Culls

[Whitey]

Hello again Everyone,

I believe we are getting caught up on some technical points. For one, there is nothing wrong with owning or hunting a grade dog or a cull, if this is what makes you happy or this is all you can afford (no disrespect intended). What some of us are saying is that a few of us believe that culls should simply not be bred and when some one sells a cull the person should be up front and explain why they are selling the dog. It is like when you buy a house, you need to inform the buyer about everything that is wrong with the house or else you are liable and can be sued for damages. Also remember there is nothing wrong with holding the papers of the cull. This would be an easy way to prevent puppymills, and backyard breeders from buying these dogs just to breed them and make money off of the pups. I also agree that too many people are getting caught up with pedigrees, the papers don't chase the rabbits.
The problem with breeding dogs that do not have the potential for being excellent dogs is that it makes it very hard to find a dog that has a chance of being truely faultless. I am not saying that a grade dog or a cull can't produce a great dog, some of the greatest dogs I have seen have been grade dogs. It is just that you can not look back and see what made this dog or why the breeding worked out the way it did. Also, just because it produced a great dog how many bad dogs did it add to the gene pool.
As far as price comes, I do believe that many are just trying to capitalize on selling dogs for the wrong reason. I myself have no problem paying big bucks for a really quality dog. Some people are selling dogs that don't have any real potential and selling them for championship caliper prices. Is this okay? I personally do not think it is, nor do I believe that if a dog is not a field champion it is not worth anything. I have seen dogs win at the trials that in my opinion could barely even run a rabbit. I don't know what the answer really is nor does anyone really. The old timers were trying to do this back in the early 1900s and it is still as big of a problem now as it was back then.
Can any of you answer one question, where does one go if one wants to buy a really quality dog? It really seems to be a crap shoot. I would really love to meet many of you that claim that they only keep the best dogs for breeding. Especially if you are willing to part with any of your exceptional bitches. I myself am trying to start a real quality line of beagles up here in Wisconsin and I have not been able to find the type of dogs that are worth purchasing to even attempt breeding to. The good ones nobody wants to part with, and one has a really hard time trying to weed out the top breeders from the ones that are breeding dogs that should be culled. Any help would be very appreciated.

Thanks

Whitey

[bucks better beagles]

When did a person that sells dogs, become a negative symbol of the beagle world? Seems like everyone on this board sells dogs at one time or another. If you never let one go, you end up with an old folks home. The squabbling right now seems to be over the price. Reminds me of an old saying: "You can sell a $100 dog for $100 or you can sell a $100 dog for $400 but you still only have a $100 dog". The trick then is to know the difference.

Bob-Still in cheepo Michigan

[wilsonron]

After reading this post I have to agree with BUCK BETTER BEAGLES. I was taught if you don't like someones dog-dogs then don't say a word. Just because you don't like then doesn't mean the owner don't worship them. I have never yet seen the perfect beagle in my 14 years running them. I have been luck enough to see some great hounds run grade and registered. I have ran with alot of different people, dogs and one things for sure no one is perfect. I run both grade and registerd dogs I like what I run and don't care what everyone else thinks of them. My best dog was a free one.

[Pike Ridge Beagles]

Lets just keep this thread about culls and not the price of hounds (unrelated to the cull subject) and slamming others because of their asking price. That's a personal choice and a legal contract between two individuals and none others business. I will go ahead and edit the posts that were off topic, including my own.

[Pike Ridge Beagles]

..........................................................................
Can any of you answer one question, where does one go if one wants to buy a really quality dog? It really seems to be a crap shoot. I would really love to meet many of you that claim that they only keep the best dogs for breeding. Especially if you are willing to part with any of your exceptional bitches. I myself am trying to start a real quality line of beagles up here in Wisconsin and I have not been able to find the type of dogs that are worth purchasing to even attempt breeding to. The good ones nobody wants to part with, and one has a really hard time trying to weed out the top breeders from the ones that are breeding dogs that should be culled. Any help would be very appreciated.

Thanks

Whitey

I read your entire post and you made several very good points. I will give you my opinion to a clip of your reply above. First thing I'd do is identify the style of dog that pleases you by certain lines or breedings. Next, I would go watch the stud run and if possible the bitch run several times. Then I'd study these two dogs pedigrees and research everything about the ancestors in the pedigree. Last, once you feel confident in this line and particular hounds, I'd buy one or two out of a litter and roll the dice. There are no guarantees in anything but by doing your homework you can increase your odds for successfully owning the style of hound you are seeking and reduce the potential for ending up with a cull. I have used this method but in all honestly I have also bought pups out of particular bloodlines and the reputation of certain kennels for producing top shelf hounds without watching the parents run. I prefer the latter method but it is not always possible.

Good luck

Ed

[Bunnyblaster]

Good job Pike.................that's the way it should be.