"Who's got the best dog"

[Noah]

I dare each and every one of you to deny that the thought does not cross your mind... 

... so what "proves" that somebody has the "best" dog?  ... is it because he's got thousands of pictures with big, bad sombitches?  Is it because he's got a big, shiny belt buckle that says he won some tournament?(yes, I would like one too, but that is besides the point  ) ... is it because other people says he's got the best? ... is it because he can sell dogs for more money than anyone else?  ... I could go on... 

... in my opinion(which don't count for much), the only way to fairly judge a dog is by hunting TOGETHER/BEHIND EACH OTHER'S DOGS on different properties MANY, MANY TIMES... for both parties to TRULY come to an understanding of things.  Only when in this environment can patterns be recognized, strengths appreciated, as well as weakness'...

... this is why I appreciate so much the opportunity to drop my dogs beside other "good" dogs... keeps everybody honest... especially myself 

... this tournament crap sounds fun, until I start to think about all the ways I could "increase my odds of winning"...  .... then all the fun seems to go right out the window..

[jdt]

i agree noah .

but think about this , who's got the prettiest woman ??

it all depends on who's judging . lol

[Noah]

Absolutely, lol     ... of course I am talking apples to apples... for instance, I hunted with CutterBay a while back and his dogs are INCREDIBLE trail dogs, just a completely different style than what I have, but really good dogs all the same!  Impossible to compare what he has to what I have... as each produce hogs in their own way.

What I am talking about in this post is more "specific" however... 

[Shotgun wg]

I'm with u. The best dog is subjective. One guys dog may be great where he hunts but change the scenery and it may be another guys. I have hunted with several folks each one supposedly having the best dogs this or that guy has ever seen. Each time was on the same piece of property. Each group brought their own pluses along with their own faults. I believe in their own environment each one of these groups had good dogs but in that environment none were what I would call great dogs. Most were good but not exactly what that area required.

[Reuben]

in my opinion, a great dog doesn't need to be compared to other dogs...because he performs with company or without...

[dub]

I think it is like comparing ^%$'s I don't care what you have. I care about what I have and does it satisfy me? There is always something better in some way. I can say that I like my dogs and I don't care if anybody else does. I sure hope you like your dogs too. I am always willing to share a pup with anybody that will not put it up for sale. People helped me and I don't mind helping others. But I can say for sure that I have the best dogs I have I like them.

[Noah]

in my opinion, a great dog doesn't need to be compared to other dogs...because he performs with company or without...

I disagree... a great dog SHOULD be compared if one intends to improve what is... checking "oneself" is very important in a breeding operation.

[dub]

in my opinion, a great dog doesn't need to be compared to other dogs...because he performs with company or without...

I disagree... a great dog SHOULD be compared if one intends to improve what is... checking "oneself" is very important in a breeding operation.

That is true. As long as you look at it that way instead of a pissing contest.

[Noah]

 ... allow me to use myself as an example...  

... for years, my "mentors" have always made the point to look honestly at what I have produced...  "COMPARED TO WHAT?"  It is indeed easy to fall into a groove of catching hogs consistently and "think" you have a good dog....

... the only way to "PROVE" this, however, is by hunting with other dogs to test your chit.

... does not get any more simple than that.

[Noah]

in my opinion, a great dog doesn't need to be compared to other dogs...because he performs with company or without...

I disagree... a great dog SHOULD be compared if one intends to improve what is... checking "oneself" is very important in a breeding operation.

That is true. As long as you look at it that way instead of a pissing contest.

dub... even with very best friends... there is ALWAYS some level of a pissing contest.   Nothin' wrong with it in my opinion, as long as respect is shown

[reatj81]

Very good topic
Now how do you compare apples to apples?   My hunting partner & I raise & share the same family of dogs.  These dogs are very similar, but when we go to getting real picky & start talking about the next breeding, each of us desire a little different style dog-- baying style... I'm sure most would not see any difference in most of these dogs, often others cannot tell them apart looking at them, but we can. So with these dogs being so similar they are still different.  So the one I think is the best may not be the best in his eyes.   The main thing we agree on is body style--confirmation, and color has nothing to do with this.

[Noah]

Very good topic
Now how do you compare apples to apples?   My hunting partner & I raise & share the same family of dogs.  These dogs are very similar, but when we go to getting real picky & start talking about the next breeding, each of us desire a little different style dog-- baying style... I'm sure most would not see any difference in most of these dogs, often others cannot tell them apart looking at them, but we can. So with these dogs being so similar they are still different.  So the one I think is the best may not be the best in his eyes.   The main thing we agree on is body style--confirmation, and color has nothing to do with this.

Yes... you and I are certainly on the same page... 

... this is indeed the hard part it seems... finding like minded(enough) individuals to compare "apples to apples"... however... much can still be learned when compared to HOG DOGS of different styles

[Reuben]

Very good topic
Now how do you compare apples to apples?   My hunting partner & I raise & share the same family of dogs.  These dogs are very similar, but when we go to getting real picky & start talking about the next breeding, each of us desire a little different style dog-- baying style... I'm sure most would not see any difference in most of these dogs, often others cannot tell them apart looking at them, but we can. So with these dogs being so similar they are still different.  So the one I think is the best may not be the best in his eyes.   The main thing we agree on is body style--confirmation, and color has nothing to do with this.

