When do you sell out?

[sanfordssj]

I have been back and forth for the last 2 years with trying to keep my dogs. It isn't easy to let them go especially when I have spent years looking at dogs, running dogs, and studying my a$$ off on how to breed these animals. Its a passion, and I love the challenge of trying to improve the breed and make great crosses and then watching the results. My family loves having puppies around, so for years this cycle has always worked. With a new job and a business opportunity now knocking on my door I'm right back to the point of saying I cant keep up with my dogs the way I know it needs to be done. A few years back I lost my best dog (Turbo Super Sport) and sold everything I had only to regret it later and that's how I ended up with my best four legged friend...JEEP. I have slowly purchased a few dogs here and there building my kennel back up and then went through a divorce. Then last year took a new job that is demanding a ton of time, so I dug in and wanted to still make a run with the Turbo line of dogs that I have. Fast forward to today and the challenges of keeping beagles is just so hard that its really breaking me down. I don't want to sell my dogs, but where do you draw the line? So, my question to everyone out there is what have you done in the past with decisions like this and did you regret the outcome?

15 years of running, breeding, and dogs....how can you make that ultimate decision to let them go?

thanks,
Steve

[mybeagles]

Steve,

I work 60-80 hours a week, have 4 teenagers playing sports. The key for me was cutting back to just 1-2 running dogs and a pup. I often only get to run 1-2 times a week but with just 1 running dog I get to solo her more than a guy that runs every day with 10 dogs. If I want to pack I just run with someone.

Shifting your philosophy and efforts from bettering the beagle world to just enjoying 1-2 nice dogs has worked well for me.

[PREACHERS KENNEL]

never lol. only time to completely sell out is if you don't enjoy it anymore. he had the key . just cut back ..

[warddog]

I agree with mybeagles as one's priorities change throughout the years for many reasons. It came to me when I realized that running hounds was merely a hobby, to do when I had time and the extra funds to do it and NOT a driving force in life. When I was a kid it was hunting something nearly every weekend to augment the table fare but it's been many years since that was the case. It seems that many things became priorities through my years such as work, military service, career, family, health etc. BUT I have never lost the love of hearing the hounds music. I also came to the realization that my time was better spent in things that took care of my family matters and myself in the long run rather than what "I" personally wanted to do at the time. As with any big decision one has to be realistic with the pros and the cons of each and put them in proper perspective. I happen to be a visual person and have learned , if you don't have it in writing, you don't have it at all, so it helps me to write them down so as to see them in a list of pros/cons. Good luck in your decision and remember that dogs will always be there but things and or chances to better your life may come around only one time!

[Double E Kennels]

I just QUIT 10 years ago. Never ran another hound until a year ago. I just placed my best hounds with people I could depend on and told them if they ever decided they didnt want them to bring them back to me. I kept my 2 best older hounds and sold my young promising honds. By keeping my bloodline ( Even thought I didnt run them ) 1 breeding last year and now I have 6 pups as good as I have ever had ( pictured ).... IF you really like that line , DONT sell out ..

[Ohiohntr]

Yep, think about it all the time (should have done it two years ago when we moved).....I have only had my dogs out a few times in the last year and it pains me to watch them sit in the kennel...even feeding time has become a chore, I use to love to go hang out with the dogs and now I just dump food and water quickly so I can get to my next task at hand.

I had a lot of fun hunting with my dad some this year but then he had to have surgery and can't go out anymore, plus we kept hunting the same spot over and over because that is all we had....I knocked on doors for days in a row and only landed one other spot which has zero rabbits and is about a 1/2mi off the road....kinda took the wind out of my sail and the dogs have sat in the kennel ever since.

It makes sense for everyone involved (me, dogs, wife, kids) to get out of the hound running business but I just don't want to go through the hassle of trying to place and sell everything.

This spring/summer I hope to get my two young pups running and put a little time on my older hounds so that I feel comfortable selling them and can actually give a good description to guys who are interested. Right now they are so out of shape that I wouldn't feel comfortable even selling them to my enemies.

[Big Mike]

When it's know longer fun, and becomes a chore rather then a joy, to tend to your hounds. It's time to sell.

[Swampman]

In the 90's, I had a really good pack of hounds. I had championed out a few and was really happy with what I had.
Well, my four kids were getting into boy scouts, girl scouts, then football, basketball and volleyball that one day I thought to myself, my kids have to be my priority and felt to be the best dad possible, their hobbies had to become my hobbies.
I cut down to 2 hounds just for hunting and quit trialing all together.
I became an asst. scoutmaster teaching wilderness survival and orienteering to coaching football for 11 years, even after my sons were through the program.
Helped coach my daughters basketball teams too a little.
Got to watch my boys excel in football and watch them go on and play in college and my girls in volleyball and basketball.

