The American Beagler Forum

I can say this, those that consistently run solo or brace their dogs are the ones consistently putting dogs on the podium!!! I'm not talking about a few weeks or a few big hunts I'm talking dog after dog and year after year. The results speak for itself for what method really works!!!!

A dog will learn more in one good solo trip then several days pack running, I will not keep a dog that can not solo its own rabbit.
Just mt 2 cents worth LOL

Jmo, solo solo solo, then solo some more. If you guys that don't agree with it will try it you will see what I'm talking about in time. But like I said that's jmo. And if you have the excuse you don't have time to solo you need to sell some dogs.

swing wrote:. And if you have the excuse you don't have time to solo you need to sell some dogs.

I agree with Wireman. For my use ,gunhunt and pleasure run I have never soloed. I just cant load 1 dog and drive far and leave the rest. I never intend to run just one, would rather hear a good pack.

I'm lucky; I can walk out to the kennel and get one or five and be running. The down side is that the rabbits get pressured a lot. I need to find a couple of places close to home so I can solo in new places. But I think it is definitely making a difference.

Larry

soloing is a big tool in modern day beagling in my opinion because most beaglers are not disapline enough to do what it takes to build a good pack of dogs. the most under stated point in this conversation is how consistant the pack owner is in what he wants out of his pack. pick a style you like and breed to the best in that style that you are able to and cull hard. beagles are pack hounds bottom line, soling is a crutch that helps get a dogs individual talent. who has the time to solo 7-8 dogs to get there own talent to come to the front then put them together to run as a pack?

I have been soloing my quick-to-open dog for about two weeks, packing him with others once or twice a week. Today the judge told me he has never seen him look so good. He only got one minus for NP while others got two. Won his cast. Sure was proud of him. Convinced me; some dogs need more alone time than others. A different dog might require more pack time to curb too much independence.

Larry

Call it what you will, but I can accomplish more by taking 2-4 dogs. That's how I solo. If I cant figure what the heck they are doing with 2-4 dogs, either there is a problem with the dogs or me. I could care less how ONE dog runs a rabbit. I can hear which ones are better by taking just a smaller group. They better shine in the small group because theres no way they can shine with the older dogs. The one or two that I hear the least out of in the small pack, I move. Most often to some one with a little slower dogs. It works for me and them. I don't field trial so my opinion is what works for me and the guys I run with.

PS
I've seen plenty with so much independence from running solo that fail to hark. He could be the world champion and I wouldn't keep him for that reason.

Is "failure to hark" enforced in ARHA trials? It is a big time scratcher in Foxhound trials.

i never gun hunt one dog, so i never solo on purpose, i run 8-10 hours every 2 days in rabbit/hare country. i care how my pack runs together and puts pressure on game. i get enough solo running when i get a split race and see how one or two of my dogs have run with out being in the pack.maybe its more of a trial thing, dont know... but the few trial champs i have seen(owned one) didnt seem to really honor and slot up in the pack the way others do. might just have been the dogs i seen.

I've seen plenty with so much independence from running solo that fail to hark.

I agree. These dogs are three years old and have always run in a pack--usually we each bring two dogs. Getting him to hark is not the problem. Getting him to take control of the track/check is. At a trial recently he took a track 100 yards before any other dog harked in. Made me wonder what he was running. Picked up three checks before the others even got there or close to it. His litter-mate is a R CH and gives him competition when I brace them. And for a long time I thought his brother was too tall for trialing. Had him measured at the last hunt and he came in at 14-1/2". Long legs make them look taller. I'll try him at the next hunt too. No training method works on every dog. We need to determine what is needed and proceed accordingly. For me, it seems to be working. I got a lot of positive comments on his performance.

Larry

As my original post states.

rabbitatfarm wrote:I've seen plenty with so much independence from running solo that fail to hark.

I agree. These dogs are three years old and have always run in a pack--usually we each bring two dogs. Getting him to hark is not the problem. Getting him to take control of the track/check is. At a trial recently he took a track 100 yards before any other dog harked in. Made me wonder what he was running. Picked up three checks before the others even got there or close to it. His litter-mate is a R CH and gives him competition when I brace them. And for a long time I thought his brother was too tall for trialing. Had him measured at the last hunt and he came in at 14-1/2". Long legs make them look taller. I'll try him at the next hunt too. No training method works on every dog. We need to determine what is needed and proceed accordingly. For me, it seems to be working. I got a lot of positive comments on his performance.

Larry

If your dog had 3 checks in 100 yards I think it needs LOTS of SOLOING!!!

Soloed many dogs for myself and others and never had a dog not wanna honor or go to a pack of running dogs.

He didn't get the checks until after he had taken the track 100 yards. Why are some so quick to cast judgement? This dog has minused out 11 times in the past year. I try to share some small accomplishment and my dog gets whacked by someone who has never seen him run. Sure makes one feel like posting on here.

Larry