Curing Mouthy Hounds

[smokedawg]

I have a 7 year old male that is probably my best all around gun dog. He will open a time or two while harking to the pack. He also will whine and whimper when you drop the tailgate and make noise if he aint been run up in a while. He has done this since he was a pup. In his case, it cant be fixed permanently. Every time I drop the tailgate, if he makes a sound, I bump him. Every time he makes a sound running in to the jump, i bump him. He will immediately stop it and wont do it anymore that day. Now if we hunt tomorrow, he wont be over excited and make noise coming off the tailgate but if another dog gets the first jump of the day before him, he will open once or twice going to that dog, I bump him, and we are good for that day to. I knew this was gonna be hard to fix as soon as I saw him do it and told myself that as soon as I had a dog that could beat him as a gun dog, id give him an address change. Well here we are 6 years later and he is still here. He jumps plenty rabbits, is an all day dog day after day, and has no extra mouth on checks. When his time is up, I wont keep another one that opens when not on scent. Me and him been together 7 years and I still want to choke him every time he does it. He has earned his keep here but taught me a valuable lesson. After him, no more like that.

[rabbitatfarm]

Yesterday we ran for about an hour before we had a meeting to attend. My dog opened and kept moving the track forward--not pounding but at a slow, steady pace. None of the other three dogs harked in. It was in the teens with a crust on the snow that would hold you for the most part. In a trial he would have bought a minus for not producing because of the 3 minute rule. But he stayed with the track and eventually they got a rabbit up. It didn't run real far before going under a log pile, I learned later. My dog barked and barked but didn't move forward. Holed. He was the only one barking. In the mean time a rabbit came out of somewhere and ran across an open field back toward where it came from. We assumed, and it probably was,the rabbit they were running but my dog wouldn't leave the logs and none of the other dogs moved the rabbit again. We finally called them off and moved them. I went back later in the afternoon and the log pile showed signs of dogs trying to get in, so I know that rabbit must have been in there for a little while. So, at what point should I have shocked him?

[steve w]

At no point yesterday did he need a shock if your dog was making forward progress, I believe your from here in MI and I was running in the same conditions and I sure wouldn't be faulting my dogs for doing what you describe knowing the conditions. We could not keep a run going till later in the afternoon Saturday and this morning was worse,-1 and concrete for snow.I'm sure they jumped or found were they jumped from but just could not carry the line more than 100 yds. All this was going on with "big stinky hare" too as I went north this weekend.I think I'd back off trialing and other high pressure situations,just run the dog for awhile so I could watch him close, maybe you got a mouthy dog, maybe you got the beginning of a darn good one.

[dhoundman]

Who are you trieing to please yourself or others. If you like every thing about this dog but that; then you decide to keep him or let him go. (he may clean up or he may not) keep him for now untill you rays something that you like more But never let the some one else tell you what you should like or not like... You pay the feed bill feed what you like and if he wins that just iceing on the cake and if not you still like him just keep your eyes open for some thing better along the way (remmeber you can not fix everthing about a dog)

[rabbitatfarm]

steve w;

You might get to see him run at Crane Pond on the 29th.

dhoundman;

I was being a bit sarcastic with my last sentence. But it also does explain my concerns with shocking. The track may have been from the night before but he was the only one that could smell it. At a trial, it would have been a 50-50 chance for a strike or a minus. I do plan to solo him a bit this spring and try to stay close to see what he is doing. I never expected him to do so well at the trials. It was, and still is, about having fun. His brother is too tall to trial, but he sure is a pleasure to run. When I run my three in a pack, he often seems to have the lead and does a nice job on checks. It would be fun at a "fun trial" with no height restrictions. I trial the one and hunt and pleasure run all of them and I like them all, even with their faults. Trial dog seems to be maturing some. I think he may outgrow it. And if not, judges and others might not like it, but I can live with it. He could have lots worse faults IMO.

[steve w]

steve w;

You might get to see him run at Crane Pond on the 29th.

dhoundman;

I was being a bit sarcastic with my last sentence. But it also does explain my concerns with shocking. The track may have been from the night before but he was the only one that could smell it. At a trial, it would have been a 50-50 chance for a strike or a minus. I do plan to solo him a bit this spring and try to stay close to see what he is doing. I never expected him to do so well at the trials. It was, and still is, about having fun. His brother is too tall to trial, but he sure is a pleasure to run. When I run my three in a pack, he often seems to have the lead and does a nice job on checks. It would be fun at a "fun trial" with no height restrictions. I trial the one and hunt and pleasure run all of them and I like them all, even with their faults. Trial dog seems to be maturing some. I think he may outgrow it. And if not, judges and others might not like it, but I can live with it. He could have lots worse faults IMO.

Sounds like you got it under control and know what to do.As far as the youth hunt I'd like that, hopefully more sign up I believe as of now it's just you and me.

[rabbitatfarm]

Steve;

I think there is another houndsman signed up too. Looking forward to it. I'm going hunting with a couple of guys Saturday. We may just take a run down and get a lay of the land. I've never been there before.

Larry

[Bellmorekennels]

BCbeagles.
Yes it is a process like you said.
You have to monitor other dogs with him and if they smell anything.
Also the conditions play a part as some dogs simply can't get sent on terrible days, while others get too much scent on good days
Again I watched this carefully prior to any shocking.
Just as any training session goes and teaching commands the shock collar can make your dog really great or if not used properly your dog can be ruined.
Again you have to decide on the proper timing and proper technique to teach your hound what is expected.
With the male I had, training helped him immensely
And I would through a desert to get another like him
All dogs are different
Some training techniques will work some will not.
Anthony

[steve w]

Larry, if you go down there Saturday keep an eye out for a green F150 w/ dog box as I may be there myself. The kid I was taking to the youth hunt can't go on the new date so I'm taking him out Saturday and I more than likely will be down there. Stop if you see us.I still plan on doing the youth hunt,I'm hopeing for a good turn out. And by the way the rabbitat project went well,we got 10 or 11 brush piles built.

[rabbitatfarm]

Will do, Steve. It will probably be after lunch if we do go down.