Old Days VS Today

[Caughtandhobbled]

Hello All,

I do more reading than posting, but I wanted to share some things with you guys and gals.

Ok, back a short 30 plus years ago there would never be any fighting about dogs where I came from. Everyone that worked dogs raised dogs, their own dogs. If there was someone that needed a pup or two they asked a friend or the friend had already heard that they needed a pup and would show up on Saturday afternoon with a couple pups in their truck. Usually a couple beers would square the puppy deal. This type of bartering system is still live and well if you keep the right friends. Usually the best dogs around have come from many years of breeding, these dogs mostly can not be purchased but will be given to a friend.

I am no longer a dog breeder and have not been in a long time so by no means do I intend to sound like an expert, I'm not. With this being said I was raised by a wise man that knew his dogs, my dad. Dad would give a dog to a friend in a heart beat but never a stranger. The stranger was going to pay good money for one of my dad's Catahoulas, the dog was sold with a guarantee that to the very best of my memory a pup never came back.

Dad would always make certain that there was a good second team on reserve that got rotated with the good dogs in case some of the big time players got wiped out. There is nothing worse than trying to get a job done and nobody there knows what the heck they're doing. I have always tried to follow dad's lead, if I'm using dog for a job I will do my best to train the dog properly for the job. I will get the best bred dog to perform the job at hand, I will take the dog with the very best dogs that I can to insure the dog gets every chance to do the job right. I never take more than two pups to do a real job, if I take two pups they better than average pups.

Today, the world of WWW, we are all in a big dern hurry. I have bought a couple dogs in my day but not many. One of the very few grown dogs that I have ever bought came from the WWW. I called the guy and we talked, it took about two minutes to figure out that this guy was straight up. I still have the dog today she is a family member, the first hunt I took her on she shined.

A man on this site posted a while back about hanging on to a decent dog and stop looking for greener grass, this was very good advise. Like this man said it may take a year or two to find a dog half as good as the one you just sold for $500. Slow down and get a lifetime dog that if you decide to have pups one day this is the type of dog that you want pups out of. Don't just go get a dog you're going to throw to the curb a month later after the dog will not perform for you and the dog does not even know you other than the fellow that feeds it during the week and drops it in the woods or fields to find a hog. When you get a new dog spend a little time with the dog make certain the dog has manners, let the dog understand that when you say stay, you mean stay.

I know I'm long winded but it seems the last few times that I visited this site there is some bickering going on that should not be. In my not so modest opinion nobody gets to us, we get our self in our own trouble. If I may offer some advice just slow down and make your present day pack the one that everyone is envious of. Teach your dog or dogs to sit and shake your hand then shake their hand everyday, little things like that will make your dog want to please you, they know you care. For you folks that don't know me, the many that do will verify to you that I love my dogs. Take care brothers and sisters and lets all be nice to our WWW friends.

[chads7376]

Well said!

[prg2010]

 well said bennie!

[Reuben]

Well said!

X2...

[TShelly]

Very well said Bennie!! I sure do appreciate you giving me Libby, she's coming along great. I know we havnt talked in a while but she found a big boar hog for me right before deer season, he went about 260 and she sat back and bayed great until I got there. I was by myself so it wAs nice to have some rough dogs to help me and the cd. I really enjoy her alot, she's smart.. I know it's off topic to your post, but I appreciate you trusting me enough to send her my way. She's in good hands

[Jared H.]

Bennie very well said brother.  I just hope some people will take your advice.  I used to be the same way and thought that buying a good dog was the way to go now since my L.T. Dog that I raised from a pup is turning out it is much more rewarding feeling.  I see how much he wants to work for me.

[Kid7]

Well said 

[Critter Catcher]

Bennie you are absolutely correct, I had an uncle which I commonly refer to that got me into dog hunting. I never bought a dog until I got into hog doggin, I was always given dogs or pups by my uncle or his hunting buddies. I never really met many dog hunters in my area until this board, I thought I was one of the very few in Ft. Bend Cnty and might just be. If I ran with anybody it was my uncle and his group of ol' timers for coon and rabbit in my younger years and there seemed to be no competition in their groups like there is today. Everybody was out in the woods to hear the hounds sing thru the woods and enjoy conversation. I grew up with the good ol' boy mentality where you had my trust until you lost it but now days it seems just the other way around. A lot of the ol'timers that I grew up hunting with are gone now and their ways are dieing off, which is a shame in my eyes. There are still those groups around but few and far between from what I have seen that still believe in the ol' ways of gathering for a hunt, but for the most part it's a new world of WWW hunters and jealous competition. If by chance you get an invite or are offered a free dog/pup count yourself lucky because I fear those good ol'days are slipping away. In my teens and twenties I hunted a lot by myself or had friends who just wanted to hunt, we'ld load dogs in a flat bottom and take day trips up or down the Brazos, bullshine all day and just enjoy conversation and the hunt and fellowship of being outdoors. This still happens but in small close door groups, I'm not sure if it is because of lost of trust or the competition for hunting spots which flashes but to trust. Now days you have people stealing spots, spreading rumors to ruin reputation, and the poking is out of hand. Well I've rabbled enough, I really miss the good ol'days of sitting around a fire with an enjoyable group of friends who could care less about anything but listening to the dogs sing.

