The American Beagler Forum

I've been running beagles for a long time, 30 years or so, It seems to me the quality of dogs has went way down. It's really hard to find an above average dog, lots of average, me tooing , back packing, non hunting, stupid barking, no nerve,and dogs that just don't have it. Is it just me expecting to much, or just remembering the good ones?? I don't know but I do know I put alot of time ,effort, and money in trying to find good young dogs. A buudy of mine who's benn doing this longer than me says its just me. He says the quality of dogs ia actually better than it used to be, he says it's just as you get older and have seen a few good ones that your expectations are higher. What do ya think, are dogs overall quality lower than they used to be or am I just to picky. By the way try to find a dog that will hunt hard in the cover where the rabbits are thin, and do it all the time no matter how hot, how thick,how cold,ect. not many in the last few years that I've seen.

You are asking for the kind people don't want to sell, but you have EVERY right to put whatever qualifications you want in what you are looking for. I say keep looking and hope you find just what you want!!! That description is out there if you find the right guys to get it. Took me a few years(almost 3) to get a pack of ones I like, this was just my scenario. I went thru a bunch!!!

We all feed average. But I am with you I never look for average I am always looking for Superior not bellow. I have very high stadards as well. Nothing worng with that. In my book. Strive for the best we all should. Honestly there is alot of people out there that avearge is fine with them. Go to a reputiable breeder and get pups or breed what you know and like seems to work best for me. JMHO

With that being said yes dogs are better as a whole. However all dogs don't suite me. I have found through the years most don't lie to you about a dog they just dont know what a good dog is or have never had a good dog.

I suggest getting linebred dogs with proven parents. There will always be some great, some average and a possible cull in every litter but I feel your chances for above average will increase with linebred pups out of above average parents.
Good luck.

Pike Ridge is dead on. I have a 10 month old pup(half brother to half sister) from real rabbit dogs that will burn a rabbit. Too much chance in out crossing two seprate dogs. I am breeding a good gyp right now to her half brother...two ex hard hunting dogs. Pups should be barn burners.

Dave

Pups out of two great dogs is much more important than them being closely related. Tons of guys inbreeding/linebreeding producing dogs you wouldn't own. Vast majority of the great dogs you see are not the result of close breeding. Consistency maybe, but the best ones usually come from outcrossing. An argument could be made that dogs on average are better, but you don't see many great dogs because more and more are linebreeding.

Mybeagles

Augerhead, I’m not saying you are like this but many guys just don’t want to pay what a good dog will bring. In other words they want something for nothing. Many of these same guys are shocked to find out that their Free to $200 dog just didn’t work out. The only way most guys will part with their better dogs is when the cash is right. I’m not saying that all high priced dogs are better but guys that sale dogs for big money and then the dog not be of high quality, those guys are found out very quick by word of mouth.

I had a guy come to my kennel several years ago looking for “a great dog”. He says he’s got cash in hand and wanted the best female I owned. He wanted me to tell him a little about her. Well, she’s 2 years old, Fast, championed out in 4 hunts, placed in the top 3 in a couple of State Hunts and she one of the best check dogs that I’ve ever seen on the ground. He then asks if I would take $350 for her.

I just told him no. I didn’t tell him that I had already turned down $1500 for her. I would have parted with her if the money was right. I sold her a few years later. High quality dogs are hard to come by but they are out there.

Hard Hitting Do it all Dogs are worth a Pretty Penny. And Troy is right they want a jump dog, world hunt winner, broke to retrive for 300.00 bucks, So do I.

Pups out of two great dogs, them being closely family related is much more important, than them being one dog wonders from an out-cross of mixed variety.
Crossing two hounds that are good representatives of two like family bred hounds is where lightning often strikes. These, the gains made can often be used to improve by back crossing on either family to promote the benefits gained.
Randall said , "it is better to breed to the average hound that has a family of quality hounds to back it up, than to a one shot wonder that has nothing of substance to support it. It is the family, not the individual you are breeding into your pups. jmho

Memory always grows sweeter as the years go by. Some, if not most, of those old dogs had their faults too.

This is why I raise my own. Don't care if anybody buys them when I have a Litter,but I will always have Rabbit hounds that do it right. Find what you like and breed them you'll be happier.

yea mybeagles, you can not breed 2 good rabbit dogs together and get good dogs.you got to inbreed &linebreed because you and i know the genes get stronger& stronger and you get really superior hounds.

I do agree whole heartedly on guys with dog prices and quality involved. I am assuming Augerhead you are thinking that the dog you may be looking for is in the 1,000 to 1,800 range because I know from experience when I went from looking at 300 dollar dogs to dealing with the right folks and into another bracket of pricing quality went way up! Just invested over a thousand in one and almost 700 in one and they were as advertised. There are nice ones to be found it just takes some time and $$$$$$$$, and the connections to guys that know quality. I am NOT afraid to ask anyone a price on a dog I may want, that is just me.

that being said yes dogs are better as a whole. However all dogs don't suite me. I have found through the years most don't lie to you about a dog they just dont know what a good dog is or have never had a good dog.[/quote]
You hit the nail on the head alot dont know what a good dog is if you will listen to them talk you find out they dont/ I see them run or watch them on video and what they call good i wouldnt give a dime for them.

Thirty years ago, the gundog movement was fairly new. You could compete with some success the same dog in LPH, SPO Midwest, SPO Deep South, and rabbit hunt. Try that today.
There are a lot of "good dogs" today but you have to know which niche the dogs fit.