I'll play.
Best I've raised and owned to date was my BMC dog Abby. She died two years ago in October from Blastomycosis at the age of four. She had a nose like no dog I've owned. She was a 100% track dog and could take a track and work it out like nothing I've seen. The last year or so before she died I must admit I got a little cocky with her. When hunting with people, I would never turn her out first. Can't say the number of times I'd slip back to the buggy and cut her out once other dogs had made a round and come back and she'd come bayed somewhere. I've wondered since if perhaps the man upstairs was teaching me a lesson in humility when he took her from me. Man I miss this dog.
Another one of the best was ole Spade. He died early last year at the age of 14. Almost hate to admit at one time I hunted a lacy, but he was 1/2 lacy and 1/2 plott if that makes it better. God only knows how many hogs this dog found. He could have been born without teeth, because he sure never used any on a hog but he knew just how to work one to make him stay put. Seldom EVER did hogs run when we were hunting Spade. It had been a long time since he had been hunted. We decided to load him up last year and carried him along on a random hunt. He didn't strike, and didn't get very far when the others were hunting but he made it to the bay and was in there hammering just like he had for many years. He died in his kennel about a week later.
Here's a few of the lead dogs currently occupying my kennel space.
First is Buck. Quirky as all get-out but my personal favorite if for no other reason than he intrigues me because I still haven't quite figured him out. Hunts deep like I require...usually 3/4 to a mile loops. Not real catchy, and will seldom see him at a bay once the bulldogs get there. Tons of bottom and will run a hog as long as it takes. Buck has sired four litters and has shown to be quite a producer.
Next is Cash. He is unrelated to anything else on my yard and was bought to use as an outcross dog to my hunting partners line due to the fact he is a linebred proven producer. A colder nose, and more bottom than most people want. You don't make plans when you hunt Cash because you're going home on his terms...not yours. In cold sign, he hunts much like Buck above...3/4 to a mile loops. He knows the deal, and is strickly business about his hunting. His breeding goes all the way back to Ricky Driver's Big Boy X Blondie cross and other dogs in his pedigree are John Gay's Dr. Feelgood and Ben Jordan's Henry to name a few. (and no...he does not have a bobbed tail!)
Can't go without mentioning Dolly. She's the mother, sister, grandmother or aunt to almost everything on my yard. One HECK of a dog, and one HECK of a producer. I had her bred to Cash above due to whelp mid-March, but for whatever reason (and much to my disappointment) she didn't take.
A couple of others worth mentioning.
Maddison...full sister to Dolly and the mother to the pups I have on the ground now out of she and Buck.
Deuce..Out of Dolly and Poncho...one of the best conformation dogs we've produced and making one heck of a good dog. Another deep hunter and gets the job done.
