raise them or buy them

[PEEWEE]

just wondering who perfers to raise there dogs from pups (under 6months) or get a grown dog that's already started or near finished  I like to raise my dogs from pups now also by doing this i do go through more dogs and alot of pups and wasted time and feed going this rought but to me getting a pup and raising it the way i want is more gratifying to me than to go buy a dog that is already going not to say i havent bought a grown dog just like raising pups more JMO

[crittercatcher90]

I agree with u it is more gratifying to raise a dog from a pup and see them become hog doggs I have raised all my dogs from pups u take a fifty fifty chance either way cuz I know people that have bought finished and started dogs and they were not finished or started dogs

[craig]

yes sir , raise them.  the best dogs you will ever own will be dogs you have raised.

thats not to say you cant buy a good dog i have bought 2 good dogs in the last 15 years just because i knew them.

im talking about dogs that will go find hogs by thereself every day with no help.

but everyone has to start somewhere , buy the best and breed it to the best.

worst thing , it takes years of crossing and breeding dogs and finishing them to figure out what you have been raising.

[Reuben]

I like breeding and raising my own pups...Might take a while to develop a good line but well worth the effort...this way I can see how each pup acts, how they range and how they use their nose etc. etc...what they do as pups they do as grown dogs but on a larger scale. It is fun trying to analyze each pup and teaching them to use all the natural talent they are born with and then seleccting the right one and it makes a hog dog and hunts like you thought it would. Might not always be 100% but a goal to shoot for.

[dub]

I prefer to raise any dog hunting or not. They learn my personality and I learn theirs.

[RyanTBH]

I think to have a successful pack you need both. The older more seasoned dogs will help the young dogs learn there place in the pack. Just an example, I got two BMC pups right around 6 months, and they had never seen a hog. Put them with a seasoned strike dog and on hogs, and they started to turn out at a little over a year. Sold one to a guy in OK, and he says he's had 3 offers for him for a $1000. So I guess, IMO, you need some good dogs already to make some really good dogs, but the dog has to have drive to do so or your waisting your time. Culling is something that I am having a hard time coming to grips with... I love my dogs, but to have a sucessfull yard, culling is a must. Good luck to ya!

[tuskbuster]

raising is the only way to get a true appreciation for a dog.ive been known to hang onto a young dog more than the time i should,but i always see just what to expect after a longer time . i see a trend here from a few younger hunters buy,sell trade cheap dogs just makin a big circle  and i bet in a year or twos time that same dog comes around and is a hog dog.pickin up afew bad habits along the way .the last litter of pups i raised i gave to young hunter that is makin dogs out of em .

heres another set of accidents that all died on hogs or huntin hogs


dont let your egos get in the way of just what its supposed to be ,HUNTING

[BA-IV]

You won't hardly buy an older dog out of some of the better lines.  You might buy them as pups or be given them, either way your raising em, and when they get to be older dogs, you'll realize why they won't be on the dog trade.

[bullet72]

i have bought several pups from difernt lines over the years we are raising some along the way last few years. if your in an area where their are some good lines its easier to get started or add  to a pack, we are not.i dont think a person could by a well started dog that has most of the qualities needed they simply are not for sell. might get lucky and catch some one in a bind but his buddys are gonna get the goods first. the last few years seems to be alot of jam up do it all 1.5 year old dogs for sell i dont know if it kids or traders but the more popular hog doggin gets the more people think thats what i want to do and a year later 3 hogs and they realize it work most of the time and costs money so theirs a yard full of dogs for sale. just my thoughts and dont want to piss on any bodys boots.

[geronimo]

if u are just starting out it may be better to invest in a hog dog but once u are up and catching hogs its gratifying to get some pups and raise them and watch them progress and go from there, or at least thats been my expieriance

[Brad W.]

I prefer to raise them. I'm just starting out and got my first hog dog a little over a year ago. She's got about 75 hogs under her belt now so I got another pup a couple of weeks ago and I'm hoping she turns out. It may take me a few years to have a whole pack but I like my dogs to know me from the start. I believe a dog will hunt harder for it's master opposed to hunting for it's self. I also have little kids and want the dogs to be socialized from the start. I don't trust dogs let alone people. The last thing I need is a dog that is aggressive toward people.


My hunting dogs are also family dogs. They get to ride in the front seat of the truck, come in the house when it's cold, raining or hot. Alot of people may disagree that a hunting dog can also be a family dog but in my experience (i used to run deer with hounds) they seem to end up being the best.

[cward]

I prefer to raise mine. I can cull the gentics that I don't like and keep the ones to improve the dogs.

[TexasHogDogs]

Well I have always  bred and raised my own dogs.  But the way it is these days is hard for a young man to do so .  Everything is so high dog food , wormer , shots , vet bill and it goes on and on.  Then you got to have the place to do it which makes it that much harder.  I am 50 years old now and I do think if I had to do it over again in this day and time I would just do my research hunt with who I needed to hunt with check out a lot of dogs and just buy me a few that are some decent dogs and just do my thing.  It would be a lot cheaper and a lot less time consuming plus it takes a lot of experience to really breed dogs they way they should be bred so if I was young again say 21-25 I would leave it to the breeders get me a few dogs and hit the hog fields .

Lot less headache !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

[catchrcall]

Give me a few more years to figure out exactly what I want in a dog and maybe I'll start raising some pups.  Until then I'll just beg or buy them off people that know more about this breeding deal than me.

[tuskbuster]

Jim .i agree dogs aint cheap to keep .if you can buy an sell more than 3 dogs a month which  theres a few on here that ARE doin more than that,way more ,and they aint HOG HUNTERS, they are  pecker checkers,  my {   I } can catch more hogs than u . get a grip on HUNTING young men  { and ladies} its an enjoyment not a pissin contest.
 sorry Mods had 2 vent

[brandeek1]

We prefer to raise them out of our proven line. Always best to preserve what u started years ago.