Type dog for ukc?

jumpmaster · Post by **jumpmaster** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 11:41 pm

What type of dog does it take to win in ukc. I have read most of the rules, and it seems to me that a fast dog would have an advantage, because of dogs position in the pack, when scored. I only hope that crazy wild dogs arent making champion, like some nkc lp. dogs.

Big Boy Patch · Post by **Big Boy Patch** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:03 am

I agree that there are some crazy wild dogs that make champion in little pack. That problem could be fixed if LP would do like PP and certify there Champions. Some reason it never gets voted in at the rule meeting.

Phil WAlls Jr

Post by **Bev** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:16 am

A quick-footed hound that's a hard worker and always around the rabbit will do well in UKC overall. Speed doesn't always equate with rough or crazy. There are many quick dogs that can hold a line. You have 4 people watching the line; if a dog gets loose and is not on the line, he doesn't get any score at all. There's no advantage to that - the slowest dog in the pack will at least get some score, as long as he's not a whole minute behind the rest of the pack. Missing lines is a hindrance if it happens too much, and the owner may find him/herself with a rough-running warning, and/or the hound picked up.

Most UKC trialers I know tend to keep a hound that is clean enough to be on the line where the rabbit comes thru. It's aggravating to watch 3 dogs get line and drive points and your dog gets nothing because he comes thru too far off the line. These dogs eventually get left home because you can only handle one dog in UKC and you want to bring the best in your kennel - the one with which you think you have the best chance of winning.

A good, med-fast rabbit dog will do well. A lazy dog, or a wild dog won't get much score. Just my personal experience, anyway.

Redtick · Post by **Redtick** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:23 pm

Bev's desciption pretty much nailed it. I like the fact that those 100 yard "dead track" plus points are minus points in UKC beagle hunts. Occasionally, you draw out with wild, crazy dogs. More often, you draw out with medium fast dogs that hold the line well. There are a few real fast dogs that can take a track away from the other dogs but they are the exception rather than the rule.
Like Bev said, if the other dogs get speed and drive points and yours does not because of wild running, you lose.

jumpmaster · Post by **jumpmaster** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:43 am

I will try a ukc hunt in Nov. From what you are telling me, it sounds like this format would fit my type of dogs. I have seen plenty of good dogs fly on the track, when scenting allows it, but I dont get along with dogs that will not slow down and work it out when scenting isnt great. My dogs have been out run many times by dogs that never slow down, but bring your fastest roughest dogs over twice a month for a year to run with mine, and at the end of the year I will come out on top. I am not saying my dogs are the best in the world, just drawing from my experiences.

Redtick · Post by **Redtick** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 3:34 pm

You and your dogs will do fine in UKC hunts. Good luck!

Buckeye Bob · Post by **Buckeye Bob** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:51 pm

Another thing you need to score points is a quick strike dog.Mine are a little tight and wont open until they are running the line....no opening harking in or opening at the first wiff of rabbit will kill your score. I agree on the speed and drive,you better have tight line-control and no swinging or skirting or you wont get any score.

Redtick · Post by **Redtick** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:05 am

Buckeye Bob, I will politely disagree on the quick opening strike dogs. I generally run what some folks would consider "tight" track dogs and a lot of the winning dogs in this area seem to be a little on the tight side. Dogs that open too quick and don't produce a runable track will draw minus points, so some handlers feel it is better to have a dog that is going to get plus points when he opens than have one that is going to draw some minus strike points on tracks that don't produce rabbits. Of course, an extra hard hunter will find rabbits and make their 1st strike points by finding runable rabbits.
This is a matter of opinion and personal preference and I could certainly see how someone could see it the other way.

Buckeye Bob · Post by **Buckeye Bob** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:25 pm

Redtick,I like tight mouthed dogs and am not looking to change just to score points but mine are so tight they will score either first or fourth strike.They don't give much mouth immediatley in a pack.Your right,I need hard hunting jump dogs which I think I have but he was a tail sniffer when I took him to his first and only trial.

A coupla jumps and he would have won his cast.I was very impressed with the type of hound that I saw the one trial I went to.A lot of Little Pack dogs I have judged would have not had a very high score.I really like the no hunt rule,ensures that a hound has to be a complete hunting dog to even stay on the ground.

mud · Post by **mud** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:01 pm

Went with a buddy as an observer to our first UKC hunt in Stanford Ky.His dog was an ARHA little pack rabbit champion.We were as green as could be on the scoring format.The people we hunted with were nice and helpful.I don't trial just pack run and gun hunt. I liked the format except for the fact that my friends dog jumped 7 rabbits in her cast and just won by 5 points. To me not enough credit given for jumping.It was in August lots of heavy cover. His dog advanced on to win the hunt in her first time out. I did like the fact that the handlers were involved in the scoring.The best part was that he gave me the black gold dog food that he won.LOL

Buckeye Bob · Post by **Buckeye Bob** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:21 pm

Sounds like a good day mud.5 points was enough to win the cast and stay in the hunt though

Sounds like an excellant dog,winning in 2 formats.Just proves that a great dog can win anywhere all by itself with no buddy judging or handler intimidation

Redtick · Post by **Redtick** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:59 am

Mud, the dogs get 100 1st srtike points in UKC, But, only if they circle the rabbit. If they make strikes and do not show the rabbit, they get minus points. If you buddy's dog was making strikes and not showing the rabbits, it could lose very quickly. But, it sounds like he had a good dog and won the hunt. Great!

HatterasBob · Post by **HatterasBob** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 7:41 am

I find my LPH dogs do very well in UKC. It is not likely you will beat them on a line. If you have one that hunts well and jumps rabbits, and many don't, you have a tough combination to beat.

I too prefer a dog with a tight mouth, it is safer, but I've seen many a UKC dogs strike second that was 20 yards away from the rabbit on the jump. If the first dog was lieing then the second also gets into trouble. This is not my style of dog.

jumpmaster · Post by **jumpmaster** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 8:28 pm

I went to the ukc. trial at piketon, OH. this past saturday. My cast didnt have plus points at the end of two hours, but I am hooked on this format. I have found the right format for me. I was surprised that there were only 15 dogs in the open class. I thought there would be a bunch of lp. guys there. Maybe the part about no swinging, or slashing is keeping them away. I dont see how a trial could be more fair for every one taking part. I have more respect for a dog with a champion, or grand in this type of trial, than any other I have seen.

HatterasBob · Post by **HatterasBob** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:09 am

The problem I see with this format is the inability to enter more then 1 dog. I would think that keeps the number down on the entries. I know if I had a choice of running ARHA LP or UKC, I would choose LP just because I have more then 1 dog I want to run. The other issue is know your rule book!!!!!!!!!! Otherwise you'll get beat with a pencil.