I agree with this too...and what you said is probably the biggest problem when judging dogs...it is not the dogs but the folks looking at the dogs...you said your dogs are so much alike that others fail to see the difference but you and your hunting buddy see the differences...that's a big one right there...

When I hunt with someone who has a great dog I can see it right away...

sometimes great dog work is not seen or appreciated...so  how can these folks know/judge what a good dog is?

sometimes someone has a good pack and catches lots of hogs...and they think they have a great set of dogs until they loose the lead dog and the pack won't range out any more...and the hunter is having to put the dogs on top of the hogs to catch one...

not trying to be contradictory but throwing this out there so we can look at this from other angles...

I have seen others do this in the past... including myself... 

[ked]

A little hound story to prove your point. The older guy that taught me to train horses and I've hunted with since I was a teenager (whi by the way is a gifted animal trainer) had a nice young walker hounder. Another guy about his age had a young blue dog. The guy with the blue dog started hunting him aline to get him "finished" (if they ever are) and so after some weeks they jouned up to hunt together again. The man was proud of how ole blue was doing so the first drop my mentor said cut ole blue. So blue is cast and strikes. After a little bit of blue grubbing what seem to be a rough track the walker dog (Sid) is turned to him. Sid slings gravel gets to the blue dog hits the track and runs it like he is tied to it treeing it a couple hundred yards ahead leaving ole blue in the dust.
Now, had Sid not been there the owner of ole blue would have been proud of how blue grubbed a tough track and finally treed it after 45 minutes to an hour under the assumption that it was an old cold rough track. If all you hunt with is yourself, then all you know us the standard your dogs set. But by going with others you xan honestly see what you have and if it really is a standard or in need of culling.

(This post is in no way meant to ridicule or disrespect blueticks)

[KevinN]

Tough, Tough, Tough.........

I don't think ANY dog is the "best" dog. There are to many variables.....wait.....I have an idea.....lets see....win the lottery....quit your job and then go spend a month in Florida hunting...then Georgia, then go to Tennessee and hunt for a month...then Alabama, the Louisiana and Mississippi, then Oklahoma, then California then get your passport and go to Central America, Argentina then skip the pond to Australia then New Zealand then finish up in Europe. If you catch hogs with your dogs in every one of those places then...well...you have some dang good dogs...lol

Now all joking aside...Truth be told...if you catch hogs on a regular basis in your area and you can say there aren't any dogs in your area that outshine yours then you SHOULD be happy. If your lucky enough to be able to hunt another geographical location and find your dogs lacking...well... There's something to work on...just don't forget.....sometimes when you take something apart it don't always go back together the same way.

[ironheadknls21]

I'll settle this. Everyone send me your best dog and i'll hunt them one at a time (may take multiple hunts to decide) until summer and i'll crown the champ.   

[Reuben]

sometimes when you take something apart it don't always go back together the same way.

At work when a great idea didn't work it got swept under the rug....and it never happened...lots of good points made...what I consider to be a great dog others might cull them...that is a fact...some like rough hot nosed short range dogs...I don't but if I was a hood dog hunter I probably would like that style...

[ROCKIN ROO HOG DOGS]

To me....Each and every person that owns a dog has " THE BEST" dog,be it hunting,companion,working or whatever!!! There will never be a day on this earth that i dont have a dog by my side to keep my sanity!!!!

[RyanTBH]

That's a good point there Rockin' Roo! My "best dog in the world" isn't even a hunting dog! LOL! 
Good ol T-Rex. 18 years old and still kicking!


But I do get the point you're trying to make Noah. I was talking about this with Blake the other day. He said, "You know that we have good dogs right?". I said, "yeah, we have pretty good dogs, and we get on plenty of hogs. I wouldn't say we have the best, but we have some good dogs." Blake said, "well hell, there is all this talk about great dogs... but I'll take 10 good dogs any day to one great dog if what we have is good dogs." LMAO! I thought that was pretty funny but a good point. That stuck with me. If what you have is working and putting you in the pork, then it can't be too bad. You are always striving to be better Noah, and improve on your dogs and your hunting, but IMO, I think that occurs everytime you're in the woods. If you start with something good then the only way to improve and compaire is to hunt the chit out of em and see who and what makes the cut.

[txhogsanddogs]

Great post Noah!  I think the best is a dog that can hunt pretty much any style weather its casting, winding, walking, or riding!  a dog that really just puts pork at the end of the stick time after time!  That is not hunting a pack of dogs either just a one dog show that will hold hogs for hours at a time!  Not too much grit but enough to keep them in one spot/ or the bottom to stay with one! ( ive hunted with the syle dogs also that kick up dust in your face and in 5min there .9 and others run out 500 and bay solid, you can keep that .9 dog  )

I can say in the past 5 or 6 years ive really come to realize what i have thats for sure...  In my area the younger gen. has exploded and yes they all have strike dogs that will find hogs but not always finish them so....... that is why we now have the track stars in todays times which i'm sure it has become like this all over!  Todays time with one dog on the ground or 2 from diff. owners at most is where you really get to see a dog shine!