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[ohlinger]

I hunt my dogs over 6 hours 75% of the time i go out i'd say on a rough estimate and we don't have hare to run. I've got alot of public and private grounds to hunt. 6 hours is'nt that long of a day really. Sun up to sun down alot of the times when i go out. I could easily see going all day if we were running hare.

[mybeagles]

In my experience you start to see a big drop off after 8 hours. Regardless of conditioning, after 8 hours dogs start drawing on heart. If you have one that hunt hard and runs hard past 8 hours dont get rid of them.

[DRamey]

I have one that will go all day. I turn him loose and don't see him until someone calls me late that evening saying that he has wandered in to their front porch! Whew! Now that's GO power! Anybody in the market for a hound with Go power?

[DIXIEDOG]

I owned a mother/son pair that would run all night twice a week (7-9hrs). These two dogs had great hunt/desire and were in impeckable condition. The longest they ever went was 14 hours. At that point they were walking the track. IMO this is too long, and took them 4-5 days to recover.
Much easier to do long runs at night on hare. Hare run really good at night and races of 2-3 hours without significant breakdown are common. Piggyback 3 together and you have a full night of running. If dogs are coming in or quit hunting after 4 hours they are most likely not in shape but some may just lack desire.
I have a personal limit of 8 hours with my hounds, but have seen a few well conditioned trial dogs go longer.
Its gets a little impractical to keep the same hounds on the ground for more that 6-8 hours.

Have to disagree with the once a day feeding. I feed twice a day, and increase each feeding during heavy conditioning. With once a day in order to get maximum effect you would have to feed before running and most vets will advise against heavy feeding before the hunt.
Lets be real though, how many guys hunt over 6 hours straight with same dogs? This is getting real technical, but it could make slight difference when pushing the extreemes. Dave

I actually feed my dogs in the afternoon not in the morning before running, I wouldn't consider feeding just before a run due to the likely hood of stomach problems. I also hunt my dogs over 6 hours straight basically every weekend during the season.

[ohlinger]

i feed mine in the evenings that away when i get home from hunting they are good and hungry and go to sleep with a full stomach. its not good to feed you're dogs just before a hunt. messes up the digestion and also gives them upset stomachs.

[mybeagles]

Feeding the dogs at night means the dogs have been 8-10 hours without food before you start. Run for another 8 hours means the dogs have not eaten for 16-18hrs. Doesnt figure to me that their energy would be higher that way. I know if I go that long without food my energy level drops.

If it works for you, keep with it. I just cant follow the logic. Im in Korea now and cant find any rabbits. Not much wild life here at all here. Im going through running withdrawls

[ncbeagler]

IFC Three Jays Jacks Smokey would run hare or cottontail if left down 2 days at a time.In 31 trials she took first or second 21 times, and it was her forte to win most trials that were all day or a guarantee to place high.She was bred to both IFC Speedy Sport & IFC Awfulbawlin Viagra.Over the years I raised a lot of pups from various bloodlines,none showed the bottom that Smokey's pups.In my 100 acre plus fenced running grounds where I start and get the pups going is very very dense cover that will beat the dogs up.Most pups and adult dogs from other bloodlines other than Smokey would be lying at the gate after an all dayer and nighter eyes swollen half shut.Not the Smokey pups they were always in the woods hunting or running when I'd cpme up.As long as the food and water was there to get,they'd run there little butts off.There hams looked like they been lifting weights where they'd muscle up so much.Smokeys trade mark is extreme hunt, stamina, and desire.Her pups have shown it and now grand pups from the reports I hear.Ros Dasno one of the NYHA top beaglers states that his 2 young 15 bitches out of the Viggs cross will run 2 days straight and never be at his gate that he always has to go find them-never look tired or beat up amazing stamina.He says he never seen anything like it.May be some other bloodlines out there also very tough just haven't seen them in 40+years of running beagles.Steve C

[copperking]

I can ussually get all day out of my dogs but you need to build up to it. In the off season I will only run them 2-3 times a week and only 2-3 hours at a time. When season gets closer I will run more often and for long periods of time. Till I can get a solid 9-10 hours of good running.

[ohlinger]

40+ years where else have you looked ?

[JUDE]

40+ years where else have you looked ?

Patch 110 years and still going strong .

[ncbeagler]

[quote="ohlinger"]40+ years where else have you looked ?[/quote]From Lousiana to Ontario.A couple hall famer friends share the same opinion.i never said they were the best.There accomplishments speak for themselves.I seen some thirty ought six dogs run at a trial or 2 pretty impressive.A lot good dogs around never get the exposure like some and often the owners don't always have the facilities to pound them hard working family etc takes time.

[ohlinger]

Feeding the dogs at night means the dogs have been 8-10 hours without food before you start. Run for another 8 hours means the dogs have not eaten for 16-18hrs. Doesnt figure to me that their energy would be higher that way. I know if I go that long without food my energy level drops.

If it works for you, keep with it. I just cant follow the logic. Im in Korea now and cant find any rabbits. Not much wild life here at all here. Im going through running withdrawls

Hmm..i guess my dogs metabolism works alil differently from you'rs thats some tough logic. My dogs survive off one cup a day actualy they'll gain weight on one cup a day if not ran regularly. How would you do on one cup a day ?

NCbeagler jist ask'n cuz 40 years is alot of experience. I was trying to get you to throw some names out there.