[halfbreed]

DAMN GOOD POST AND REALLY APPRECIATED BY ONE OF THE OLD FARTS . GOOD JOB !!!!

[DangerZone]

Very good,

[Caughtandhobbled]

Very well said Bennie!! I sure do appreciate you giving me Libby, she's coming along great. I know we havnt talked in a while but she found a big boar hog for me right before deer season, he went about 260 and she sat back and bayed great until I got there. I was by myself so it wAs nice to have some rough dogs to help me and the cd. I really enjoy her alot, she's smart.. I know it's off topic to your post, but I appreciate you trusting me enough to send her my way. She's in good hands

Tony,
I'm glad Libby is working out for you, there was never a doubt in my mind that you two would be perfect for one another. All of the pups from that litter are making really good dogs. You take care brother.

[TexasHogDogs]

I think one of the problems in todays world is that a whole lot of people think very good dogs just grows on trees and you can just pick you one off the vine.  If that was case there would be no need for the dog trade everybody would have a kennel full of them.

The truth of the matter is it takes a lot of woods time to make a great dog and in todays world most people are weekend hunters because of their jobs and family and just cannot hunt a young dog the way he needs to be hunted .  Another thing is Back in the old days people ate what they caught if they didn't catch anything they didn't eat  .  So they really really hunted their dogs to help feed there family.

In todays world things have become commercial worst thing that could happen .  You want to know anything it is at the tips of your fingers just goggle it read about it and then you can talk intelligent about it but there is a difference in talking the talk and walking the walk that is why there are so many www know it all's. .  So nobody has to learn anything the old fashion ways like of the old times hard work and threw trial and error are hands on experience.

The www and goggle can tell a man a lot of things and I think a lot of folks heads get blowed up when in all reality you don't know anything until you have walked the walk !  Who you want doing heart surgery on you a man that read about it on the www are a man that has performed 200 open heart surgery's with success !

I think in the old days real hands on experience was a lot easier to come by because the people had to live it rather than in todays www world were people read it !

Honesty was a lot eaiser to come by also in the old days seems like vs  today.
To me these are some of the differences.

[ROCKIN ROO HOG DOGS]

A favourite movie of mine is one myself(now remember im only 32 years old but i like dogs more than i like people) and true dog men/women could relate to. Its "WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS" and watching that boy walk barefooted across the county to pick up those 2 pups reminds me of myself and the connection i have had with my mick and dan dogs,i wish i was born 50 years ago before the www told us how a dog is supposed to be,but on the other hand i live on 4000 acres miles from town where i spend everyday with my dogs and once a week have to deal with people on my grocery run. I dont think you have to be an old timer to live and breath dogs but i am very jealous of those of you who got to be around hunting and dogs before it was run in the ground by a fast paced world.

[TexasHogDogs]

I believe there is some good young people in the game today that are lost and looking for the right way but like the man said just slow down some live it don't just read it .  Understand it , study it , know why a dog is doing this are that and have some patience Rome was not built in a day . Dreams become reality with hard work, decatation and understanding but above all with living it seeing it with your own two eyes, doing it with your own two hands.  If you want to build something you got to start at the bottom and build up learning with every nail driven .   Hard lessons are just apart of it and patiences is a must . For instance Am trying to help a young man now that has really learned some lessons the hard way by selling a dog he should have never sold if he thought he knew how hard it was to own a dog like that he really really knows now they don't grow on trees .  He realizes his mistake admits to it and now he is learning patiences because he is now having to wait on pups being born and then come up threw the ranks .  Sure he could go on a buying spree but he has seen what those dogs can do and now knows the best way is to breed your own if you really want to have a yard full of those kinds of dogs.  So he is learning now am trying to help him the best I can but one thing a man cannot do is push time forward .  There is one thing I would be willing to bet on when he gets those pups up I bet you cannot buy them for a small fortune because now he has learned and is still learning what it really takes  to breed a family of the dogs from the pups up !  The old way and it is going to make him a much much better dog man and one that has first hand knowledge.  I understand a lot of folks don't have the time are the patiences nor the place to do these kinds of things so my best advise is find you somebody thats been doing it a while and try to be a real friend to him are her it will take you a long way .

