Puppy Training

[t-dog]

What style of dogs does Justin raise? I can't remember if they are rough or looser type. I'm not sure under your circumstances that I wouldn't bait some hogs and start hunting. That's a long drive one way for leisurely stroles. They are 8 or 10 months old if I remember correctly? The old man's method would probably serve you as well here as anyone's. The only thing is you can't judge them as harshly as he might for the simple fact that his pups get to roam and explore up until working age. Yours haven't had that luxury so they aren't going to be as woods savvy. They are going to make some losses and probably get lost a time or 2. This is where you as a handler can help. If it was me, I would go to that spot where the loss was made and stand while they try to work it out. Having a dog there that already knows what's going on should help them overcome it. If they have brains and want to, they will likely be fine. And never think there isn't a tush hog lurking around. I say bait the hogs because you want your dogs to think it's time for business every time they get loaded. Once my pups get started doing mock hunts the woods trips to just run and explore are over. Its business everytime they are loaded from then on. Plus your older dog will gain a little confidence on a couple easier quick strikes. I wouldn't do this a lot because you can make them lazy. I know people that hunt feeders. They pull up and the dogs hunt a 150-200 yard circle around it and if they come back they load them.and go to the next one. I've came behind them.and found hogs so many times. It isn't that they don't have decent dogs, but the dogs are doing what they've been spoiled to. The hogs didn't hit the feeders for one reason or another so there was no hot sign.

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[t-dog]

When I got my first pack of dogs, it was myself and a buddy. Neither of us had 2 pennies to rub together but we'd not eat ourselves to be able to buy dog food lol. We split the cost on our first pup, it was $10 each. We took every free bee or stray that we thought would look at a hog. We messed with the dogs EVERYDAY. By the time our $20 pup was a year old she was better than most 2yr olds out there. By the time she was 2 dogs in their prime had better be on their A game or she would be showing them how it was done. The main ingredient here is she had brains and want to. We afforded her the opportunity to make it and she capitalized on it.

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[Austesus]

Justin’s dogs are rough, as far the small details he is obviously much more knowledgeable than I am with them, but his dogs are very intelligent which is one thing I like so much about them. There’s a good chance that they will find a pig on that lease I’m talking about. It’s my buddies deer lease so he has feeders that the pigs come to every night. The good thing is his biggest pig on camera is about 150lbs so nothing too big, I just don’t want a mean one to whip the pups before they’ve built some confidence. I agree about not always dropping  him on feeders also, I want them to get out and hunt for the track themselves.

I sent my a buddy a message about it a few hours ago and he said as soon as deer season ends (January 1st for us) that we can go out to the place to do it. His property is really the only place that I can go with roads, and it’s the only place with feeders. Easy pigs that don’t have any pressure outside of still hunting, so I was already planning to start the pups there before taking them to some of the harder places I hunt.

I’ve got a line on a new place that is about 600 acres with dirt roads all through it. All sand and pine trees from what I saw (had to tow my cousins truck to his buddies camper that’s on the land) but the owner of the land told my cousin there’s pigs and that I can hunt them whenever I want. I’m a little skeptical because I know that area and haven’t seen pigs that far from the river, but if it checks out I think it will be a good spot to start pups as well due to the roads and the lack of pressure.

So far, the male pup I got from Justin is looking like he will click. His mannerisms and behavior look good. He was a submissive dog and very laid back. His sister was the dominant one that ran the pen when I had them together, she didn’t seem too interested in the pigs, but I’m hoping she will click soon, she’s a beautiful pup, I want her to prove herself so I can breed some that look like her lol


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[jsh]

Not trying to sound like an a$$, but you want rough dogs and run rough dogs already but you’re afraid of them getting hurt?

It’s hard to provide you the advice you’re looking for under those circumstances.

Hunt them.  Just take them out and hunt them.  I sure wouldn’t pair them up with a rough dog on a pups first woods hunt, but that’s me.  They’ll find out on their own which end hurts unless they just have that much catch bred into them. 

Take them out of their kennel every day, let them run around your yard and experience the world.  Haul them in your truck all you can - even if it’s to the grocery store.

You can mock hunt till you’re blue in the face, but IMO a dog is made in the woods.

[Austesus]

Yes I run rough dogs, but I’ve been set back and am basically starting over so I don’t want to set two pups up for failure by running them by themselves until they’re ready. They’re not mature enough for a true rank hog. I have two other dogs now, one is a young dog that has made a good RCD, the other one is put up to save the blood. That is why I am wanting to do so many mock hunts, to gradually increase pig size and build confidence and experience so that I don’t take them hunting right off the bat and have them get killed because they didn’t know any better.