I don't regret for 1 minute cutting way back as mybeagles is doing now, being there for my children and being 100% involved in their lives and hobbies.

About 4 years ago I started looking to find some female pups to eventually breed to my Hammer male, which was all I had left.
I am back on track, have bred 3 litters now over the last 3 years and getting close to being back to where I was again.

I guess my point is, don't completely abandon the hounds if you still love to hear the music, running and hunting 1 or 2 hounds is still better than none at all.
You can always get back into breeding and a kennel full when you have more time down the road if you wish.

Good luck with your decision.

[Joseph J Murphy]

Joey H :
It's good to hear that you are back in .I figured you would get tired of rodeoing after A while and come back.That life is hard on your body.Its been fun to sit back and watch dogs that come from your lines do well in the trial.Sure wish I had never sold Mississippi Mafia's Mob Boss. Welcome back and I look forward to seeing you at a trial down the road.Bring Brian Shaw with ya.
J Murphy / Bowling Green ,Ky

[gfedor]

Always a hard topic to answer. I work alot of hours ,usally 60 hr ,mon thru friday, also have a small part time bus, as a mason during the spring and fall, add 3 kids, all active is sports, not enough time for all. I always said family, work comes first! My beagles, who I love are my hunting buddies, not enough time to trial. They get ran/hunt every sat and sunday, also walks every day. I guess bottom line is Im just a weekend rabbit hunter, take my friends,nephews out every sat to enjoy some good old fashison rabbit hunting, nothing more,nothing less. I still have a big smile on my face every time im out with the hounds

[hlane]

..

[Double E Kennels]

J Murphy, Ole Brian cant here it thunder on a good day , He says he misses the hounds but cant here them to run them anymore. I am still Rodeoing , I still have 8 horses , Roping Calves and Team Roping and training a few . My Girls and God son graduate in may been rodeoing with them alot. I have had alot of fun Rodeoing, went pretty hard in the Semi amd Pro ranks there for about 5 years, covering alot of miles. I still have a male out of Mack x 1/2 sister to FC Indian Hills Hattie and 2 females out of Satsuma Dakota x Peaches, bred one of the females to my 15" male ( Tuff ) out of P&P Iceman x Nash's Squirt as you know Squirt is out of Lightning x Peaches those pups are the ones in the picture. I have a line on a 8 yo female out of Mack x FC Kortneys Bell that a kid told me I could use her to make a few breedings. So I will cross Tuff on her and we are going to Cross Dreamer ( Mack Male ) on to some good Satsuma females .. So yea you may see me at a trial or 2 but not planning on ever getting back in it as deep as I was before. I am however fixing to build me a really nice kennel All trailers need a man to raise the good ones. You know me , I dont keep junk ..

[sanfordssj]

Thanks for all of the advice....I have a lot to think about the next few months and may even place one or two with a few guys so they are not setting in a kennel. I have an opportunity to purchase some land, start a business and all of that equals less time with the beagles. But, Jeep is pushing 8 now and I cannot see myself selling him. I love this dog to death, and he has been a joy to own. I'm not going to make any fast decisions just yet because I have some really hard hitting dogs with the bloodlines that I want. Just cant let go of something I have worked hard to get for the second time...lol

thanks guys!!


Steve

[Schag]

It seems with age, comes more responsibility. I have a 13 year old, and a 7 year old that are ACTIVE in sports. It can be very trying to say the least, to do what I enjoy doing like running dogs; however, most of the time I am coaching their team, and I am doing what I enjoy for them. In no way are my hounds ever in shape like they once were when I was single and had the spare time. But, I wouldn't change what I have now for those days again. I still keep hounds because it is in my blood. My family enjoys the dogs as well, and they go with me most of the time that I go. I can't run dogs 4 times a week anymore, and to be frank, when I am running dogs now, most of the time I am thinking about pitching a baseball to my son, or throwing the football, whatever. I will not sell my hounds because they have been a part of my life for so long it would crush me. But, they do play second fiddle to my family and that is the way it should be in my opinion. I have cut back on the numbers of dogs I keep, and my dogs will not be in the shape they should be, but I still enjoy them. Good luck in your decision, it is a tough one.