Sorry dont mean to preach but I like to see good young people headed in the right direction.

[Critter Catcher]

I like this post, one of the better post on the site. I truly hope some of the younger doggers read this and take it to heart and realize it shouldn't be such a competition but rather a brotherhood like it was in times gone by. Great advise from all

[Caughtandhobbled]

Thank you, you folks are making this a very good thread. THD, I am pretty certain that you are the fellow that I referred to in the beginning, from your post here I am certain that you don't mind me using you as a reference. Critter you're right, this is a brotherhood. Roo "Where the Red Fern Grows" is a favorite of mine as well, its a very educational movie.

[tnhillbilly]

Very good thread, agree 100%

Roo, I am so jealous.......

[tuskbuster]

rockin roo you aint lyin right there.book was better tho .all you guys know i dont sell much but gave my GOOD dogs up several months ago ,almost got what i asked ,gave a 2 MONTH trial,well if you can leave a dog bayed 4   over 2half hours an caint get to him,guess what you dont need MY dogs .600 miles to bring em back and gladly gave the 1800 to the man .not every dog works right outta the box for everyone.takes time . AND IF YOUR BUYING PAY ATTENTION TO THE SELLERS ADVICE get used to the dog and the same ,dog needs to get used to u.my old dogs will die right here or in the woods with someone thats huntin em than puttin up with the BULLCHIT it takes to sell a good dog

[Reuben]

I think one of the problems in todays world is that a whole lot of people think very good dogs just grows on trees and you can just pick you one off the vine.  If that was case there would be no need for the dog trade everybody would have a kennel full of them.

The truth of the matter is it takes a lot of woods time to make a great dog and in todays world most people are weekend hunters because of their jobs and family and just cannot hunt a young dog the way he needs to be hunted .  Another thing is Back in the old days people ate what they caught if they didn't catch anything they didn't eat  .  So they really really hunted their dogs to help feed there family.

In todays world things have become commercial worst thing that could happen .  You want to know anything it is at the tips of your fingers just goggle it read about it and then you can talk intelligent about it but there is a difference in talking the talk and walking the walk that is why there are so many www know it all's. .  So nobody has to learn anything the old fashion ways like of the old times hard work and threw trial and error are hands on experience.

The www and goggle can tell a man a lot of things and I think a lot of folks heads get blowed up when in all reality you don't know anything until you have walked the walk !  Who you want doing heart surgery on you a man that read about it on the www are a man that has performed 200 open heart surgery's with success !

I think in the old days real hands on experience was a lot easier to come by because the people had to live it rather than in todays www world were people read it !

Honesty was a lot eaiser to come by also in the old days seems like vs  today.
To me these are some of the differences.

Excellent post TexasHogDogs,

When I was a kid in the 1960's I hunted with dogs in any direction from my house for miles and most any day and sometimes twice a day and my closest neighbor was over a half mile away and the next were over 2 miles. And my favorite movies are the original where the red fern grows, old yeller, seabisquit, and now secretarient. I don't hate people but love a good horse but mainly good dogs. Dogs will always be there for you and don't ctiticize...

I remember when I first went to work in a big chemical company, we were told that we were getting computers and the big boss man came in and said he was getting us some ac out of the kindness of his heart...said he didn't want us fighting mosquito's all day and night...found out later computers need ac and low humidity...so computers are definitely a good thing...

What TexasHogDog said is so true...best way is to get out and learn from experience. but modern day does not allow us to get out like we need to for several reasons, hunting land is hard to come by and large plots are harder to find for the long range dogs and to have the right places takes a ton of money.

I also remember how long it took me to learn what I know about dogs...Quite a bit I learned on my own, other dog knowledge came from friends and I read a ton of material as a young man. Bits and pieces here and there in hunting magazines...after a long long while it adds up...my goal was to learn how to breed better hunting dogs and to do most of my own vet work as well as know and try to be a better dogman.

What took me years to learn is right here on the www and even more..I have learned quite a few things here on this forum...lots of good info and some not so good but that is up to us to decide. In general, most is really good.

My question to all is..are you a dogman/woman or a hunter who hunts with dogs??? big difference...but most dogmen/women gravitate to these type of forums...

bottom line...the www is a great tool to help us in making better decisions and you can just about google anything about anything...but becoming a good dog handler that can bring out the best in the dog comes more from experience but the www puts the icing on the cake...