EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

.....do y'all take pups out in the woods? I'm just curious to get a good variety of opinions on this. I'm not talking about sticking 'em in a pen, I'm talking about at what age do you typically bring them out to run in the woods with other dogs? Thanks in advance for any input.

For us it depends on the dog.  Like our cur pups all usually start in the woods by 6, 7, or 8 months.  I heard that hounds mature later but I dont have much experience with them. Only the one hound cross and he started at closer to a year.

Curs 6 mths catchdogs 10-11 mths and only as third string being led in. Catchdogs are not hunted as lead or second string till 1 yr old or older, but then I dont beleive in only using 1 catchdog lol.

  usually around 6 months old , but like said it really depends on the maturity of the pups .  hounds or curs but mine have had plenty of woods time at that point and are proficient in crossing water and finding their way around from just plenty of puppy time in the woods running amuck .

After I can see they have their coordination down good and they've seen one in a pen.
Somewhere around 6-12 months. Also they only get dropped when either a pig is bout to be struck or there's a bay.
I don't want them running around trashing on everything.

same here, I have started pups as young as 6 months and as later as a year, just depends on the individual pup..... if they can keep up with the big dogs I tote em.

At six months,mine are ready for the woods,like said above,depends on pup,i cant stand a young dog yipping to keep up,depends on dog.my 2 cents,ive got a dogo thats 9 months and i really dont wen he will be ready,for the woods,he catches good.but he lacks in other things.

Good point. Our last pup was started by putting him on the ground to run with the older dogs at the begining of the hunt and he wanted to go after anything with a heartbeat. Lol. Now with several good hogs under his belt he has quit all of that trashing. But I bet we could have avoided it if we would have put him on the ground when hogs were present.

A year

I just started two, both 7 months old.  One fired right off and the other is alil slow so she's going to the house to run loose for awhile, I won't take her for a few more months. It really depends on the dog and how they take to it.  You can really set a young dog back by getting them cut down early, but that's all part of it, no sense in babying, been there done that and it usually leaves you disappointed.

I don't care if mine trash though, if they're running and trailing I'm happy.

I agree with you on the trashing part, hell a trashin puppy is a huntin puppy......id rather em huntin the wrong thing than not huntin period, once they show me that they are willing to get out and go I will do what others have stated above and hold them a few times until a hog is bayed and turn them to the bay, usually it slows the trashin down quite a bit. I dont think there is anything better than watchin a puppy that you've raised really turn it on and find that first hog for you, its an awesome feeling!

There never too young to go to the pasture and "learn" ;)

The terriers I don't have to worry about, but the particular reason I asked this was because I have this 5-6mth old pup I picked up as a crapshoot. He's off an accidental breeding (I posted about him before). He's half Catahoula (off a real good hog dog) and half terrier/feist. I've been spending time with him every single day, and I walk him multiple times a day off lead down our rural road. He already is nose to the ground the majority of the time. I was just pondering when it'd be good to bring him on out whenever we go on a run in the woods. He IS sensitive still, (I'm used to hard headed terriers and bull breeds) but he really acts like he's enjoying following trails. He's great and bonded with me, but anyone outside of us he's timid.

If i was in your shoes ,i would feed him hog sign take him and c how he does,you will know if its time.my 2 cents

Usually bring our pups to the woods when they can keep up w the older dogs after they have seen a hog or two in the pen .if we turn them loose and they do not go w the older dogs I box them back up BC I don't like letting them hang around the ATV BC I don't want them thinking they can just hang around when we turn loose older exp dogs out again we will turn pups out w them again

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When there out of the puppy playing stage.most time it just the pup.