Pen dogs vs. Woods dogs

I've heard the same thing, but.....

I've had woods dogs that I would work in a pen every so often....mainly just to start pups. I didn't do it on a regular basis....that being said.... It never affected the performance in the woods.

Thing is....a lot of woods dogs either just don't care about a pig in a pen or they will tend to get rough. There are, I'm sure, some exceptions. My Jasper dog....as a pup... I think could have been a good competition dog. As he got older/better at hunting and got some experience...I was just curious....wondering what he would do. I think he was 10 months old the last time I put him in a pen... It was an 80lb or so Boar ... That I THOUGHT he would bay on...he was never catchy at all in the woods...hardly even caught with the CD's at that point. Long story short... He bayed until the boar charged...then snatched the ear. It was totally out of character for him. To this day he still doesn't catch alone in the woods.... Even on those size pigs. Honestly... I've thought about taking him to some competitions just to see what he would do in that setting on larger hogs....but I'm hesitant.... Probably not for the reasons you think though....

I had a Catahoula out of good northern Louisiana blood.... Straight woods dogs. My intent when I bout him at 10 months was for him to be the foundation of my blood. He was great in the woods...even at 10 months... Striking and baying on his own. I worked him in a pen a few times and he HAD "IT".... That special something that ALL great competition dogs have. He was tight, focused and relentless. Long story short I retired him from the woods (stupid). Ran him in competition only...he won his fair share. He was barely over a year old at Earls in 2000 and placed 19th in the 1 dog. He sired some good pups and I sold him for $1500 when I got out (twice what I paid for him and he had made me at least that much in payouts over the 6 months or so I owned him).

That atmosphere, the competitions, the people....I really enjoy. I don't THINK Jasper has the "IT" that I saw in Boudreaux but I'm afraid to find out, lol. I find that setting very appealing and I would be hard pressed to stay away if I knew I had something special. Then again....I don't think I would quit hunting him either....which brings about the dilemma...

That's one of the things that keeps REAL GOOD pen dogs out of the woods. Not that they CANT do it. Just the fact that it COULD affect their "game" and there is always the possibility of them getting killed /lost in the woods.

Those are my thoughts anyway.