What do I do??

[Jared H.]

Here's my problem and I'm sure I'm not the only one but I'm starting to lose sleep over it.  I want a good dog!!!  It sounds so simple when you say it out loud but its just not happening.  I'm getting rid of my lacy, who is my main strike dog, because he was aggresive towards other males last weekend and I just can't tolerate that.  That leaves me with an 7 month old cur and a couple of 6 and 8 week old pups.  The pups are out of hunting stock and the cur if he turns it on should be a good dog but I just don't know.  Ok....my question is where do I go from here?  I can only afford to spend a couple of hundred dollars and I know that's not enough for a really good dog.  It seems like everytime I find one that fits what I'm looking for I'm a day late and the dog is gone.  I don't really want another pup because I need something to hunt now.  I'm just tired of buying dogs that are decent but not what I consider good.  I want a dog that will catch a smaller pig on his own and one that will do everything he or she can to stop a runner. I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels like this but its early and I couldn't sleep.  Any advice will truly be appreciated.  Thanks

[eastx]

Hey man, I feel your pain, I'm in about the same boat.  I have a 7 month old BMC, I'm going to pick him up a little girlfriend on Sunday, seems like every time I have tried to find another pup something has gone wrong.  I have a place to put a shoat, and build a good sized bay pen, but I can't find one.  Me and my pup went huntin with some great guys I met on here, happened to be the guy I got him from, but he (my pup) was a little confused about what all was going on his first time in the woods.  I just haven't found time to get back in the woods, maybe when summer gets here and college is done.  I want to get something started, but it just aint working out for me.  We decided on BMC for a pet more than a hunting dog, we really love the breed, but the bug has bit and I really just want a couple of good find a pig, coon, squirrel, any game that I can hunt with them, shoot over curs.  Just keep pluggin away and it will all come together, thats what I'm gonna do!!

[lonewolf]

Jet, It's not easy to find a dog that's hunts the way we want them to no matter the price! I have been trying to upgrade my pack for about a year thinking I could find something better. It is not an easy task! Everybody has a dog for sale seems to me and I've tried a lot of them. My advice is to be patent!

[TexasJ]

Hog dogging is not an easy sport.  It takes most folks years to get to an operating capability.  Withstanding the longevity requirement and the endless invest of time and resources are what really make it a hard sport to be good at.  It may sound like a good idea for alot of folks at first but when some of the reality and logistics come into play alot of people find out that they can't stick with it.  I think there's just as many people getting out of hog dogging as there are new people giving it a try.

I think of hog dogging more as a lifestyle... 

[hogdoggintn]

Good advice from lonewolf. Patience is the key. Remember most dogs for sale are other people's culls.

[gnjhesseltine]

Too bad you are not closer. We have a 125 acres that we train young dogs in with plenty of hogs. We have people bring their dogs in and we charge $75 for a couple of hours. I even provide an old dog to help them.  After a few months, most of these young dogs can find their own hogs. They still need work after that as they are not finished but at least you don't have to buy a high priced strike dog plus you know what you have.

[oklahoma hogger]

I think of hog dogging more as a lifestyle... 

x2

[Jared H.]

Don't get me wrong I'm trying to be patient and I love running dogs and plan on doing it as long as I'm able.  I'm just asking where I should go from here.  Thanks for all the advice so far.

[dabutcher]

best thing you can do is try to find someone to run your pup with.  then make the time to get it out in the woods.  that's the hardest part for most, myself included.  if you have access to some wooded areas (like at your house)  take a smaller pig and drag it to a wooded spot and tie it out.  let your pup follow the trail and bay it up.  praise the poop out of him for finding and baying the pig.  make it a little harder every time (don't put it in the same spot or drag it in the same place).  make it a little longer after you drag the pig until you put the dog down on the scent trail as well.   do that for a while and he'll get an idea of what the game is.  then try taking him to the woods again with a buddies dogs that are finding hogs.  put him down on fresh sign and if you come up empty handed take him back to the house and do the "staged" hunt again.

this is the advice i've been given and it works fairly well.  but you're gonna come to a point where the "staged" aint gonna work and you just need to keep him in the woods.  if you know someone with a wooded pen take him there to "hunt" as well. 

only advice i've got....the same i've been given.     good luck to ya.

[catchinpigs]

I have been in the same boat and still halfway in it. Having alot of patience is what has helped me the most. I have been trying to get my pack together for a little over two years now. I believe I am just beginning to get what I want. I haven't had much help from anyone until recently.

All I can say is I spent more time in the woods than I did anywhere else, I beleive that's what helped me out the most.

[matt_aggie04]

All I can say is I spent more time in the woods than I did anywhere else, I beleive that's what helped me out the most.

Very true and X2 on the lifestyle.  I think it is a way of life, you have to enjoy all aspect of it.

[t.wilbanks]

Jet, pm sent. You and your pups are more than welcome to come along with us. Im not too far down the road from you. Next time we get a hog, i will try to get it out alive to help out your dogs. I have a few spots we can set up a staged hunt if needed.

[Jared H.]

Thanks Trent I appreciate that and I appreciate all of the advice.  I'm gonna be honest I love being with my dogs in the woods.  Have always loved hunting and love taking my dogs just as much. 

[BigAinaBuilt]

You seem pretty mindset on it but if you're only getting rid of the already striking Lacy but if then go on to say you find dogs that are decent but not what you consider good. Does the lacy fall into this category for you or is his aggressiveness his only fault?? If his only fault is the aggressiveness I would keep him and get him snipped just to use to get your 7 month old puppy going. Which leads me to another question, If you only have 1 dog running right now and the rest are pups you must be running with friends packs?? Would they have any dogs that you've seen work for sale?

Any dog that you're gonna end up with is gonna need one thing to become a great dog and that is time on the job. Just a few random thoughts that popped into my head as I thought about what direction I would head in! Good luck!

[Jared H.]

Thanks BigAina.  The lacys only fault is the aggresiveness but I would rather spend the money on a younger dog.  I run with a guy at work and he sold me a pup but doesn't want to let go of any of his other dogs. 

[Kyle0329]

the best advice i can give you is bout the same as dabutcher if you dont have a place that is infested with hogs i like to catch a few hogs in traps or buy them from people and tie about a 30 foot rope on there back leg with knots and loops all in it so he wont go far and will tangle up  and then let that hog go on a long straight road and give him bout till he gets out of sight then cut the pupy loose, each time make the rope shorter and give the hog a little more time, then eventually  you should be able to cut that hog loose without him watching it then take him back bout 15 min to 30 min later put him out on the track and watch him suck it up...this has worked for me and is the best to make a good track dog JMO.

[hillbilly]

If the lacy dog is a good strike dog just get him fixed this sometimes works for a fighting dog.