they put your cast on the same line that the last cast was running.