Where I live I can’t let dogs run loose, I only have 3.5 acres and have problems with my neighbor so I can’t risk a dog going in their yard. My goal here is to let the two puppies “hunt” in an environment controlled by me until they are ready for the real deal. I have one property with some easier pigs and I don’t ever see teeth there, everywhere else has the potential for them to come up on an experienced dog killer. At a little under a year old, I don’t believe they’re ready for that yet. They need to learn how to control a hog without getting beat on before I allow them to run in to something that’s 300lbs or bigger with shanks.

I have always had 4-6 dogs on the ground that were straight catch, I’m switching my style up after losing my lead dog and my catch dog and I want to hunt these two pups by themselves, or with just the one other young dog. I no longer have a dog that I can use to really teach them. My lead dogs sister isn’t going to hunt anymore because I want her alive for breeding now that he’s gone.


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[TheRednose]

Yes I run rough dogs, but I’ve been set back and am basically starting over so I don’t want to set two pups up for failure by running them by themselves until they’re ready. They’re not mature enough for a true rank hog. I have two other dogs now, one is a young dog that has made a good RCD, the other one is put up to save the blood. That is why I am wanting to do so many mock hunts, to gradually increase pig size and build confidence and experience so that I don’t take them hunting right off the bat and have them get killed because they didn’t know any better.

Where I live I can’t let dogs run loose, I only have 3.5 acres and have problems with my neighbor so I can’t risk a dog going in their yard. My goal here is to let the two puppies “hunt” in an environment controlled by me until they are ready for the real deal. I have one property with some easier pigs and I don’t ever see teeth there, everywhere else has the potential for them to come up on an experienced dog killer. At a little under a year old, I don’t believe they’re ready for that yet. They need to learn how to control a hog without getting beat on before I allow them to run in to something that’s 300lbs or bigger with shanks.

I have always had 4-6 dogs on the ground that were straight catch, I’m switching my style up after losing my lead dog and my catch dog and I want to hunt these two pups by themselves, or with just the one other young dog. I no longer have a dog that I can use to really teach them. My lead dogs sister isn’t going to hunt anymore because I want her alive for breeding now that he’s gone.

Sounds like you are on the right path, keep those dogs in the woods even if it is mock hunts then once they know what a hog is and can get one bayed on their own in a mock hunt start running them by themselves. This is a time where your ability as a hunter will come into play. Help them as much as you can by dropping them in sign and in places you know hogs will be, guide them in the direction you know they are moving etc. Be patient with them as it might take them a little longer to figure it out due to not having any dogs to show them. Find you a walk in catch dog unless you already have one, that way you have more control of when and where the catch is made so that you can be there. Then once they have some experience and you know what kind of dogs they are meaning where they are on the spectrum of straight catch to loose, then you may want to run RCD's with them or you may choose not to. I am sure you already know this anyways, just some thoughts. Good luck with your new pups!

[Austesus]

Thanks rednose, I’m itching for deer season to be over. That will open up the spot that is going to be the best place I have to start them. Once I’m able to take them out to that lease I will be able to work them a lot more than I am now


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[make-em-squeel]

What works for me is little to no baypen work, jump out races a few times, then the woods. I try not to shock them off cows etc until they have been praised for baying a pig

[justincorbell]

havent been around here in a little while, I just read through this thread. Pretty much anything that I would say has already been added by others. Keep in mind that I have not messed with mine at all aside from letting them ride in the buggy and bringing them to the woods 3 times before deer season started just to let them explore and be puppies, I would not worry much about the female not really firing off yet. Unfortunently you do not have the ability to start yours like I do mine do to your recent losses so you have to go about it differently than I would by utilizing mock hunts. I would follow the suggestions that have already been made regarding mock hunts but utilizing bigger hogs....80-100lbs would do the trick in my opinion (similar to what we have spoken about) and then start pouring the coals to em in the woods. the more experience you give em the better off they will be in the long run and remember at the end of the day they are still just pups....alot of folks dont even start messing with em til they are well over a year of age. keep doing what you are doing and they will figure out the rest.

[Austesus]

Absolutely Justin, I’m hoping that they will be heavy started before I come down again. Then I’ll bring them with me to hunt them with the rest of the family lol. Like we talked about, I’m going to try and increase pig size. A lot of that just depends on what my buddy gets in his trap but hopefully he’ll get some that are a good size. I’m curious to see how the male does with catching a bigger pig.


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