Seasoned hunters, let's be real about pups.

I try to let my pups run loose for the first 7-8 months. I try to get them to tree squirles, run rabbits, and I start showing them a caged coon about 6 months old. After about 7 months, thay start going on hunts and I let them mess with caught hogs. If the hog is small and cannot hurt the pup, I un hobble the hog in front of the pup and let them chase. Somewhere between 8 mo to a year, I show them big sows in apen that can rough them up but not ruin them. If they dogs learn the run game at a young age, bark at caught hogs and will bay the big sows, they are usually reay to go at 1 year. Even at a year old, I am selective about the hogs I put them on. Im not running a good young dog on a big boar or barr. At 18 months old, I expect them to do most everything I want them to. I've had a couple that could do it all at 18 months. Dogs mess up too just like us and they all mature differently. I think it is a REAL BAD idea to show 3 months old pups a hog. No reason to get rid of a dog until they are 7 months for me. They are just "baby" dogs and they need to be pups. Pups need to tear things up and be pups.