The American Beagler Forum

What exactly do you guys look for in a "good pup"?
At what age do you finally say..."okay this ones an idiot"...or "this ones gonna going to be great"?
My own dogs (none of my dogs are hunters)...I thought my male would be a great hunter. He has got the voice, hes got the gumption for it...he loves to go over to a friend of mines and go running about with his hunting dogs. He is always roaring and ready to go!
My youngest girl...who was our first rescue so I have no idea where she comes from or her history...she hates to get dirty, will not go outside in the rain, and rarely leaves the bed long enough to get her out and over to that friend of mine. She did okay out running with his dogs..better than I expeted, but still I know her a "the lazy priss"
(my oldest females skills were never in question)
This friend of mine surprises me by telling me that.."while the both of them are completely untrained and obviously house dogs...if he had to, hypothetically, choose one to train to hunt...he would choose THE LAZY PRISS dog! He says my male has the want and the nose but not the brains (lets just say that that is a VERY believable statement) while the lazy priss little dog, other than her not liking to get dirty, she has both the nose AND the mind for it. I really didnt get the chance to have him explain that to me and I am not sure I understand what he meant or what he say in the dogs to make him think that.....

Age has a lot to do with it and you didn't say how old the pups are. I believe that males are slower starters than females (not always but most of the time).
Tell us a little more about them and maybe someone can help.

In regard to your original question, I usually give a dog until atleast the end of his second rabbit season to show promise or lack there of. There are late bloomers but I am not willing to keep a dog much past two years old if it has faults that are looking permanent.

so...when you guys go for pick of the litter what is the determining factor?
Why one pup over another. I know why I would choose one over the other in looking for a pup, but I was wondering if the hunt for the hunting pup has different qualifications.

the dogs in my original post are 4 and 6 yrs old....they are long from puppydom....what I was wondering is what he might have saw in the lazy priss dog...more what he meant by, She has the mind for it. My assumption is that my male, though he has a good nose, is a bit hap hazard, harey carey, wild man not really hunting as much as going all goofy...and that my lazy dog is bit more methodical. I never really gave much thought as to what makes the difference between a good hunting dog and a great hunting dog I guess....and now I am curious.