EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

I have a 7 month old pit that catches hard on mock hunts . I was wondering when a good age was to use him in the woods, I know they say there teeth might come off since they aren't mature yet??
If I were to use him in the woods he would have an experienced CD to back him up.
Thanks - Bowhunter   


Sonny

Everyone has their own method and timeline for starting a bulldog so you will get different opinions but I personally try to wait until they are a year old or close to it but seeing as how you are already using yours to catch on mock hunts it probably really doesn't matter at this point. Just make sure that you have another good bulldog to send with your youngin for a little while to make sure he can handle it.

Its not just about their teeth, its also about maturity. Sending a dog that young to a bayed hog is the equivalent of asking a young boy to start a fight with a grown man. Probably gonna get whipped and could break his spirit forever. Even at a year old most pups are still just pups mentally. I often start mine at a year just cause I'm impatient but should probably wait longer on most.

This pup has a lot of hate towards a hog. I mean ALOT of drive In him, I'm very excited to see what he ends up being. He is one of those dogs I am gonna need a break stick for.
I would say he is mature enough to go to a bay and catch. I have sent him from 100 yds on mock hunts... 
As far as teeth go, how long should I wait?
Maturity wise he won't be ran alone and won't be sent from too far off.


Sonny

I started taking my main catch dog now by himself when he was only 10 months old. His first four hogs were all brutes that each wrecked him pretty good. It didn't break his spirits and he stayed caught on everyone of them, but one did knock out his bottom canine. It chipped some of his jaw bone to so I'm not sure if it was because of age or if it would have happened regardless. I do wish I had waited a little longer, but besides his tooth being gone, I think it made him a better dog after them first four hogs.

Any other opinions??


Sonny

I personally would wait till 10 months just to be safe

I'm no bulldog expert by any means. But the way I've done it is, get them interested at a young age, keep em interested with smaller pigs, but don't put em on a rank one till their at least a year old.

   if you have access to a mature catch dog , why use a PUPPY  ? that's my thought on the subject .

I wait a year at least for my cds

I am with whitten

With this kind of thing it is your decision and yours alone to make. You can do everything in the world right and bad luck on the first hog can ruin that mouth. That being said, letting those teeth and jaws mature sure won't hurt him.

It's harder every day to find a nice bulldog, give him a few months to mature.  Hind site can really stink.

Thanks for all the input fellas


Sonny