EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Would like ya'lls opinions on a question I have , Have only been doin this hog hunting with dogs for about 10-11 years Im 27 now . Ive always run pit/curs that were short range hot nosed and rough . I hunt with gritty curs now and use walk in catch dogs now,  As Im getting older the properties I hunt are bigger and those short range dogs are just not cutting it . My cur female that I have had a few months has been hunting out 300 yards in loops and has a good nose on her , I bred her to a medium range 400-500 yard cur in no sign , he checks back about every 20-30 minutes hes extremely rough where my female is gritty and will catch with another dog. My goal in this breeding was to have some gritty medium range dogs. My question to yall who have been doin this longer then me and have been breeding your own dogs and have consistency in your litter. Short range/medium range/long range is that genetics or something that can be taught not by the owner because I believe that a dog has it or it doesnt. Im talkin if I have a pup that came from short range dogs can it be taught by a long range dog by hunting with that long range dog? I got in a little bit of an argument with my buddy who said his dog was long range his dog hunts around 150-300 yards in no sign BUT will not quit one and has gone way past 2 miles on gps on a runner. My definition of a dog like that is a short range dog but will not quit a hog but thats a different topic lol. Thanks yall for you opinions and help, God Bless_Pete   

I don't believe range can be taught ...its just something there born with.

I believe genes are the biggest factor. I raised a litter of pups and kept 4. All trained and hunted with the same older dogs. The young dogs all hunt a little different.

Sure a dog can go with another dog a mile looking, doesnt make it a long range dog though. Drop a dog alone. That will tell you what you have. The distance one takes a track has nothing to do with range.

I agree in that I don't think range can be taught. When my two best dogs were pups (10.5 months old) I put them in a pen with a hog once and they did great for their first time. I took them to the woods (by their selves) the next week and they went 900 yards out in the woods and they had no idea what they were there for. I know this cause a day later I walked them to a feeder that had hogs under it at the time and they were obviously confused LOL. Needless to say we didn't end up with a pig. They are now two and they still get gone but they now know why they are there and their ultimate goal is to find a pig, which they typically do but they don't always stop them but that is getting better and better. I have been through a bunch of dogs since these two and most everyone that didn't start getting out on their own quick, never did. Most just made "me too" dogs. Just my two cents for what its worth..

Go with Genetics.  You gonna waste a lot of time the other way.

Appreciate the advice. Firm believer in genetics myself. I will see with this litter what is made.